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Michigan finds the right formula: Final thoughts on a classic win over USC

23 September 2024Last Update :
Michigan finds the right formula: Final thoughts on a classic win over USC

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Final thoughts on Michigan’s 27-24 victory against USC and a box score that Sherrone Moore should frame in his office:

1. Mason Graham showed up at Michigan’s postgame news conference with scratches across his neck, looking like a guy who fought a tiger and lived to tell about it.

Michigan had to scratch and claw for every inch against USC. While much of the attention was on Kalel Mullings and his epic fourth quarter, Michigan’s defensive line was the difference in the game. The Wolverines hounded Miller Moss and blew up USC’s offense in the first half. The Trojans eventually adjusted, but when Michigan’s front four got 1-on-1 matchups, the Wolverines made the most of them.

There aren’t many front fours in college football better than Graham, Kenneth Grant, Derrick Moore and Josaiah Stewart. We hadn’t seen the best of that unit through three games, in part because other teams were determined to get the ball out quickly. Michigan knew USC was going to look for shots down the field, which meant the defensive line would have more chances to get pressure on Moss.

“The first three games, we kind of didn’t have enough time, even though that’s what teams really give us,” Graham said. “USC, we knew they were going to drop back. That’s just what they do. They were going to give us opportunities to make plays, and that’s what we did today.”

2. TruMedia credited Michigan with 24 quarterback pressures, the most it has had in a game since getting 25 against Ohio State in 2021. The Wolverines pressured Moss on 43 percent of his dropbacks while blitzing 21 percent of the time, the lowest blitz rate of the season.

In other words, Michigan’s front four did its job. Eight of those quarterback pressures belonged to Stewart, who had two sacks and three tackles for loss. Stewart looked like the best player on the field for stretches of the game, and USC didn’t have many answers for him.

“The D-line had four sacks, and I think a lot of those sacks were on four-man rushes,” Moore said. “I thought coach Wink Martindale did an outstanding job. We gave him a game ball in the locker room. With the mix of coverage, the mix of blitz, the mix of looks, twists, games, all types of things, it kept (Moss) guessing. Miller Moss is a good player. We hit him a lot.”

3. I picked Michigan to go 10-2 because I thought the Wolverines had the playmakers on defense to win games with a one-dimensional offense built around Alex Orji and the running backs. While I wouldn’t project Michigan as a 10-win team based on what we’ve seen so far, this game was proof that the formula can work.

If Mullings’ 63-yard run was the biggest play of the game, Will Johnson’s 42-yard pick six was a close second. Moss seemed to be expecting Johnson to run with the outside receiver in man coverage, but Johnson read the quarterback’s eyes and jumped the underneath route. If you were watching at home, all you saw was a blue blur streaking down the sideline as Johnson cashed in the third pick six of his career.

“Two drives before that, Wink was like, ‘He’s going to get one. They’re going to test him, and he’s going to get one,’” Moore said. “All I saw was Will like a missile — phew —taking off.”

4. It wasn’t obvious in live action what happened to send Johnson jogging up the tunnel to the locker room in the fourth quarter. Looking back, Johnson was squaring up USC’s Quinten Joyner and took a shot to the neck and shoulder area not long before exiting the game.

Moore said Johnson was cleared to go back in the game, but Michigan decided to hold him out. That explanation was a bit curious considering this was a one-score game for the entire fourth quarter, a situation where Michigan clearly could have used its best player.

The Wolverines had a similar scenario last week with Colston Loveland, who appeared to hurt his shoulder late in the first half against Arkansas State. Loveland returned for the second half, took another shot to his shoulder and ended up missing the USC game. I’m guessing Michigan didn’t want to repeat that with Johnson.

Closing a game with Jyaire Hill and Aamir Hall at cornerback would have been a scary thought after what happened against Texas, but to their credit, those players stepped up when Michigan needed it.

“(Johnson) could have went back in, but we held him,” Moore said. “He’s in a good place. I thought those other guys did an outstanding job.”

5. Overall, this was an excellent game for Michigan’s defense. The Wolverines still have some things to clean up, including the busted coverage that gave USC a wide-open touchdown in the third quarter.

I’m not sure what was supposed to happen here. Zeke Berry had a ton of ground to cover on the nickel blitz, and Michigan didn’t have anyone even close to the open receiver. That’s a play Michigan’s defense would like to have back, but the Wolverines made up for it with some big stops later in the game.

6. As expected, the switch to Orji wasn’t a panacea for Michigan’s offense. He’s an upgrade over Davis Warren in some areas and a downgrade in others. He gave Michigan’s running game a boost in the first half, but the offense was stagnant for most of the second half until Mullings revived it.

With 32 yards through the air, Michigan’s passing game was, shall we say, limited. Orji is an exceptional athlete and a strong runner, but he’s not Denard Robinson in terms of his elusiveness. The best part of Saturday’s performance was the way he took care of the ball and didn’t get rattled when the pressure was at its highest.

“He just has that presence about him,” Moore said. “He looked at me (in the fourth quarter) and said, ‘We’re about to go score.’ He just has it.”

There’s no perfect option, but Orji is the right quarterback for the way Moore wants to play. Michigan needs to ride with him, gradually build his confidence in the passing game and hope the running game is potent enough to carry the offense. It’s not going to be pretty all the time, but Orji gives the offense a stable floor with room to grow.

7. Plus, how many starting quarterbacks can do this?

8. As Michigan came to the sideline with 41 seconds remaining, Moore turned to offensive line coach Grant Newsome and asked for his best fourth-down play. Newsome was ready with an answer: I-formation, three tight ends, Max Bredeson at fullback, handoff to Mullings for the win.

No surprise there. Moore’s mantra is “smash,” and Michigan was going to live or die doing what it does best. Whether it was the 32 passing yards against USC or the 32 straight runs against Penn State, Moore isn’t going to apologize for doing what it takes to win.

The difference, this year, is that Michigan isn’t thinking about winning a national championship. When the Wolverines talk about living in the moment and taking each game as it comes, it’s because they have no other choice.

“Every game is a one-game season,” Moore said. “That’s all we’re going to do is try to win that game. Guys did an outstanding job of executing the plan.”

(Photo of Josaiah Stewart: Aaron J. Thornton / Getty Images)

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