Sherrone Moore describes locker room energy after Michigan beat USC
Michigan football head coach Sherrone Moore explained his team’s energy in the locker room after a big win over USC. Michigan defeated USC, 27-24.
Free Press sports writer Rainer Sabin answers three questions after No. 17 Michigan football defeated No. 12 USC, 27-24, in Ann Arbor on Saturday:
GAME STORY: Michigan saved by Kalel Mullings’ Marshawn Lynch-esque run in wild 27-24 comeback over USC
How did Michigan defy expectations and jump on USC?
Perhaps USC coach Lincoln Riley’s worst decision was made before the game even started. That’s when Riley’s team won the toss and elected to defer. Instead of opting to receive the ball at the outset, Riley allowed Michigan to take possession. That choice backfired immediately.
While the Wolverines didn’t score on their opening drive, they moved it just enough to set up a 50-yard punt that pinned USC inside its own 10-yard line. Pinned near their own goal line, the Trojans’ offense caved under the pressure applied by Wink Martindale’s blitz-happy Michigan defense. USC went backwards and a tone was set.
From there, Michigan controlled the field position and dictated the terms of the game. Eventually, Michigan’s ground-centric attack began to chew through the Trojans until they broke. On Michigan’s third possession, Kalel Mullings surged through a hole on the left side and sprinted for a 53-yard touchdown.
Then, about 10 minutes later, Donovan Edwards found a seam and raced for another 41-yard score, lifting Michigan to a 14-0 lead midway through the second quarter. The Trojans were stunned. By that point, the Wolverines had outgained USC 197-11, dominating the Big Ten newcomer in every facet while extracting great results out of a throwback offense that drained the clock and shortened the game.
What was Alex Orji’s impact?
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The strategy Michigan employed, which was a smart one, seemed preordained when Sherrone Moore named Alex Orji the Wolverines’ new starting quarterback this past Monday. Orji was tasked with reviving an offense that struggled under the command of Davis Warren, who threw six interceptions and averaged just 148 yards through the air in the Wolverines’ first three games.
Orji wasn’t considered a viable passer, but he was viewed as a dynamic runner. Because he had the speed to attack a defense on the perimeter, the thought was that he could open lanes between the tackles and give Michigan’s running backs a better chance to make consistent gains on a down-to-down basis. Well, that’s exactly what happened.
The Wolverines ran the ball 27 times in the first half, netting 199 rushing yards. A team that failed to control the line of scrimmage at any point during its 31-12 loss to Texas, smashed away at USC. Orji contributed to ground surge. Three of his carries netted a first down, which helped Michigan extend drives and suck the life force out of USC’s defense.
But after halftime, the Trojans caught their breath and regrouped. They coaxed a three-and-out on each of Michigan’s two possessions in the third quarter – sacking Orji for a six-yard loss one third down and then stuffing him for no gain on another. During that period of the game, USC managed to neutralize Orji’s impact and expose his limitations. Through three quarters, Orji had completed only 5 of 8 passes for 23 yards. Now, he couldn’t do much to boost Michigan’s sagging running game either. If not for Will Johnson supercharging the Wolverines with a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown, Michigan would have been almost out of gas heading into the fourth quarter.
What does Michigan’s win ultimately mean?
Johnson temporarily helped Michigan preserve a lead that became increasingly tenuous. But it seemed only a matter of time before Michigan frittered it away. Sure enough, the Wolverines did near the midpoint of the fourth quarter.
Edwards lost a fumble that USC recovered at U-M’s 18-yard line. Four snaps later, Trojans quarterback Miller Moss threw his third touchdown pass of the second half – a 24-yard strike to Ja’Kobi Lane. The transformative sequence put USC in front, 24-20, and placed Michigan on the ropes. But then Mullings pulled them back into the fight.
On third-and-1 at Michigan’s 20-yard line, the fifth-year senior spilled out of a pack of bodies and raced 63 yards to USC’s 17-yard line. Then, he pounded away at USC’s dented front. He blasted forward on five sraight carries before finally surging into the end zone from the 1-yard line. Touchdown, Michigan. A season that hung in the balance was suddenly revived.
The Wolverines had willed their way to a monumental victory, proving they can win in rugged, brute fashion. Now, everything is back on the table for Michigan because of this season-defining win. The possibilities appear endless.
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Publish date : 2024-09-20 13:00:00
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