Keys to the Game: Michigan football vs. Central Michigan 

It’s Michigan football week three already, and that means the last of the non-conference games. This week’s contest with Central Michigan won’t be played overseas, though there was talk earlier this week of moving it to Norway or Spain … 

RELATED: Staff Predictions: Michigan football vs. CMU

No, not really. We’re just teasing the marketing geniuses at Michigan about the trip to Germany next year for the big U-M vs. WMU contest, of course. This game will be in the Big House, where the Wolverines will try to bounce back from a disappointing, 24-13 loss at Oklahoma last week. Yes, it was a “logical loss” in Norman, but we really expected (at least hoped) U-M would show better, especially on offense.

Head coach Sherrone Moore said Monday he expected better of his team, too, starting up front. 

“It was consistency, because there are times where there are huge holes,” he said. “There are times where there’s movement, the line of scrimmage, and there are times where there are things that are leaky and loose. 

“It’s got to be consistent … and there are some things that I thought we could have done, and we’ve talked about as a staff, to come back to that could have combated their defense. It’s a collective thing.”

Here’s what they need to do Saturday against Central Michigan …

Michigan Key No. 1 — Establish dominance in the trenches

We’ll be honest — we expected more from the defensive line through two games. They didn’t win enough one-on-ones against Oklahoma, and while the ball was out quickly against New Mexico, we thought (to the naked eye, anyway) there were too many stalemates. We may have been spoiled by Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant pushing offensive linemen back into the quarterback, but still … there seems to be more to give here. 

As for the offensive line … more questions than answers. The young tackles actually looked okay at times against the Sooners, but the interior had a rough, rough day. There are veterans here who should be pushing people around. Instead, they’re getting run over at times, missing some assignments, playing too high .. more of the same. 

Tomorrow is a day to exert their will on an overmatched opponent and make it easier for the skill position players on offense, the secondary on defense. 

Key No. 2 — Find an identity on offense 

Saturday at Oklahoma seemed to be a meshing of different philosophies with no counter when things went poorly, minus one second-half touchdown run by Justice Haynes. It looked completely different than the opener vs. New Mexico, when the Lobos defense didn’t seem to know what to expect. 

The Michigan offensive minds seemed to want to “smash” without the personnel to do it, and they admitted as much … or, at least that they wanted to control the ball and the clock. We’d rather they be a bit more aggressive given the elite thrower they have behind center. That doesn’t mean throw 50 times a game, but not telegraphing plays behind fullback Max Bredeson, for example, would be a start.

Michigan Key No. 3 — Stop the run 

That, of course, goes hand in hand with dominating up front, but it’s key against a team that really wants to shorten the game by running the ball. Take away this aspect of the CMU offense, and this should be an easy afternoon for the Wolverines.

Again, the U-M defensive front has been solid, but not as good as hoped. It’s time to change that.

Michigan vs. CMU — The Breakdown 

We’ve said for a while that Oklahoma would be the first litmus test for this Michigan team, Nebraska the second, and we stand by that. Next week’s game is huge. That doesn’t mean you can’t learn about your team against an overmatched opponent, however … how it bounces back from disappointment, guys being in the right place on assignments, etc. 

The in-state directional schools always bring the energy when they play in the Big House, and we don’t expect anything different Saturday. At the same time, the Chips don’t have the horses to hang with the Wolverines. It would be disappointing if this one wasn’t all but over in the third quarter.