Here is the report card for the 30-27 win by Michigan football over Nebraska on Saturday.
Coaching: C
Some of it falls on the players. Too many missed tackles, players celebrating when the defense wasn’t lights out. The running game was working all day, just stick with what works. Taking all three timeouts into halftime with you and allowing the Hail Mary to be attempted in the first place was horrible, but then for it to be successful. I didn’t like Biff not speaking about it after halftime either. I would’ve loved to see him say that’s on me, but he didn’t.
Offense: B
Too many dropped passes again by the Michigan football receivers. Some of that is on Bryce Underwood still. Take something off the short passes when there’s no defender around. The fumble was concerning, but Michigan overcame it. It might be time to get some other receivers some playing time. Channing Goodwin dropped two passes, including a touchdown.
On offense, it was the running game as usual that was the difference. Michigan has to figure it out in the passing game. There will game games eventually where the running game isn’t working. Justice Haynes is a beast, and Jordan Marshall had another good game. It should’ve been 14-0 to start the game, but bad execution on the trick play and the touchdown drop have to be corrected.
Defense: B-
There were too many missed tackles for my liking, but overall, Michigan’s defense did enough. The blown coverage on Nebraska’s first touchdown, there’s no excuse for that. The Hail Mary, I’ll put that more on the coaches for not calling a timeout, but you can’t let that happen with five defenders in the end zone. The taunting penalty, I would’ve benched Brandyn Hillman for the rest of the game. Holding Nebraska to zero points on their first drive and the seven sacks is what saved the Wolverines.
Special Teams: C-
The special teams continue to need a lot of work. The short punt, a decent punt return by Nebraska that should’ve been for no gain, was troublesome.
Overall Grade: B-
The game never should’ve been that close. Michigan let Nebraska hang around, and it almost cost them. You take away the long touchdown runs and the seven sacks, and the outcome would be very different. Use the bye week to get everything right against a struggling Wisconsin team on Oct. 4 at home.