As we get deeper and deeper into the season, opposing teams will throw different looks at their opponents because there is more on tape to look at and scheme against. Obviously, Maryland did not want to get trucked on the ground like Michigan did to Notre Dame last week and it showed Saturday in College Park. While Maryland threw everything, including eight defensive players and the proverbial kitchen sink at the Wolverines, Michigan was still able to score and win the game – that’s all that matters right now.
Let’s take a look at your Champions for the Maryland Game:
SPECIAL TEAMS CHAMPION – It’s not very often that the Michigan SPECIAL TEAMS gets top billing, but when they return the opening kickoff for a touchdown, execute a fake punt for a 4th down conversion, and partially block a punt (I know, they also allowed a kickoff return for a TD), that’s a BIG deal – especially when the Michigan offense did not possess the ball very much in the first half. I’ve said it before and I’l say it again – you need all three teams to be clicking if you want to win consistently. Like Keith Jackson used to say, “Special teams. Special teams. Special teams.” They matter!!
DEFENSIVE CHAMPION – Teams in the SEC have been winning by being dominant on the Defensive Line for years. The game can literally be decided right there at the line of scrimmage. Against Maryland, Michigan won the game with its DEFENSIVE LINE. Josh Uche, Carlo Kemp. Michael Dana. Aidan Hutchinson, Kwitty Paye. Whoever Don Brown put on the D-Line, those four got to the quarterback, blew up plays before they got started and decided the game. End of story . I get it – they totally outclassed the Terrapin o-Line, but it was still good to see that the LBs didn’t have to blitz and that pressure was being brought by just rushing four and not seven or eight.
OFFENSIVE CHAMPION – Some players just have that something special that makes them a difference-maker. On defense, those players are said to have a “nose for the football.” On offense, those players are said to have a “nose for the end zone.” ZACH CHARBONNET is that type of player. He is starting to remind me of USC’s LenDale White from a few years ago. When the Trojans got close to the goal line back then, they gave the ball to him because he just knew how to get into the end zone. Same came be said for Charbonnet. When Michigan gets inside the 10-yard line, he just knows where the end zone is and invariably finds it. Heck, he just broke the Michigan freshman record for TDs scored – that should tell you all you need to know about 24.
Featured pic via Testudo Times
