Identity Crisis? Michigan's search for offensive excellence
Jim Harbaugh’s identity as a football coach hinges on the offensive performance of the Wolverines. Former quarterbacks, ones at upper level college programs and extended careers in the NFL are not identified by their team’s defense.
That’s not to spare Don Brown, attacking Don Brown, the sort of guy pulled out of central casting to coach defense in any rust belt city from high school to the pros, blame for the loss at the start of the year to Wisconsin. The Wolverine defense looked weak and weary, but blame falls on the offense by way of the pedigree of the head coach. There’s more certainty of establishing a dominant defense, so the first question asked was, “How do they fix the offense?”
Since the loss to Penn State Michigan’s offense averaged nearly 43 points in its last three games. In the wins against Maryland, Notre Dame, and Michigan State the Wolverines established a style on offense marked by a physical between-the-tackles running game and spread attack throwing the ball to its most valuable playmakers, the wide receivers.
It’s not really a style per se, not in the vein of what Wisconsin does with a bruising rushing attack and quarterback handpicked from standby invitees to the Manning Passing Academy.
Since the second half of the Penn State game, with Michigan involved there always seems to be a specificity to the context, the offense continues to run and hum along at its highest efficacy for the entire season, maybe in Harbaugh’s tenure in Ann Arbor. A style, a hybrid that came together in the last three games. Though limited by the weather against Notre Dame, Michigan seeks balance on offense.
But does Michigan need a style?
No.
Not at all.
Washington State needs a style, Purdue needs a style, to a much lesser extent, both Wisconsin and Iowa need a style. The recruiting limitations in comparison to programs like Michigan, Ohio State, and even Penn State make style a priority. Michigan does not need to play a certain style.
The profile is enough of a style. Same goes for the marketing, from the block “M” and the Jumpman logo to the striped helmet to the M Club and the Big House. Michigan is in itself a style, a manner of football not marked by a consistent practice to move the ball downfield. In its latest iteration of offensive football, Michigan enters the game against Indiana with a recent style unfamiliar with fans and onlookers of the program: efficient offensive football.
That search for an identity compounded the early season struggles. Not to excuse the sloppiness of the offense for a feeling out period in the marriage Harbaugh arraigned with offensive coordinator Josh Gattis and the injuries to quarterback Shea Patterson and wide receiver Donovan People-Jones but the need for an identity, some sort of high octane bombs away on offense left the offense sporadic and clueless for the early stretches of the season,
Halftime against Penn State stripped Michigan down to the studs in a manner of keeping the running game a between-the-tackles affair and allowing Patterson to make throws that played off his strengths. The long-developing routes and abbreviated areas of the field for him to throw into were long gone. Things seem to be working. How long will it last?
There have been too many times in the Harbaugh tenure where the Wolverines were destroyed, marked by a lifeless offensive performance. When things look grim, they look real grim. A stagnant running game, passing game full of hurried throws and desperation attempts on third down and long. I don’t expect the offense to take a step back against Indiana, but Ohio State lurks in the future, waiting to present Michigan with another offensive challenge against a defense whose speed and size they have yet to see this entire season.
Michigan will realize against Ohio State that big plays do not happen, that it’s okay to chunk yards and allow Patterson the sort of short throws to sustain drives. Field goals are okay, so are punts, but the game should be dictated by the Wolverines controlling the clock and taking a few measured shots down field. That’s a good way to put the Wolverines in the best position to win the game.
Any style is more fashionable in victory.