Defense/ST Notes: Michigan's game-winning FG salvages poor special teams showing

CHICAGO – The Michigan Wolverines had a woeful special teams day at the office in its 24-22 win over Northwestern, which has become an all-too-common occurrence this season.

Whether it was the kicking game, punting game or return game, Michigan had its struggles everywhere, headlined by two missed Dominic Zvada field goals and a Semaj Morgan fumble on a punt return.

But on a day when too many miscues occurred, the Wolverines had one clutch play in them, and it would be the one that turned the game result.

Zvada, who missed from 36 and 60 yards, respectively, in his first two tries, nailed a 31-yarder toward the right field bleachers at Wrigley Field as time expired, and was carried off the field as a hero in a ballpark that has had several of them in its 111-year history.

“Just the mindset of the next play,” Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said after the win of Zvada. “He’s got to keep rolling, and the team had a lot of confidence in him. The one was, was pretty long. It was a 60-yarder which he had the distance for … he just missed it. So, seeing him make it, you’ve got to have trust in your kicker in those situations, especially against a team like that that’s going to chew the clock and play that type of offense.

“So happy for him, so happy for our team and him making that field goal.”

There is not a long of contact between Moore and Zvada on gamedays and in practices. He cedes that to special teams coordinator J.B. Brown, who has his hands plenty full. BBut

“I see him, but I’m not talking to him,” Moore said. “Like I told you, I, I can’t coach kickers. I let the kicking coaches coach them, but his demeanor just never changes.

“I’ve never kicked before. I’m sure nobody else has. Maybe … anybody in here kicked before? Madden … it’s different. That little meter goes like this and then you can hit that, and you can hit that every time you make every hit, right? But it’s a lot different than on Big Noon on national TV and the clock is at 3 seconds on the clock, and they freeze you. I see him over there looking, talking to one of their guys. I’m like, ‘oh yeah, he’s about to bang this through,’ but there’s still that in the back of your head.

“I just said it to myself, and then I … they all knew it [he was going to make it]. They all knew it. Just next-play mentality, and coming back from adversity. He missed 2 early but then came back and won it for us.”

Michigan makes key stops, holds firm

Michigan’s defense did not put up a ton of gaudy numbers on the stat sheet – it did not record a sack or turnover on Saturday – but a mostly stifling effort saw them hold Northwestern to 245 total yards. The Wolverines also had 4 3-and-outs forced on the afternoon.

Moore was pleased with what he saw from the group.

“Really just playing good defense,” Moore said. “Jordan Young had a big play, got us the ball back. That’s a huge play by a young player, and he’s going to be special here, but the entire defense had to lock in. We knew we had to get the ball back and we trusted the offense to go down and score.”

The aforementioned Young, a true freshman defensive back, was thrust onto the field in a big moment, defending a pass intended for him and helping the defense get off the field late. He described the play on what was only his second snap of the game.

“Third down, we were in zero coverage,” Young said. “I saw the ball was thrown, a late finish. We’ve been working on it all week, so shout out to my coaches for putting me in a great spot, and I just made a play when it came to me.

“…I sensed [they were targeting me] a little bit, since that was my second play of the whole game in the fourth quarter. I knew they were going to come to me as a freshman, as well. I was ready, though.”

Miscellaneous defense/special teams notes

• Northwestern only had 106 yards in the first half, 39 of which came on the final possession of the second quarter.

• They were also held to season lows in rushing yards (61) and yards per carry (2.3) by the Michigan defense.

• This was the first game Michigan has not created a turnover since midway through last season. Before Saturday, the Wolverines had forced at least one in 15 straight games.

• One of Michigan’s five turnovers on the day came via a Semaj Morgan fumble on a punt return in the third quarter. He was replaced at punt returner by freshman Andrew Marsh.