Michigan is doing big things so far this season because they continue to do the little things at a high level. After the Wolverines crushed Nebraska 45-7 in Lincoln on Saturday, Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh talked about highlight real plays such as “circus catches,” but he also stressed blocking, tackling and playing the game the right way. It’s been these little things that have added up to a big start and even bigger expectations for the Wolverines.
“Every position group played well,” Harbaugh said in his postgame interview after Saturday’s win. “I was particularly happy with the big catches, the tough catches, the catches across the middle, the circus catches and the blocking. The tight ends are playing well. The backs all played really well and ran hard.”
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Harbaugh also talked about how – and why – the running backs are a special group.
“It’s a completely unselfish group,” Harbaugh said of the running backs. “And at a position where it’s hard to be unselfish.”
He passed plenty of praise over to J.J. McCarthy, who was 12-16 passing for 156 yards and two TDs.
“And the same with (McCarthy), who had one of his best games,” Harbaugh said. “He’s so efficient in how he plays the game and what he does for our offense. He really makes it go. And he’s unselfish, just like every guy on the team.”
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The Wolverines, who moved up to the No. 1 spot in the USA Today rankings, have been simply dominant on both sides of the ball. They have yet to allow more than a touchdown in a game while scoring at least 30 points in every game. They are allowing just six points per game, first in the country, followed by Ohio State (8.5 points per game allowed).
The Wolverines opened with their first four games in the Big House against less than stellar opponents. Saturday’s trip to Lincoln was the first road test and they hit passed scale and filled up the tank on Cornhusker fuel early and often. And Harbaugh had to be thrilled with no turnovers and no penalties – when is the last time that happened? The Wolverines controlled the ball for more than 38 minutes in a dominant performance in a game one pundit predicted would be close (it wasn’t).
SEE U-M PHOTO GALLERY FROM RUTGERS GAME – 150 PHOTOS
Next up
The Wolverines travel to Minneapolis on Saturday to face Minnesota. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. EST. The Golden Gophers are 3-2 this season and are coming off a 35-24 home win over Louisiana on Saturday. They had lost their previous two games – at Northwestern and at North Carolina. Minnesota defeated Nebraska and EMU to start the season.
SEE U-M PHOTO GALLERY FROM RUTGERS GAME – 150 PHOTOS
