3 things we need to see from Michigan football against Arkansas State
By Nick Popio
2. A shutout on defense
Truthfully I don't expect this to happen and neither does anyone else if you've studied Arkansas State's offense. Jaylen Raynor is their Mr. Do Everything and although he's not the most efficient passer, he can make defenders miss with his legs. In the first two wins of the season, he leads the Red Wolves in rushing. He will be one of the most elusive quarterbacks that Michigan football faces all season long.
The Red Wolves are averaging 31 an outing and haven't been shutout since 2019 when they were lambasted by Georgia. Raynor has gone over 250 a game and Wink Martindale's unit is in the middle of the pack when it comes to total defense. They're better off in the run game than they are on the passing side of things.
Arkansas State's offense is closer to the upper half of the NCAA rankings. The offensive line gave up three sacks in Week 1, but only let Raynor get sacked once in the Tulsa victory. Arkansas State and the rest of the country now have the blueprint to expose Michigan's defense. It's up to Martindale to reinvent this group to be the one that everyone thought it would be coming into 2024.