MINNEAPOLIS – Michigan’s locker room after the season-opening win against Western Michigan after a second was added and a Hail Mary completed, was hardly celebratory and the players called a team meeting for the next day. They wanted to sort through being outplayed despite coming away with the win.
They embraced the words of head coach Kyle Whittingham who told all of them after that game to, “do more.” That became the Wolverines’ mantra: Do more. What can Whittingham come up with now after two straight losses to open the Big Ten season, the first time that’s happened since Brady Hoke’s Michigan team in 2014 started 0-2 in the Big Ten?
Michigan lost 20-14 at Minnesota in the Wolverines’ first road game of the season Saturday, Oct. 3, and watched as the Gophers ran to their sideline to claim the Little Brown Jug in the 100th meeting between the programs for college football’s oldest trophy.
The Wolverines lost to Iowa in the Big Ten opener on a final-play touchdown and are 3-2, 0-2 Big Ten.
More: Michigan's 2nd Big Ten loss leaves Whittingham searching for answers
“They're soul searching right now,” Whittingham said of the Wolverines’ morale. “It was a tough locker room again. Just like last week. We got some prideful guys. They are hurt. We'll see what kind of response we get on Monday. We'll be right back in Monday getting after it and seeing what we can do.”
Smith Snowden, who had an interception against the Gophers, said the Wolverines will rebound against Penn State on Oct. 17 after having this upcoming weekend off.
“We got to get better regardless of what happens,” Snowden said. “We got to come in, put our heads down, and go to work. Obviously, losing back-to-back weeks, that sucks, but we have a long season ahead of us, and if we let this moment define us, then it's going to be a messy year. We're not going to let that happen.”
While Michigan’s offense was the target after the Minnesota loss, special teams also were an issue, as were turnovers and penalties. The Wolverines’ defense, which provided a touchdown on an interception in the first half, tried to keep Michigan in the game despite being on the field for much of the second half. For the season, Michigan ranks 109th in time of possession, averaging 28:20 per game.
The fact the Wolverines’ offense stood out as an issue was not isolated to this loss. It has not been overly productive this season and there are a number of factors including the play of quarterback Bryce Underwood, the inconsistent play of the injury-riddled offensive line and running game. Michigan ranks No. 122 in offense, averaging 315.8 yards and 105th in scoring, averaging 23.0 points. The run game, expected to be a strength of this team, ranks 100th nationally (135.0) and the Wolverines are 111th in passing (180.8).
“I don't want to say mystery, but the ineffectiveness with our offense,” Whittingham said as he discussed his team’s issues. “What is the reason behind it? We've got to figure it out. We're so far away right now from where we need to be. We'll examine it. We've got to have answers soon.”
The Wolverines don’t have a game next week, and Whittingham will use this time to find those answers. It simply doesn’t seem like enough time to make the kind of changes that will fix what is ailing Michigan’s offense. After the bye, Michigan faces Penn State and defending national champion Indiana and in November, the Wolverines face Michigan State and UCLA at home and road games against Oregon and Ohio State.
There are glaring issues with Jason Beck’s offense, and they were apparent at Minnesota. Whittingham said it has been an obvious problem not scoring points. Take away Michigan’s 52-17 blowout of UTEP, and the Wolverines are averaging just under 16 points in four games. They’ve also had nine turnovers, including four interceptions and two special teams fumbles. And against Minnesota, Michigan’s 79 rushing yards, the team’s lowest output of the season, was “awful”, Whittingham said, adding that the “throw game was not much better.”
Michigan running back and captain Jordan Marshall said the Wolverines have shot themselves in the foot several times this season. And when they try to fix one thing, something else seems to break.
“We can't go forward on some things and then backwards on other things,” Marshall said.
The Wolverines have not played a complete game this season and have struggled to finish games.
“We’re playing as parts right now,” Marshall said. “The offense will drive, then we’ll just stall out. Then we’re leaving our defense out there. Then we’ll have a stupid mistake on special teams, and all these mistakes add up. Whether they’re consecutive or they’re spread out, they add up over time.
“I think that’s what’s getting us out there on the field. Those mistakes add up, and everybody’s looking at each other like, ‘This doesn’t happen in practice.’ And a practice rep has to be a game rep. Every single rep has to be a game rep, and it needs to be like that every single day.”
Michigan is in a hole in the Big Ten with seven games left. Marshall, as the emotional leader of the team, said the Wolverines must trust in the staff and working to play a complete game.
“You trust what you have here, and you trust what Coach Whitt has done,” Marshall said, adding he trusts all the coaches. “He has a resume. As anybody would say, he's done it before, and I trust him. I trust that (all the coaches are) going to turn it around because, one, they love this game. They love their players, and they would do anything for their players.
“So there's going to be changes, and things are going to have to shake because it's go time. But I don't lose trust in nobody unless you give me a reason to, unless you're soft or you don't want to do it. But for me, I don't think we have soft guys in our program. And if you are soft, you're going to get weeded out or you're not going to play.”
It will be interesting to see what those changes will be, but until then, the players say they will not let this Big Ten start derail their desire to improve and make a run.
“This is a team that we love each other and care for each other,” Snowden said. “Yeah, we’ve lost two games but so what. We’re going to keep getting better and coming together as a team.”
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan 'soul searching' after Minnesota loss, Whittingham says