The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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M U-M Offense Relied Heavily On Big Plays For Production Michigan certainly had its share of offensive ups and downs last season, but there was one thing the Wolverines did consistently well: create big plays. The offense generated 39 plays that spanned 30 or more yards, which ranked eighth nationally. There's an argument to be made that the Wolverines relied more heavily on big plays than any other team in the country. Of the top 10 teams nationally in plays of more than 30 yards, nine ranked 22nd or better nationally in total offense: Baylor (No. 2, 572.2 yards per game), Texas A&M (No. 3, 558.5 yards per game), Oklahoma State (No. 4, 547.0 yards per game), Clemson (No. 9, 512.7 yards per game), West Virginia (No. 10, 500.5 yards per game), Fresno State (No. 16, 477.5 yards per game), Northern Illinois (No. 20, 469.6 yards per game), Utah State (No. 21, 469.6 yards per game) and Georgia (No. 22, 467.6 yards per game). All of them racked up a lot of big-chunk plays, but they were clearly moving the ball consistently, with or without the home run. Michigan, on the other hand, finished 79th nationally in total offense, averaging just 383.1 yards per game. The big plays were necessary. Comparatively, the 2011 Wolverines were 42nd nationally in total offense (404.7 yards per game), but didn't generate as many big plays: 32 of 30-plus yards, 19 of 40-plus yards, seven of 50-plus yards and just three of 60-plus yards. The Wolverines were the only team in the country ranked worse than 65th nationally in total offense that still managed to average more Denard Robinson Best Big-Play Threat In Michigan History During his Michigan career, Denard Robinson was a walking highlight, and many consider him the most explosive athlete of all time. Now there is proof. Over the past four seasons, Robinson accumulated 16 rushes of 40 yards or more, obliterating the previous school record of 10 achieved by Tyrone Wheatley (1991-94). Robinson doubled thirdplace Anthony Thomas' production of eight. Robinson had a career-high eight such runs in 2012, including a pair of 60-plus gains. In limited opportunity in 2009, as a backup to starting QB Tate Forcier, Robinson rushed for 20 yards or more on four occasions. That started a trend. He had 14 runs of 20 yards or greater in 2010, 12 in 2011 and another 14 in 2012. than six yards per offensive play (6.07) last year. There were 36 teams in the country that averaged 6.0 or more yards per play last year, and all but eight of them were ranked in the top 40 nationally in total offense. At 79th, Michigan was by far the lowest ranked among those 36 teams — and that was thanks, in large part, to their ability to gain huge swaths of yardage in a single play. The offense was just as explosive — if not more so — in the final five games of the season, when Devin Gardner replaced Denard Robinson at quarterback. In the first eight games of the year, under Robinson, the Wolverines racked up 16 runs of at least 20 yards — an average of two per game. In those eight games, they also racked up 20 total pass plays of at least 20 yards (2.5 per game), for a grand total of 36 (4.5 per game). Under Gardner, Michigan's ground game was slightly less dynamic, tallying five rushing plays of 20-plus yards (one per game). However, Gardner threw 20 passes that covered at least 20 yards in those five games (four per game), for a total of 25 plays covering 20 or more yards (5.0 per game). Rushes Of 40 Yards Or More All Time Player YearsNo. Denard Robinson 2009-12 16 Tyrone Wheatley 1991-94 10 Anthony Thomas 1997-2000 8 Butch Woolfolk 1978-81 6 Tshimanga Biakabutuka 1993-95 6 Brandon Minor 2006-09 6 * Six ball carriers have five 40-plus-yard rushes, including quarterback Rick Leach (1975-78) Denard Robinson 20-Plus-Yard Rushes Year20-29 30-3940-4950-59 60+ Total 2009 2 11004 7 3202 14 2010 2011 6 3120 12 2012 2 4422 14 Total 17118 4 444 30+ Yards 1. Baylor (57) 2. Texas A&M (51) 3. Georgia (45) 4. W. Virginia (43) 5. N. Illinois (41) 5. Fresno State (41) 5. Oklahoma St. (41) 8. Michigan (39) 8. Clemson (39) 10. Utah State (38) Quarterback Denard Robinson had 16 rushes of 40 yards or more in his U-M career, a school record, and he had eight such runs last year alone, helping make Michigan one of the nation's best in big plays. 2012 National Leaders, Big Plays 40+Yards 1. Baylor (32) 2. Georgia (28) 3. Utah State (26) 4. W. Virginia (24) 5. Michigan (23) 5. N. Illinois (23) 7. Texas (22) 8. Clemson 8. Ga. Tech (21) 8. La.-Lafayette (21) 50+ Yards 1. Utah State (18) 2. Georgia (15) 2. Miami (15) 2. Wisconsin (15) 5. Baylor (14) 5. La.-Lafayette (14) 7. Michigan (12) 7. USC (12) 7. Clemson (12) 7. Ga. Tech (12) 18 ■ The Wolverine 2013 Football Preview Photo by per kjeldsen 60+ Yards 1. Utah State (13) 2. Baylor (10) 3. Georgia (9) 3. La.-Lafayette (9) 3. Miami (9) 6. Vanderbilt (8) 7. Michigan (7) 7. Florida St. (7) 7. Missouri (7) 7. Nebraska (7) Michigan's 20-Yard Plays In 2012 OpponentRushPass KR PR Def. Alabama 13300 Air Force 25200 UMass 33100 Notre Dame 21300 Purdue 22101 Illinois 42010 MSU 24111 Nebraska 01300 Minnesota 14100 Northwestern 15410 Iowa 16000 Ohio State 23200 S. Carolina 02200 2012 Totals214123 3 2 2011 Totals303516 4 4 2010 Totals244138 0 3