Offense notes: Michigan starts fast, is thorough and dominant in win over Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. — Michigan Wolverines football quickly quieted 87,134 fans after its first drive, a statement capped off by a 29-yard pass from junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy to senior wide receiver Roman Wilson, who made a highlight-reel catch against Nebraska safety Isaac Gifford‘s helmet.

“Can’t start a game better than we did today, with taking the opening drive [75 yards for a score],” Harbaugh said of Michigan’s 45-7 win over Nebraska. “Tremendous playmaker Roman Wilson and J.J. — what a catch that was. The guys up in the press box were telling me just how good it was when they were watching it on the replay. Keeping his feet in bounds — amazing.”

“That was crazy,” senior running back Kalel Mullings added of Wilson’s catch. “I was on a checkdown route and I just saw the ball go up in the air, and I was like, ‘there’s no way he caught that. But Roman makes plays like that all the time. It’s just a tribute to how good a player he is. I’m sure week by week he’ll keep making crazy plays.”

Wilson had another touchdown reception, a 16-yarder, late in the second quarter, and now has 8 on the season. That’s the most by a Michigan receiver in a campaign since Donovan Peoples-Jones finished the 2018 season with an identical number.

Just over halfway through the first quarter, Michigan had a 14-0 lead, before pulling ahead 28-0 at halftime, scoring touchdowns on four of five first-half possessions. Fans had already begun filing out at that point, fed up with their team getting blown out and hot from the 93-degree temperatures.

“Definitely exactly what I thought it was going to be,” McCarthy said of neutralizing the Nebraska fan base. “It was nice looking over to ‘The Boneyard’ [Nebraska’s student section] and seeing it was 3/4 of it gone by halftime. Tributes to a great win and a great team win.”

Michigan was thorough in its beatdown, and balanced. McCarthy completed 12 of his 16 passes for 156 yards and 2 touchdowns. He ran for a 21-yard score, scrambling through a gaping hole in the middle of the field after dropping back to pass.

The Wolverines ran 51 times for 249 yards and 3 scores, against a Nebraska defense that ranked No. 1 nationally against the run entering Saturday. That’s the most the Cornhuskers have given up on the ground since Michigan had 264 rushing yards in a 34-3 win at The Big House Nov. 12, 2022. Michigan controlled play, possessing the ball for 38:01 and converting 8 of 13 third-down plays.

“[Michigan offensive coordinator] Sherrone [Moore] felt good. He had some go-to plays that were working,” Harbaugh said of the run game, which averaged 4.9 yards per carry. “[Senior running back] Blake [Corum] was really running the ball good, [junior] Donovan [Edwards] was really running the ball good, going down hill and really hitting those gaps. And then the third-down production allows you to get into the ball control, get into the long drives.”

Michigan offensive line clicks

For weeks, Michigan offensive linemen have said the unit is “close” to breaking through, after some inconsistent play (by their lofty standards) in the first four weeks. The Wolverines hadn’t rushed for more than 179 yards in a game this season but put it all together Saturday, and allowed just 1 tackle for loss and no sacks.

Graduate LaDarius Henderson, an Arizona State transfer, made his first start in a winged helmet at left tackle, while graduate Karsen Barhart moved to right tackle, where he’s played the majority of his career (he opened the first four games on the left side). Senior Myles Hinton, who started the first four outings at right tackle, was questionable with an injury coming into the game and didn’t play.

“I’m comfortable with whatever,” graduate left guard Trevor Keegan said. “Obviously, LaDarius played a really good game today. Karsen is comfortable on the right side. I feel like we really blocked movement well today. LaDarius has really taken a step forward since he’s got here. He didn’t have a spring ball, so it took him a little bit to gel at left tackle. We’re comfortable with anybody who’s in there. The way we prepare and our brotherhood, it’ll take care of itself.

“Just [Henderson] and the way he prepares, his mentality and the way he’s been practicing, he’s been practicing very confidently. We have full trust in him, without a doubt.”

The group paved the way for a rushing touchdown from each of Mullings and Corum. McCarthy had so much time on his scramble for a score that he was heard on the television broadcast thanking the offensive line. Keegan noted that the Michigan O-line didn’t play a stellar game until a road win at Iowa in Week 5 last season and that it takes time. The Wolverines were firing on all cylinders in Week 5 this year, in what was a big road victory.

“They’re the best offensive line in the country,” Mullings said. “There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about that. This showing against supposedly the best rushing defense in the country … there’s no ifs, ands or buts about that.”

Kalel Mullings packs a punch

Mullings, who converted to full-time offense this past offseason after playing linebacker the majority of his career, built off his performance from last week, when he rushed 6 times for 40 yards in a 35-7 win over Rutgers. He carried 5 times Saturday, accumulating 43 yards, and scored Michigan’s second touchdown of the game. On 3rd and 1 from the Nebraska 20, Mullings cut back and got free for the score.

“Just these past couple weeks I’ve just been feeling really comfortable running the ball again,” Mullings said. “Just transitioning to full time offense, I’ve just felt more and more comfortable as time’s gone on. Right now I feel the most comfortable I’ve felt.”

Michigan is building depth at running back behind Corum and Edwards, with Mullings earning more of a role after his Rutgers game performance. Harbaugh has been pleased with his progression.

“He’s just really putting it all together, putting the leg cycle together, putting the downhill running together,” the Michigan coach explained. “Able to lower his pads at the line of scrimmage, keep the legs going. As well as you can run through arm tackles, it didn’t even look like the arm tackles were there on the 20-yard run, but there were probably four to eight arms that he ran through on that run. Like an arrow through snow is what it looked like to me. He’s just really hitting it.

“He’s really running good. I think his confidence is right there. He can write the book on what a big back can be. Striking while the iron’s hot. Let’s go, Kalel! I’m all about it. Saw it coming last few weeks, and now it’s here, so it bodes well for us.”

The Michigan backups kept the Wolverines’ momentum going when inserted into the game midway through the third quarter. Graduate quarterback Jack Tuttle led a field-goal-scoring drive, before sophomore Jayden Denegal fired a dart for an 8-yard touchdown to junior wideout Peyton O’Leary on the next drive.

“Tough opponent, the crowd and the elements, too. It was hot out there, and our guys did really well, all the way to the backups when they went in,” Harbaugh noted.

“Really good to see all four quarterbacks that played. J.J., again, had one of his best games. And then really good to see Jack Tuttle play well, Jayden Denegal showing what he can do and [junior] Davis [Warren]. Plus, the offensive line. Those guys were in midway through the third quarter. [Junior left guard] Gio[vanni El-Hadi] played really well, [junior Greg] Cripp[en] played really well, [senior Jeffrey] Persi, right through the offensive line. Two hundred and 50-some yards rushing — heck of a day that way. Yeah, pretty good.”

Miscellaneous Michigan football offense notes

• Michigan’s 45 points are the most a team has dropped on Nebraska since the Cornhuskers lost to Georgia Southern Sept. 10, 2022 (45-42).

• Nebraska hadn’t allowed more than 58 rushing yards in a game coming in, but it took Michigan less than a quarter to surpass that amount.

• Denegal’s touchdown pass to O’Leary marked the first career score for each Wolverine.

• Corum has scored a rushing touchdown in every game this season and 16 of his last 17 appearances. The only game he played in and didn’t score a touchdown during that stretch came when he saw five offensive snaps playing through a serious knee injury at Ohio State last November.

• Michigan’s score on its first possession marked the first time Nebraska had allowed an opening-drive touchdown this season.

• McCarthy has the ninth-most touchdown passes in Michigan history, tied with Todd Collins with 37 after throwing 2 Saturday.

• The Wolverines didn’t have a rushing touchdown of 20-plus yards entering Saturday but had 2 such scores against Nebraska — a 20-yarder from Mullings and 21-yarder by McCarthy.

• Michigan averaged 6 yards per carry with 131 rushing yards in the first half.