The Michigan football team did a number of things to beat Michigan State on Saturday: it limited explosive plays, converted on key third downs and mixed in effective trick plays, to name a few. But it was what the Wolverines didn’t do that really swung the game in their favor.
They didn’t turn the ball over, didn’t allow any sacks and didn’t commit any penalties in the entire 60 minutes — the first time they’ve achieved any of those feats in a game this season, let alone all three at once.
Turnovers have been Michigan’s most conspicuous detriment this season. With eight fumbles and nine turnovers, the Wolverines have shot themselves in the foot time and time again this season, turning winnable games into back-breaking losses. Against Washington, for example, graduate quarterback Jack Tuttle’s fumble and interception put a game in which Michigan once had the lead out of reach. Then, against Illinois, Tuttle had another fumble and another interception, preventing any chance of a Wolverines comeback.
Even early-season wins, such as games against Fresno State and Arkansas State, became much closer than Michigan would have liked because of turnovers. The Wolverines have consistently touted the importance of taking care of the ball, but until last Saturday, they hadn’t followed through.
“The emphasis has always been there,” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said Monday. “We just did a better job of executing when it came time to it. And I think in practice, scout team did an unbelievable job of trying to rip the ball out and be aggressive and go get the ball in the air. And they’re a huge piece of our success.”
As Tuttle struggled with turnovers against the Fighting Illini, he became skittish in the pocket. His hesitation paired with unreliable protection led to Illinois getting home for five sacks — three more than the Wolverines had previously allowed in a game this season.
When asked about Michigan’s zero turnovers and penalties against the Spartans, Moore proudly interjected, saying “no sacks, either.” With the offensive line providing its best pass protection of the season, senior quarterback Davis Warren had plenty of time in the pocket and reaped the benefits, playing his best game of the season.
“I was just super proud of the way (the offensive line) played,” Warren said Monday. “They did a great job keeping me up, barely even got hit the whole game. So they really did a great job protecting me, even when (junior tackle Andrew) Gentry went down and (sophomore tackle Evan) Link had to step back in.”
Keeping Warren upright and giving him time to throw helped him make plays and take care of the ball, and Warren eventually got the offense moving as a result. That, combined with the Wolverines’ lack of penalties, sealed their clean game as they never handed Michigan State a golden opportunity to beat them, unlike in previous games.
On the other side, the Spartans showed just how detrimental turnovers, sacks and penalties can be. In one play, senior edge rusher Josaiah Stewart got a two-in-one with a strip sack, allowing his offense to take over and claim the lead going into halftime. And while Michigan didn’t let penalties hurt it, Michigan State took six penalties for 35 yards. A false start on the Spartans’ final set of downs especially hurt them, leading to a turnover on downs.
Although the Wolverines have long emphasized the importance of playing a clean game, they had yet to execute it before last weekend. They’re confident, however, that they can sustain the momentum.
“I think once you do it once, you can rely on that a little bit, and you start to build that momentum of feeling like we can do that,” Warren said. “ … I’m just super excited to see us this week just build off that confidence and for me to build off that confidence of no penalties, no turnovers, no sacks. I mean, that’s winning football.”
On Saturday, that much was true for Michigan. While turnovers, sacks and penalties have been a pivotal characteristic of many of the Wolverines’ struggles, the same facets defined their game against Michigan State, just in reverse.
The post In first game with no turnovers, sacks or penalties, Michigan finds success appeared first on The Michigan Daily.
Leave a Reply