Michigan football spring game recap: Blue Team outlasts Maize by score of 20-12
Michigan football played its annual spring game on Saturday at the Big House in Ann Arbor. The Blue team outlasted the Maize by a score of 20-12.
The Wolverines were split between the Blue Team, coached by offensive line coach/co-offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, and the Maize Team coached by defensive backs coach/co-defensive coordinator Steve Clinkscale. The game was played in 12-minute quarters with two minutes between each and a 12-minute halftime.
Here is a recap of the contest that took place on Saturday at Michigan Stadium.
First quarter
The Maize team started with the ball on offense, quarterbacked by Cade McNamara. McNamara, dressed in all white, played quarterback for both teams on Saturday. Both the Maize and Blue teams went three-and-out on their first possessions.
Davis Warren took over at quarterback for the Maize team on the second drive. He led a seven-play, 49-yard drive headlined by a 39-yard wheel route completion to sophomore running back Donovan Edwards. Maize took a 3-0 lead with 7:36 left in the quarter on a 25-yard field goal from graduate senior Rhett Anderson.
McNamara went back out there for the next Blue and Maize drives and was unable to get much of anything going. Maize punted with just over three minutes left in the quarter, where the Blue team turned the offense over to fifth-year senior quarterback Alan Bowman. The first quarter ended with the Blue squad driving on the Maize’s three-yard line.
Second quarter
Redshirt freshman Tavierre Dunlap was able to score from three-yards out on the first play to put Blue up 7-3. Warren and the Maize team got down to the three-yard line, but turned the ball over on downs with 5:59 to play in the quarter. Maize got the ball back in the waning moments of the quarter and kicked a 30-yard field goal. Blue went into the locker room with a 7-6 lead.
Warren was Michigan’s offensive leader in the first half, going 9-for-16 with 114 yards passing.
Third quarter
The Blue squad started with the ball coming out of the half and went three-and-out. Maize followed with a three-and-out of its own. Most of the quarter was quiet with the 2s and 3s working into the lineup, but fireworks soon appeared.
Bowman found freshman wide receiver Darrius Clemons for a 35-yard touchdown with 3:31 left in the quarter to help put the Blue team up 14-6. Maize team would respond with its own scoring drive, however.
Warren found freshman wide receiver Amorion Walker for a 39-yard throw down the right sideline to put the offense in territory for points. They would settle for a field goal with Anderson hitting from 33-yards out. Blue led 14-9 at the end of the third quarter.
Fourth quarter
The Blue team started the quarter with a three-and-out, punting to its Maize counterparts. The team traded punts throughout the quarter, but the Blue team got the score it needed to pull away late. They went 53 yards in six plays and got a five-yard touchdown from Bowman to junior walk-on Sam Staruch with 4:33 to go. Blue led 20-9.
The Maize team was able to put three more points on the board with 37 seconds to go thanks to another Anderson field goal. In lieu of an onside kick, Maize had a shot to go for it on 4th and 10 from its own 35 to get the ball back. Warren completed the conversion to redshirt freshman Cristian Dixon, keeping hope alive. A sack from Blue team linebacker Jaylen Harrell and time expiring sealed the victory for the Blues.
Michigan football spring game box score
