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After shining vs. Purdue, could Michigan’s tight ends be the cure to offensive woes?
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Sorry if this statement has repeated ad nauseam, but water was bound to find its level this weekend.
Michigan’s offensive struggles in the first three weeks of the season were very real, and the one touchdown in 10 red zone trips was a real concern. It didn’t look much better in the first half against Purdue on Saturday, either.
Eventually, the Wolverines wore down the Boilermakers’ defense and were able to rack up the points. Michigan converted on all three of its trips inside the red zone, scoring a touchdown on each trip. It scored 21 unanswered points in the second half and racked up 423 yards in the 28-10 victory. All without starting quarterback Wilton Speight, too.
That success wasn’t random, though. Jim Harbaugh didn’t sprinkle any pixie dust over his offense, cross his fingers and wish for a more efficient group, though he probably wishes it would be that easy.
What was the difference against Purdue?
Tight ends.
Sean McKeon and Zach Gentry were the top pass-catchers for Michigan on Saturday, combining for eight receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown. McKeon led the way with five catches for 82 yards. Gentry hauled in the touchdown grab. The two proved to be too much for an improved and motivated Purdue defense.
Those two combined for just eight catches through the first three weeks of the season. They definitely made a difference on Saturday.
Michigan’s offense continued to sputter in West Lafayette, particularly in the first half. Actually, it was downright ugly in the first 15 minutes. Playing without receiver Tarik Black and losing Speight midway through the first quarter certainly contributed to that. But something changed in that second half.
Whether it was by design or John O’Korn targeted his tight ends as check-down options, McKeon and Gentry had an increased role in the second half. The pair caught five of their eight passes in the final two quarters. They were reliable options and the Boilermakers couldn’t find an answer.
Could that be the key? Could this whole offensive mess be cured by working McKeon, Gentry and the tight ends into a more prominent role in the offense?
It’s not that simple. Michigan has issues on the offensive line and at wide receiver. And depending on what side of the fence you fall, you could argue there’s a quarterback battle looming in Ann Arbor following the win over Purdue. Giving the tight ends an expanded role won’t solve all of those problems.
A new wrinkle? Additional offensive weapons? Sure, that will certainly help Michigan’s offense progress in the right direction. It did in the second half Saturday.
Harbaugh hasn’t been ignoring his tight ends. He’s a genius at utilizing talent and getting the ball to playmakers. He doesn’t hide the ball from his tight ends, and if you don’t believe that, just look at Jake Butt’s numbers from last season.
But the Wolverines certainly haven’t targeted their tight ends as much this fall. Considering how much trouble they’ve had moving the football through the first four weeks of the season, it might not be a bad idea to use guys like McKeon and Gentry more frequently.
It worked against Purdue. It could work against the rest of the B1G, too.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB