Jim Harbaugh, Michigan offer few answers after loss to Michigan State
October 8, 2017 by admin
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Free Press columnist Jeff Seidel and sports writers George Sipple and Nick Baumgardner break down what happened for Michigan in the 14-10 loss to Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017, in Ann Arbor.
The question was asked. And Jim Harbaugh’s reply was brief.
After Saturday’s clunker under the lights, Michigan is now 1-4 against its chief rivals – Michigan State and Ohio State – under his watch.
What’s the reaction to that one?
“I don’t know,” Harbaugh said. “We’re bowing our necks getting ready for the next game. That’s our reaction.”
More: Michigan football grades: Offense collapses, wastes a defensive gem
The rivalry stuff is bad. But after this offensive mess, Harbaugh and company appear to have bigger problems.
No. 7 Michigan turned the ball over five times and struggled in all areas – play-calling included – during a humbling 14-10 loss to in-state rival Michigan State on Saturday night in front of 112,432 at Michigan Stadium.
This was U-M’s lowest scoring output during the Harbaugh era and, without question, the sloppiest the offense has looked since he began his tenure in 2015.
More: Michigan’s strong defense wasted in loss to Michigan State
Everything was a mess and perhaps nothing illustrated Michigan’s malfunction more than a third-and-3 play early in the fourth quarter, down four in a driving rain storm, the Wolverines had quarterback John O’Korn line up in the shotgun with an empty backfield.
The result? An interception. One of three straight drives that ended with a pick, as U-M continued its attempt to throw the football in horrible weather conditions.
“Yeah, I mean, you can criticize that,” Harbaugh said afterward. “We were trying to piece drives together. … We needed to score points, we needed to put drives together.
“That’s what we were trying to do.”
It didn’t work.
More: Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh outcoached by Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio
It wasn’t just about bad weather, though, as Michigan’s first half – played in dry conditions – was no better. After putting together a 16-play, 64-yard game-opening drive that only produced three points, U-M had its first turnover of the day one possession later, when Ty Isaac coughed up the ball near midfield.
MSU (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) needed six plays – and a U-M personal foul call – to go 46 yards, capped by a 14-yard Brian Lewerke touchdown run to make it 7-3. Pushed back on its heels, Michigan’s defense then had its worst series of the game two trips later when the Spartans marched 83 yards on nine plays before Lewerke hit Madre London on a 16-yard screen pass for a score.
The defense, though, wasn’t the issue.
Michigan had four straight punts after the Isaac fumble and then moved the ball into MSU territory late in the half before Sean McKeon lost another fumble after a 36-yard pass and catch.
“Everybody made mistakes,” U-M fullback Khalid Hill said. “Missed protections, fumbles, dropped balls.
“There are a lot of things we have to improve on as a team.”
Michigan found some life early in the third quarter after MSU mishandled a punt, pinning itself on its own 2-yard line. A quick three-and-out gave U-M the ball on the Spartans’ 33 and after O’Korn hit Grant Perry over the middle for 19 yards, Hill punched one in from 1-yard out to make it 14-10 with 8:09 to go in the frame.
In the second half, U-M’s defense held MSU to just 66 yards and two first downs.
Didn’t matter.
More: Three takeaways from Michigan State football’s upset win over Michigan
The heavy rain and wind kicked up from there and Michigan’s next three possessions ended with an interception. The following two featured a combined seven plays and two punts.
Still, U-M’s defense continued to battle – giving Michigan one last shot. The Wolverines pushed the ball across midfield after MSU was flagged for a late hit out of bounds.
One play later, Eddie McDoom dropped a wide open throw. Two plays later, Michigan was flagged for a delay of game. And when the final 37-yard hail mary heave hit the ground, the Wolverine offense had no one to blame but themselves.
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Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh speaks during his postgame news conference after Michigan State’s 14-10 win on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017, in Ann Arbor. Video by Nick Baumgardner/DFP
“We trusted the play calls that were coming in, but we have to execute them,” said O’Korn, who finished his first start of 2017 16 of 35 for 198 yards and three interceptions. “I take full ownership for three interceptions. That shouldn’t happen. I take full responsibility for this loss.”
U-M’s reality now is a murky one.
The Wolverines (4-1, 1-1) travel to Indiana next Saturday with a visit to fourth-ranked Penn State coming in two weeks.
The Wolverines have yet to put together an impressive four-quarter performance offensively this season and there’s plenty of blame to go around. The offensive line allowed four more sacks, receivers dropped passes, a running back fumbled, a quarterback threw interceptions and a coaching staff had no answer for any of it.
“Best I can tell you right now is what I’ve already said,” Harbaugh said. “We turned the ball over too many times offensively.
“We had our opportunities.”
Opportunity missed. Rivalry game lost. Football team humbled.
Immediate future unclear.
Contact Nick Baumgardner: nbaumgardn@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickBaumgardner. Download our Wolverines Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!
