Preview: Michigan vs. Michigan State

 

RUSH OFFENSE vs. MSU RUSH DEFENSE
Michigan is tied at #7 in yards per game (241.71) nationally. Coincidentally, UAB has the exact same number of attempts (293) and yards (1,692) this season. Bell cow running back Blake Corum has 901 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns, and backup Donovan Edwards went wild against Penn State two weeks ago and now averages 7.1 yards/carry with 4 touchdowns this season. The offensive line has noticeably improved since the beginning of the season, even with Karsen Barnhart taking over at right tackle for the injured Trente Jones. Michigan State is #80 in rushing defense (153.3 yards allowed/game) and gives up a statistically mediocre (#65 nationally ) 4.0 yards per game. One of their best defensive players, nose tackle Jacob Slade (6'4", 305), missed four games earlier this year, but he returned for the game against Wisconsin on October 15. Sophomore linebacker Cal Haladay (6'1", 230) leads the team with 58 tackles, and cornerback Kendell Brooks (6'0", 215) is second with 57. Former Wolverine Ben VanSumeren is third on the team with 53 stops. The advantage here is clearly Michigan's.
Advantage: Michigan

Hit the jump for more.

Ex-Wolverine Updates: Week 8

 

Zach Charbonnet (image via Wolverines Wire)

FORMER PLAYERS

P George Caratan (UConn): Connecticut (3-5) had a bye. Caratan is averaging 40.6 yards on 44 punts.

C Zach Carpenter (Indiana): Carpenter is Indiana's starting left guard. He had previously started at center, but a hand injury forced him to change positions.

RB Zach Charbonnet (UCLA): Charbonnet had 20 carries for 151 yards and 1 touchdown in a 45-30 loss to Oregon. He also had 4 catches for 28 yards.

If you’re not going to bring it when tackling Zach Charbonnet, you’ll be picking turf pellets out off your face pic.twitter.com/xWvzj6gN1H

— Joe Broback (@joebroback) October 22, 2022

S Sammy Faustin (UMass): UMass (1-6) had a bye. Faustin has not recorded any stats so far this year.

OG Chuck Filiaga (Minnesota): Filiaga is a sixth year senior who starts at right guard for the Gophers.

CB Darion Green-Warren (Nevada): Green-Warren did not record any stats in a 23-7 loss to San Diego State.

Hit the jump for more.

2023 Scholarship Count

 

Ronnie Bell (image via MLive)

Players are listed in order of remaining eligibility. With 84 scholarships allotted, Michigan is currently under its scholarship limit by 1. Meanwhile, 16 seniors are scheduled to graduate, so the 2024 class should have at least 17 players.

TOTAL SCHOLARSHIPS ALLOTTED FOR 2022 = 84

Hit the jump for the breakdown by class.

Way Too Early 2023 Depth Chart: October 2022

 

Erick All

The following depth chart has removed these listed players from the 2022 depth chart due to expiring eligibility, even though some could return with a fifth year or COVID year exception:

• QB Alan Bowman (graduation)
• WR Ronnie Bell (graduation)
• WR Cornelius Johnson (graduation)
• TE Erick All (graduation)
• TE Joel Honigford (graduation)
• TE Luke Schoonmaker (graduation)
• OL Ryan Hayes (graduation)
• OL Olu Oluwatimi (graduation)
• DE Taylor Upshaw (graduation)
• DT Julius Welschof (graduation)
• LB Michael Barrett (graduation)
• CB Gemon Green (graduation)
• CB Mike Sainristil (graduation)
• S German Green (graduation)
• P Brad Robbins (graduation)

It also assumes that every currently rostered player and every currently committed prospect will be here in 2023, which is obviously not true.

Hit the jump for the depth chart.

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Nico Collins

 

Michigan wide receiver Nico Collins (4) catches a touchdown pass in the third quarter of their Big Ten football game against Indiana at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, on Saturday, November 23, 2019. Michigan won the game, 39-14. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

There were no real standouts this week - nobody from Michigan scored a touchdown or had significant yardage or interceptions or even tackle numbers. So here's a nod to Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins, who caught 4 passes for 65 yards in a 13-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Collins played at Michigan from 2017-2019 and opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID concerns. He caught 78 passes for 1,388 yards and 13 touchdowns during his career in Ann Arbor.

HONORABLE MENTION

• Tom Brady, QB (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): Brady completed 25/40 passes for 248 yards and 1 touchdown in a 20-18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• Devin Bush, Jr., LB (Steelers): Bush made 5 tackles in the 20-18 win over the Bucs.
• Frank Clark, DE (Kansas City Chiefs): Clark made 4 tackles in a 24-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
• Nico Collins, WR (Houston Texans): Collins made 4 catches for 65 yards in a 13-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
• Rashan Gary, OLB (Green Bay Packers): Gary made 4 tackles and 1 sack in a 27-10 loss to the New York Jets.
• Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR (Cleveland Browns): Peoples-Jones made 4 catches for 74 yards in a 38-15 loss to the New England Patiorts.

Ex-Wolverine Updates: Week 7

 

Eric Gray (image via Yahoo Sports)

FORMER PLAYERS

P George Caratan (UConn): Caratan punted 6 times for 239 yards (39.8 yards/attempt) in a 25-21 loss to Ball State.

C Zach Carpenter (Indiana): Carpenter is Indiana's starting left guard. He had previously started at center, but a hand injury forced him to change positions.

RB Zach Charbonnet (UCLA): UCLA (6-0) had a bye. Charbonnet has 87 carries for 615 yards (7.1 yards/carry) and 6 touchdowns.

S Sammy Faustin (UMass): Faustin did not play in a 34-7 loss to Buffalo.

OG Chuck Filiaga (Minnesota): Filiaga is a sixth year senior who starts at right guard for the Gophers.

CB Darion Green-Warren (Nevada): Green-Warren made 1 tackle in a 31-16 loss to Hawaii.

Hit the jump for more.

Michigan 41, Penn State 17

 

Donovan Edwards (image via USA Today)

This reminded me of 2021 Northwestern. Last fall Michigan played a completely overmatched Northwestern team. The Wolverines dominated that matchup . . . except for when Northwestern running back Evan Hull broke out on a 75-yard touchdown run. He ended up with 81 total rushing yards, and quarterback Ryan Hilinski was 14/29 for 119 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception. It was one of those games where one huge play for the opposition really grinds your gears. Against Penn State yesterday, it was two big plays: a 62-yard run by quarterback Sean Clifford and a 47-yard interception return touchdown by Curtis Jacobs. Somehow the Nittany Lions were ahead 14-13 and 17-16 despite being totally unable to find any consistency on offense.

Hit the jump for more.