Scouting Penn State

Gut check time.

Good news for Michigan: Defensive end Kwity Paye and cornerback Lavert Hill should both be back in the lineup after sitting out last week's game against Illinois. It was good that they sat out, as it gave opportunities for other younger players to get some experience, and it kept these two guys fresh for their matchup next week against Penn State. I mean, you can't tell me that Michigan wasn't looking ahead just a little bit. Linebacker Josh Ross could be back as well, though he should not have to start the game as redshirt freshman Cam McGrone has made the most of his opportunity and is quickly becoming a star in Don Brown's defense. It doesn't help Ross either that Jordan Glasgow is coming off his best game ever as a Wolverine at the Will position.

Five Signs of Life:

1. Young Defense Emerging - For the most part this defense has been solid all year, minus the the trip to Madison where they got run over by Jonathan Taylor. They have really come on in recent weeks since that game though, and they had a standout day against Iowa two weeks ago. Penn State will be the biggest test so far so the defense will need to be in top form. True freshman Dax Hill and second year players Aiden Hutchinson and Cam McGrone have each made some noise recently, and each seem to be getting better each week. Kwity Paye, Josh Ross, and Lavert Hill all sat out last week's game and the defense still put on a good showing despite falling asleep for about 17 minutes of game time that helped Illinois get back in the game for a minute. The return of Michael Dwumfour from an arm injury and the emergence of Jordan Glasgow and Brad Hawkins have also been big reasons for the increased production on this side of the ball.
2. Emergence of Running Backs - This position was young and thin to begin with. We pretty much found out that Zach Charbonnet, arguably the best running back in last year's recruiting cycle, was a stud after the first game and it became a little unnerving when he was seemingly sidelined for the Wisconsin game after rumors of a knee injury where making their way the through online sewing circles. His strength, athleticism, and pass-blocking ability make him an asset on every down. He has played well the last two weeks and could be on the verge of a true breakout game. Hassan Haskins, a redshirt freshman, was a little known prospect from 2018. He started showing signs of life a few weeks ago after receiving much praise from Coach Harbaugh since last December. Haskins truly came alive against Illinois last week and torched the Illini for some big yardage. But after several breakout runs early in the game he was basically shelved by the coaches, just as they have with many players throughout the year. My money is on these two to carry the load for the Wolverines this Saturday, as well as for the remainder of the year, and both kids have an opportunity to make names for themselves nationally under the bright lights of Beaver Stadium.
3. Quarterback Building Confidence - Say what you want about the start of the season for Patterson, but Harbaugh was right when he said that he was the best quarterback in every game they played this year so far. And if you take his six fumbles out of the equations he has been statistically solid, despite the low completion percentage. Sadly though, you just can't actually take those fumbles out of it. They counted. And they hurt. But he has gotten better at holding on to the ball in the last few weeks and he has only thrown three INT's compared to nine TD's on the season. He has also rushed for four touchdowns and several key first downs. He has shown that he can turn it on when the team needs him and the play-calling allows it. If he can continue to build on all this he could be ready for a breakout game of the season.
4. Play Book is Opening Up - Michigan often didn't run as many plays as they could have earlier in the season because they turned the ball over too much. They also ran limited formations and play variations in each contest thus far. But we have seen a slow trickle of new plays showing up throughout the season. There just hasn't been any continuity in the play calling and the coaches seem to sit players that are showing signs of getting hot in favor of getting younger players reps. I expect all that to change now that the heart of divisional play is just beginning. Honestly, if you consider what Michigan has put out there on film, it really doesn't give opposing teams much to work with in terms of what to prepare for. And with all that talent, I believe offense, as well as the rest of the team, hasn't played it's best football yet.
5. Momentum Building - Though the only signature win so far is against a 4-2 Iowa team, the Wolverines seem to be gaining a little momentum here. A win on the road against the Nittany Lions will stoke up quite a fire in comment sections and a significant boost in the power rankings. Anybody who has paid attention to this game long enough understands that it is is a game of momentum. And if the right team gains confidence and plays as one just at the right time of the season, they can shock the world.