ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Kyle Whittingham’s nonetheless acquired it.
Whittingham nonetheless has the fireplace and the glint in his eye. He nonetheless is aware of tips on how to stiffen his backbone when he perceives a problem. And, extra importantly, his new group confirmed it is aware of tips on how to do the identical.
Michigan’s 17-10 win in opposition to No. 11 Oklahoma was a Whittingham particular. The Wolverines received with stifling protection, toughness within the trenches and a passing assault held along with duct tape and superglue. Nothing about Saturday’s efficiency was fairly, nevertheless it was a superb, sincere win — precisely what Michigan wanted after per week of controversy and criticism.
“What modified from final week to this week with our play?” defensive finish John Henry Daley mentioned. “It was simply that confidence that comes from preparation.”
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Everybody was ready to see how the Wolverines would reply after their Week 1 debacle in opposition to Western Michigan, a sport they’d have misplaced if not for a controversial clock determination that spawned one million takes. Particularly, everybody was ready to see what would occur with Bryce Underwood, the extremely paid, extremely touted quarterback who seemed misplaced within the first begin of his sophomore season.
Deliberately or not, Whittingham added to the noise round his quarterback when he mentioned Underwood’s maintain on the beginning job wasn’t “infinite.” Underwood didn’t appear notably thrilled when he was requested about these feedback a couple of days in the past. It seemed like a coach and quarterback who had been beginning to get sideways, even when that impression might have been deceptive.
Michigan isn’t shifting on from Underwood simply but. With a sport plan tailor-made round his legs, Underwood did sufficient to guide Michigan to a win, regardless of throwing for less than 15 yards within the second half in opposition to a fierce Oklahoma protection. After the sport, Whittingham bristled when a reporter referenced his feedback about Underwood’s job standing.
“I by no means made these feedback,” Whittingham mentioned. “I used to be requested if his job was infinitely etched in stone. Whose job is ever etched in stone? That was my reply. I by no means introduced that up or alluded to that. Do you guys all (have) assured jobs? I don’t. I don’t know anybody in soccer who does. I don’t agree that I opened that may of worms. Bryce is our quarterback, and that’s the place we’re proper now.”
Bryce Underwood led Michigan with 87 dashing yards on Saturday. (Junfu Han / USA At present Community through Imagn Photos)
The precise query — “How firmly is (Underwood) QB1?” — is one which Whittingham has been requested a number of occasions in numerous methods. Monday was the primary time Whittingham used phrases reminiscent of “unlucky” and “disappointing” in reference to Underwood’s play or advised that Michigan would think about options if his manufacturing didn’t enhance.
Nothing Whittingham mentioned was notably controversial. Everybody who watched the Western Michigan sport would have agreed along with his evaluation. However that is Michigan, and Underwood is the $12 million quarterback who signed with the Wolverines because the No. 1 prospect in his recruiting class. Each phrase and each throw goes to be magnified.
“I’m not going to say it was a secret calculating transfer or had ulterior motives,” Whittingham mentioned. “I talked to Bryce about it after and mentioned, ‘Hey, right here’s what got here out.’ He mentioned, ‘Cool.’”
Whereas Saturday’s efficiency received’t settle the dialog about Underwood’s future, the Wolverines confirmed they’ll beat a superb group with Underwood as their quarterback. And so they confirmed the beginnings of an offense that would make life laborious for groups within the Massive Ten, particularly when coupled with Michigan’s stingy protection.
Michigan’s greatest hope for the remainder of this season is to show Underwood into Cam Newton Lite. The Wolverines took a step in that route by giving Underwood 18 carries, which translated to a team-high 87 dashing yards, together with a 38-yard landing.
“It was completely a part of the sport plan,” Whittingham mentioned of Underwood’s designed runs. “It ought to have been a couple of extra. We had some reads that had been pull reads, however our younger working again was clamping down on the ball so Bryce couldn’t get it out of there.”
Underwood’s passing stats had been nothing particular. He accomplished 9 of 17 makes an attempt for 111 yards and was lucky to keep away from interceptions on a few dangerous throws to the sideline. He stretched the sector simply sufficient to maintain Oklahoma’s protection sincere and seemed extra snug throwing on the transfer than he did standing within the pocket final week.
Underwood wasn’t nice, however he outplayed Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer, who was 17 for 33 for 189 yards with a back-breaking interception within the fourth quarter. This sport was a reminder that Michigan isn’t the one group with flaws; different groups have issues, too, and the group that manages its weaknesses most successfully is commonly the group that comes out on high.
Nobody who watched this sport will likely be heaping reward on both group. Very like Michigan final week, Oklahoma couldn’t run the ball or management the road of scrimmage. Its quarterback was inconsistent along with his accuracy and decision-making. Oklahoma’s protection performed powerful however couldn’t get the game-changing play the Sooners wanted.
Making this sport all about what Oklahoma couldn’t do shortchanges what Michigan did to rebound from final week. It began with a players-only assembly known as by Michigan’s captains the day after the Western Michigan sport. Whittingham plastered the message “do extra” across the facility, and Michigan introduced much more depth to its Tuesday apply, nicknamed “Bloody Tuesday” as a result of it’s essentially the most bodily apply of the week.
“For everyone, it’s form of a validation of all of the laborious work we put in all through this offseason — all of the early mornings, all of the Bloody Tuesdays, coming in there when it’s 90 levels and also you’re sweating off eight kilos of water,” Daley mentioned. “It was only a validation, a stamp of, ‘Hey, that is what we count on each single week.’”
Whittingham insisted he didn’t learn something written about his group within the week main as much as this sport. Underwood mentioned the identical. Whether or not they heard it or not, the Wolverines weren’t utterly insulated from the surface noise. They knew that individuals had been writing them off, and so they made it clear they didn’t take care of the slander.
Backed right into a nook, Michigan responded by exhibiting its enamel. The Wolverines are wanting extra like their coach every single day.
