ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Final thoughts on Michigan’s 28-18 victory against Arkansas State, a game that was a step forward and a step back for a team that is still figuring out what it wants to be:
1. Let’s start with the position battle everyone is talking about. Michigan has two players fighting for one job, and neither has performed well enough to separate from the other. After flipping back and forth against Arkansas State, the Wolverines are going into the USC game with a decision to make: Dominick Giudice or Greg Crippen?
What, you thought I was talking about something else?
OK, we’ll get to the quarterbacks in a minute. First, let’s talk about the two players alternating snaps at center. It was a mild surprise when Giudice, an undersized defensive lineman recruited during the Don Brown era, won the starting job over Crippen, a top-300 prospect who has been Michigan’s backup center for the past two years. Similar to the situation at quarterback, Michigan went with a lightly recruited player over a bigger-name player widely viewed as the frontrunner. And similar to the situation at quarterback, the decision has opened Michigan’s offensive staff to some second-guessing.
If the Wolverines had a great option, they wouldn’t be waffling. Neither player has decisively outplayed the other, and Michigan has to decide whether to keep shuffling or pick one guy and stick with him. Yes, I’m still talking about the centers.
“Right now, those two guys are both practicing at the same level but practicing pretty good,” coach Sherrone Moore said. “You’ve got to still give them the opportunity. Greg got the opportunity, so did Dom. We’ll see how the film looks.”
2. By my unofficial math, Michigan averaged 7.9 yards per rush with Crippen in the game and 7.3 with Giudice, excluding sacks. Giudice was on the field for Michigan’s 11-play, 76-yard touchdown drive on its opening possession. Michigan’s two second-quarter touchdowns and Alex Orji’s nine-play, 80-yard touchdown drive came with Crippen at center. Collectively, Michigan’s interior offensive line played its best game of the season and got consistent push in front of Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards.
“Those are guys we trust, and those are guys that have waited for this opportunity for the past four years,” Edwards said. “I think they did a hell of a job when each guy was in.”
3. Three games into the season, Michigan is still figuring out how to use its best players on offense. That’s true at running back, where it’s become apparent that Mullings is the most reliable option on a down-to-down basis.
Mullings finished with 153 yards on 15 carries and broke three runs of 30 yards or longer. Edwards added 82 yards on 17 carries. Both need to be heavily involved in the offense, but Edwards is most effective when he’s running on the edges or getting the ball in space. With his vision and balance, Mullings is the back best suited to run through contact and pick up yards in traffic.
Giving Mullings six touches against Texas was one of the most baffling parts of an all-around disappointing game plan. Michigan rectified that against Arkansas State and needs to make sure Mullings is featured in every game.
4. Miscommunication in the backfield contributed to Davis Warren’s first interception, as Warren turned one way on a play-action fake and Edwards ran the other. Edwards took the blame after the game, but even if he’d been in the right spot, he wouldn’t have been able to pick up the blitzing linebacker and the blitzing cornerback who were bearing down on Warren.
INTERCEPTED!!@AStateFB picks it off 💪 pic.twitter.com/NACC7zItNT
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 14, 2024
“I messed up on his first pick, and I told him that multiple times in the locker room and on the field,” Edwards said. “It was a different look that they had brought. It was basically just all on me.”
With pressure in his face, Warren made an off-balance throw that sailed straight into the arms of linebacker Charles Willekes. You can blame the players around Warren for putting him in a tough spot, but ultimately it’s on the quarterback to make good decisions when a play breaks down. Too often, Warren has put the ball up for grabs and paid the price for it.
“Just can’t have ‘em,” Moore said of the interceptions. “Put the ball in harm’s way too many times, so we made a change.”
5. Right tackle Evan Link has struggled in pass protection, and he gave up another pressure that resulted in Warren’s arm being hit on his second interception. Again, tough break for Warren. If it happens once or twice, you can say the quarterback got unlucky. But when a quarterback has six interceptions in three games, there’s more than just bad luck at play.
The whole theory with making Warren the starter was that he was the quarterback best equipped to take care of the ball. If Michigan had a stellar offensive line and playmakers at wide receiver, perhaps Warren would be capable of getting the ball where it needs to go. But Michigan has neither of those things, which makes Orji’s ability to escape the pocket even more valuable.
6. Orji tried only one downfield throw, a play-action shot that sailed several feet over the head of Fredrick Moore. It’s easy to point at the quarterback, but as analyst Jake Butt noted on the Big Ten Network broadcast, the throw would have been closer if Moore had kept running full speed instead of slowing up out of his break.
That was yet another instance of Michigan’s wide receivers not doing everything in their power to help the quarterback. Warren might be the better downfield passer, but until Michigan establishes a legitimate downfield receiving threat other than Colston Loveland, it’s basically a moot point.
7. Here again, Michigan’s evaluation of its own personnel could be part of the problem. Amorion Walker spent two years at Michigan before transferring to Ole Miss. When he transferred back, there was hope he could be the outside receiving threat Michigan needed. Walker doesn’t have a reception through three games, and the whole theory behind Michigan’s quarterback decision is looking suspect.
The prevailing thought coming out of the spring was that Michigan’s best option was to build a run-first offense around Mullings, Edwards and Orji. Somewhere along the way, Michigan changed course and decided to go with the quarterback who was viewed as the better distributor. Now it appears the Wolverines are right back where they started.
8. Michigan’s offensive limitations will be magnified if Loveland isn’t able to play against USC. His injury went back to a play near the end of the first half when he caught a pass over the middle and left the field in obvious pain while favoring his shoulder. Loveland must have been cleared to return at halftime because he was back on the field for the first series of the second half before taking another hit and going to the blue medical tent. He didn’t have his arm in a sling when he returned from the locker room, which might be one bit of positive news.
Backup tight end Marlin Klein, a player who got quite a bit of buzz in preseason camp, caught three passes for 43 yards with Loveland on the sideline, and Hogan Hansen caught a touchdown pass from Orji. Michigan’s depth at tight end is solid enough. But there’s only one Loveland, and Michigan will have to hope his injury isn’t anything serious.
(Photo of Alex Orji: Rick Osentoski / Imagn Images)
