Following third loss, Michigan is past panic and onto readjusted mindset

CHAMPAIGN — Two weeks ago, after losing their second game of the season to Washington, Michigan football players and coaches reiterated one overarching message:

Up the urgency, but avoid panic.

The 24th-ranked Wolverines maintained that mindset through the bye week and into their preparation for No. 22 Illinois. Knowing what two early losses can do for a team’s postseason chances, they focused on staying level-headed while recognizing the importance of their remaining game results.

Now, on their way back to Ann Arbor after mustering just seven points against the Fighting Illini, the message has shifted. Gone are the days of preaching panic-less urgency. Reeling from its second straight loss and third of the season, Michigan is past both urgency and panic — now, the Wolverines are staring down a whole new beast.

“There’s no pressure. There’s no panic,” graduate quarterback Jack Tuttle said. “All we can do is just keep fighting, just keep rolling, see what happens week by week.”

Quite frankly, Michigan’s preseason goals of winning the Big Ten and returning to the College Football Playoff seemed too lofty weeks ago. But after Saturday’s meager showing, there’s really no possible path to achieving those ambitions — a fact of which the Wolverines are well aware.

“Yeah, (playoffs are) out the picture, however that works,” junior tight end Colston Loveland said. “But I feel like what motivates us and what needs to motivate us is this last stretch — that’s what’s gonna identify this team.”

Part of this Michigan team’s identity and legacy is already cemented. The Wolverines have cycled through three quarterbacks, faltered against heavy underdogs and failed to preserve last year’s glory. As they struggled to put together a last-ditch effort against Illinois, their last few drives defined by turnovers, sacks and off-target pass attempts, that part was abundantly clear.

So from here on out, they’re focused on redefining the rest of their season. Knowing their original goals are too far out of reach, they’re accepting their reality and adjusting their mindset. According to Tuttle and Loveland, the only way forward for Michigan is through.

“We can either cower down, lose more games, or we can win out and show that we had some fight in us,” Loveland said. “Now let’s just start wrecking people’s seasons. Just focus on every game, win games, go have fun. Like Tut said, there’s no pressure, so we got nothing to lose.”

Perhaps easier said than done, but the Wolverines still believe they have lots to play for. A disappointing performance in Champaign and a rivalry matchup on the horizon should be motivation enough, as Michigan coach Sherrone Moore acknowledged when asked about his team’s future. Tuttle echoed a similar sentiment.

“It is unacceptable, but all we can do right now is fight,” Tuttle said. “There’s no reason to panic in general about anything, like this is a game right now. We need to keep fighting and show some freaking grit for Michigan and the school and our team. So that’s what we need to do right now, and we’re gonna keep doing that no matter what it takes. Everyone’s gotta keep going.”

Two weeks ago, the Wolverines kept going with hopes of championships and playoff appearances still conceivably ahead of them. Now, they’re in a very different situation — and they’re treating it as such. 

Past urgency, past panic and past pressure, Michigan is taking a readjusted mindset and set of goals into its final five guaranteed games.

The post Following third loss, Michigan is past panic and onto readjusted mindset appeared first on The Michigan Daily.


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