Massachusetts
N/A0-0
Michigan
7th Big Ten7-5
Massachusetts @ Michigan preview
Michigan Stadium
The Michigan football program entered the 2010 season with big questions at its two most visible positions -- coach and quarterback.
What a difference two weeks have made for the Wolverines, who host Massachusetts (2-0) on Saturday.
The hot seat that coach Rich Rodriguez had been sitting on after two consecutive losing seasons has cooled with victories over Connecticut and Notre Dame, quality wins that have the No. 22 Wolverines back in the national rankings.
Much of the early success can be attributed to the play of sophomore quarterback Denard Robinson, who has the Michigan offense looking more like what Rodriguez ran at West Virginia.
Robinson may be the fit Rodriguez has been looking for to run his quarterback-centered spread offense. His record-setting 502-yard performance in a 28-24 win at Notre Dame last week (258 yards rushing, 244 passing) has the Michigan faithful abuzz. Robinson has 455 rushing yards and 430 passing yards in two games.
The Michigan defense also has held up well despite giving up significant yards to both UConn and Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish gained more than 500 yards last week, but the Wolverines picked off three passes and kept Notre Dame out of the end zone enough for Robinson to work his magic, including scoring the winning touchdown on a 2-yard run with 27 seconds left.
The biggest question in the long run will be whether Robinson can continue at his current pace as the Big Ten schedule approaches. Michigan started fast last year, too, but lost seven on its last eight games. Robinson has rushed 57 times and thrown 62 passes in two games; nobody can expect him to keep up that workload the rest of the way.
Chances are with UMass coming to Michigan Stadium that Robinson will get a break. The Minutemen have beaten fellow FCS teams William & Mary (27-23) and Holy Cross (31-7), neither team even close to what Michigan will bring to the field. UMass, ranked No. 16 in FCS, has moved the ball well, however, and the Wolverines have shown some susceptibility to giving up big yardage. UMass quarterback Kyle Havens has completed 40-of-62 passes for 516 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions. Jonathan Hernandez has 203 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
UMass, which has never played Michigan, has eight transfers from FBS schools on its roster.
Michigan enters the game reasonably healthy. True freshman Carvin Johnson (knee), who started in the opener, did not play against Notre Dame and was not listed on Michigan’s midweek depth chart. Rodriguez does not expect Johnson to play. Receiver Junior Hemingway (hamstring) and running back Fitzgerald Toussaint (knee), both reserves, were out last week. Rodriguez said Toussaint should be healthy enough to play but Hemingway is doubtful.
What a difference two weeks have made for the Wolverines, who host Massachusetts (2-0) on Saturday.
The hot seat that coach Rich Rodriguez had been sitting on after two consecutive losing seasons has cooled with victories over Connecticut and Notre Dame, quality wins that have the No. 22 Wolverines back in the national rankings.
Much of the early success can be attributed to the play of sophomore quarterback Denard Robinson, who has the Michigan offense looking more like what Rodriguez ran at West Virginia.
Robinson may be the fit Rodriguez has been looking for to run his quarterback-centered spread offense. His record-setting 502-yard performance in a 28-24 win at Notre Dame last week (258 yards rushing, 244 passing) has the Michigan faithful abuzz. Robinson has 455 rushing yards and 430 passing yards in two games.
The Michigan defense also has held up well despite giving up significant yards to both UConn and Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish gained more than 500 yards last week, but the Wolverines picked off three passes and kept Notre Dame out of the end zone enough for Robinson to work his magic, including scoring the winning touchdown on a 2-yard run with 27 seconds left.
The biggest question in the long run will be whether Robinson can continue at his current pace as the Big Ten schedule approaches. Michigan started fast last year, too, but lost seven on its last eight games. Robinson has rushed 57 times and thrown 62 passes in two games; nobody can expect him to keep up that workload the rest of the way.
Chances are with UMass coming to Michigan Stadium that Robinson will get a break. The Minutemen have beaten fellow FCS teams William & Mary (27-23) and Holy Cross (31-7), neither team even close to what Michigan will bring to the field. UMass, ranked No. 16 in FCS, has moved the ball well, however, and the Wolverines have shown some susceptibility to giving up big yardage. UMass quarterback Kyle Havens has completed 40-of-62 passes for 516 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions. Jonathan Hernandez has 203 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
UMass, which has never played Michigan, has eight transfers from FBS schools on its roster.
Michigan enters the game reasonably healthy. True freshman Carvin Johnson (knee), who started in the opener, did not play against Notre Dame and was not listed on Michigan’s midweek depth chart. Rodriguez does not expect Johnson to play. Receiver Junior Hemingway (hamstring) and running back Fitzgerald Toussaint (knee), both reserves, were out last week. Rodriguez said Toussaint should be healthy enough to play but Hemingway is doubtful.