News and Views: On Donovan Edwards’ use, Michigan offense's identity, more
Michigan is 5-0 and ranked 13th nationally in rushing yards per game at 221.8 yards per game. The Wolverines are also 11th in the country with 5.6 yards per run.
In short, they’ve picked up where they left off last year. Running backs coach Mike Hart is partially responsible for that, as is o-line coach/co-OC Sherrone Moore. We tackle Hart’s Monday comments on the success in News and Views format.
RELATED: On second glance: Michigan – Iowa football, defensive film review
RELATED: On second glance — Michigan – Iowa football, offensive film review
NEWS: The Michigan offensive line had its best game in a win at Iowa, setting the tone early and playing well throughout.
MIKE HART: “Awesome. I told them the other day … I said, ‘Trente Jones is doing a phenomenal job [at right tackle]’. Schoony [grad student tight end Luke Schoonmaker] could block anybody in the country. Even if you look at Gio [El-Hadi] last week, in the game at left guard when Trevor Keegan was out, they’re just doing a phenomenal job.
“I’m just proud of them. And obviously, Coach Moore has a lot to do with that. But they’re doing a phenomenal job, and I’m just happy about the way they’re doing it.”
VIEWS: They’re doing it with a healthy dose of chemistry and a lot of nasty, finishing blocks with authority. Saturday was the first day the starting five played together for most of the game, and it was telling. Every one of them — all of them — had at least one pancake, and they were reveling in it.
The early 1990s lines were the best we’ve ever seen in person with the way they executed and enjoyed bringing the pain. This is the closest we’ve seen since to have that mentality. Center Olu Oluwatimi adds an element of strength to an elite interior.
It’s going to be fun to watch them progress.
NEWS: We thought Michigan’s run to pass ratio would be closer to 50-50, but it’s over 60-40. It’s clear the Wolverines are still a run heavy team. Hart was asked about the offense’s “identity” …
MIKE HART: “I just think we do what we have to do to win. Run the ball, pass the ball — doesn’t matter. Win the game.
“What’s the identity? Everyone knows [it’s] to run the ball. It’s what we do here, with what we’ve always done. But we’re really good at passing the ball, too. We’ve got some really, really good receivers who create issues out there.
“So, I think we mix it up, we switch it up, and just win. Whatever it takes.
VIEWS: But this is the Jim Harbaugh offense, and as Indiana defensive coordinator Chad Wilt said this week, “you see Harbaugh’s thumbprint all over it.”
“You see effective and efficient quarterback play, and who [Michigan sophomore quarterback J.J.] McCarthy is and how they ask him to operate. You see effective and efficient tight end play, effective and efficient wide receiver play. They don’t create negatives for themselves. They don’t put themselves in bad spots offensively.
“You just see the effectiveness and efficiency through the whole offensive system, and they don’t put themselves in bad spots.”
And then they take shots when they want to take them, Wilt added. The key now — taking advantage of those shots. It was only a matter of time before the Wolverines did it at Iowa, and it was there. McCarthy missed once and got stepped on by his lineman on another. In big games, they’ll need better.
But McCarthy is young, and he’ll get there. We expect to see closer to 50-50 run/pass situations against teams with softer pass defenses — and there are three in a row coming up.
NEWS: Donovan Edwards made the “play of the game” when he recovered McCarthy’s fumble near the Michigan goal line late in the third quarter at Iowa. He carried four times for 29 yards in the win.
HART: “He’s a special player, we all know that. He’s special. So, he changes what we can do on offense sometimes when he’s in there.
“He recovered that fumble. I just think that’s kind of kid he is. I think that the way he reacted, the way he did that … it was the biggest play of the game, recovering that. So, I love having him back. He does a great job. He works hard. He’s just a great kid.”
VIEWS: Time will tell if he’s an every down back. We’ll probably find out next year when Michigan junior Blake Corum likely heads to the NFL. Can he be a between-the-tackles back?
We don’t know yet.
For now, though, we’d love to see more of him in other ways in the Michigan offense, and we should. He is an elite pass catcher, and he should see more snaps.
“I think Donovan could start as a slot receiver anywhere in the country. He’s special coming out of the backfield and he can run the ball, too,” Hart said. “ So … he’s special. Blake can do the same thing he does, but Donovan does it better … Like I said, we’re going to do what we’re doing.”
Which hopefully entails turning more pages of the playbook and getting the playmakers involved.
NEWS: Michigan frosh CJ Stokes didn’t play at Iowa or again vs. Maryland after fumbling early against the Terps.
HART: “The running backs … I love them as a group. It’s not easy, right? And I’d love to put them back in the game.
“Donovan fumbled last year, early in the season. He went right back in because they were playing a different team. I just think that the way they supported him, the way they helped him … like, he’s not doing anything wrong. He fumbled the ball, it happens.
“But I just told him, ‘Hey, keep your head up.’ Because I just think that it’s a tough situation. Love the kid; love what he’s doing. Love the way he works. He shows up every day, works really hard.”
VIEWS: He’s going to be a good back. When you put the ball on the ground as a frosh in a critical situation, though, it’s like two steps backward to one forward. It just can’t happen.
There were times in the 1980s guys would disappear for weeks if that happened. Ball security is one of the most important measures of victory (turnover margin). Michigan has been fortunate to get all of McCarthy’s fumbles back so far.
But Stokes will be back, and he’ll be fine. A learning experience, for sure.
