MICH-PSU Recap

Michigan basically owns Penn State. I know Lions fans (including most of the other writers on this blog) are going to hate hearing that, but after winning 9 straight, I think we just may have earned the right to make that claim.

After this game, everyone’s left to answer whether Penn State was just overrated to begin with or if Michigan has turned it around with a much improved defense. I personally think it’s a little bit of both.

Game Analysis:
Offense:
Mike Hart was solid with 44 carries, cementing Lloyd Carr’s traditional philosophy of managing the clock well (Michigan’s TOP was 34:52). Hart’s on pace to break the 2000 yard mark this season. The offensive zone blocking scheme seemed to work quite well against Penn State's defensive line. Ryan Mallett also managed the game well. I was very impressed with the poise that he showed on 3rd down situations when Penn State brought the blitz. We’re not very used to seeing that composure from Chad Henne. Also, Mallett showed once again that he’s got nasty zip on his passes. If he works on his accuracy and decision-making, he’s going to be fun to watch in the post-Henne era at Michigan. Manningham and Arrington both contributed well on the receiving end with a combined 12 receptions for 131 yards.

Defense:
Defensively, the pass rush was excellent. Credit here goes to Brandon Graham and Tim Jamison. Like last year, Morelli couldn’t seem to handle pressure from the linebackers. Freshman Donovan Warren did a very good job of shutting down Derrick Williams for the most part. Overall, the defensive performances from the past two games close the door on those awful showings against Appy State and Oregon.

The Big Picture:
We beat a good Penn State team today. Two weeks ago, the sky seemed to be falling in Ann Arbor; but now, Wolverine faithful are finally getting a taste of what was expected of their team in the preseason. This win should hopefully silence some critics and restore some credibility to Michigan. The schedule ahead looks really favorable until we play Wisconsin and Ohio State to end the season. I think we’ll be in good position to compete for the Big Ten Championship and play in Pasadena again in January.