WATCH: Michigan offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey addresses performance vs. Oklahoma, talks Bryce Underwood, more

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines football offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Chip Lindsey met with the media Wednesday afternoon ahead of his team’s matchup with Central Michigan. Watch video from his press conference below.

Michigan offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey

Lindsey discussed the offense lacking rhythm in last weekend’s 24-13 loss to Oklahoma in the second meeting between the two schools.

“First of all, you have to give some credibility to Oklahoma,” he pointed out. “They have a good defense, they do a good job. They’ve improved their defense, and they were really good last year. So, that starts with that. But going into that game, we were like, hey, we need to win the time of possession, we need to not turn the ball over.

“And to win the time of possession, you have to be good on third down — and we weren’t. I think that’s the story of the game. Our goal is to be 50 percent on third down. We weren’t that. Therefore, we didn’t get to stay on the field. Therefore, their offense plays more plays, and everything kind of ties together.

“We didn’t play to our standard, that’s for sure — the standard that I expect us to play at here at Michigan, and the standard I have set for our offense. So, I think you’ve got to look first of all internally and go back and say, OK, we had a good week of practice, we thought we had a good plan. Looking back, we just didn’t get it done. Any time you do that, you self-reflect, and our guys have really responded this week and worked really hard at improving that area, for sure.”

Lindsey was asked if it’s fair to characterize Michigan’s game plan as ‘conservative,’ given the Wolverines leaned on the run game despite its ineffectiveness and that they didn’t throw down the field much until the second half. 

“There was definitely a philosophy of, hey, to win this game as a team … I think everything starts with, how do we win the game? That’s what we’re about here. And really, to do that, it goes back to possessing the ball,” Lindsey revealed. “And if we execute on third downs a little better and stay on the field, I think things play out a little different for us. We didn’t get that done.

“There was definitely a concerted effort to make sure we possess the ball and do a good job of that, and obviously we didn’t do it good enough.”