Michigan offensive line played worst game at USC: 'We didn't rely on our technique enough'

According to PFF, Michigan Wolverines football graded out at its worst on the season in both pass protection (60.4) and run blocking (56.7) in the 31-13 loss to USC Saturday in Los Angeles. Those numbers illustrate that it was the offensive line’s worst performance of the season.

The Wolverines threw for 207 yards and rushed for 109, but ended only two drives in points, one of them being a 2-play, 75-yard possession thanks to a 69-yard touchdown connection between freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood and freshman wideout Andrew Marsh. Michigan had a tough time consistently sustaining drives.

“I just feel like we didn’t rely on our technique enough and didn’t finish drives, honestly,” sophomore right tackle Andrew Sprague said. “Sometimes, it’s just the speed of the game, just going against faster players than the scout team. And all that stuff really makes a big impact on that.”

The mistakes were all correctable, Sprague insisted.

“Just working on it at practice, honestly, and just getting good looks from the scouts and just working on it on your own before practice, after practice, all day,” the Michigan lineman said of how they can be cleaned up.

The USC defensive front played well, but it wasn’t anything Michigan shouldn’t have been able to handle.

“We’ve played a lot of good D-lines this year,” Sprague said. “USC definitely had a lot of talent on their D-line. It was up there with the best of them, but it didn’t stand out above everyone else.”

The Wisconsin defensive line is also formidable, and Sprague had a tough time with that group. From the way he reacted to being asked about it, his performance against Wisconsin appears to still eat at him — and he played much better versus the Trojans.

“Honestly, I just feel like I wasn’t playing my game against Wisconsin, and I think at USC I played a better game and got back to my game,” he said.

Michigan will face a Washington team that ranks eighth nationally in run defense but ranks 89th nationally with a 31.9-percent pressure rate on passing downs, according to Sports Info Solutions. The Huskies are also banged up on the front line, missing edge rusher Zach Durfee — who’s recorded 14 pressures on only 69 pass-rush snaps this season — among others.

“Washington is a good team,” Sprague noted. “They have some big, stout guys on their D-line, some good EDGEs, their linebackers come down hill pretty hard. So, they’re going to be a good challenge, so I think I’ll be ready for it.”

The last four games, Sprague has started next to classmate Jake Guarnera, who took over as the right guard following an injury to junior Brady Norton. However, Norton is fully healthy this week, according to head coach Sherrone Moore, and will challenge to earn his starting spot back.

“He’s going to challenge Jake to see where he is,” Moore said. “Love the competition. Need it. So, we’ll see how that goes this week.”

By all accounts, however, Guarnera has impressed this season, grading out at 67.3 overall on PFF, the highest among Michigan offensive linemen who have started games.

Sprague is close with Guarnera and has enjoyed playing next to him.

“The first thing with Jake is how he’s improved his body,” Sprague said. “Jake’s probably the strongest O-lineman we have and the most athletic. And then just his mental game, from being the center and moving to guard, he knows pretty much everything, so that’s been a big help.”