When you look at the final score in Michigan's 28-21 win over Rutgers, it's clear that the Wolverines' offense took a much-needed step forward. Kyle Whittingham and Co. piled up 427 total yards, including 266 through the air and 161 on the ground. True freshman quarterback Tommy Carr was outstanding in his second career start, completing more than 80 percent of his passes while accounting for three touchdowns. Michigan also converted 12 of its 16 third-down opportunities and controlled the football for nearly 36 minutes. It wasn't a perfect performance, but the improvement was obvious.

Using a tool like Pro Football Focus allows us to see what happened on a player-by-player basis and gives some insight as to how it really went. It's not gospel, but there are some things that just don't show up in the box score that can tell another part of the story.

Carr was Michigan's highest-graded offensive player, earning an impressive 83.1 overall grade across 74 offensive snaps. His biggest contribution came through the air, where he posted an outstanding 82.1 passing grade. Carr completed 22-of-27 passes for 266 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. He also rushed for 54 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries, earning a 67.3 rushing grade. After struggling against Indiana the previous week, Carr bounced back in a major way and looked much more comfortable running Michigan's offense.

Buchanan earned Michigan's second-highest offensive grade at 77.5, including an impressive 78.1 receiving grade. He played 71 offensive snaps and finished with five receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown. His longest reception went for 30 yards, and he caught all five passes thrown his way. Buchanan also scored Michigan's first touchdown on a six-yard reception from Carr. His ability to consistently create opportunities in the passing game was a major factor in Michigan's offensive success.

Hansen rounded out Michigan's top three qualifying performers with a 71.8 overall offensive grade across 28 snaps. He was particularly effective as a receiver, earning a 78.2 receiving grade. Hansen finished with three receptions for 42 yards, averaging 14.0 yards per catch. However, his blocking remained an issue, as he earned just a 35.6 pass-blocking grade. Despite those struggles, Hansen continues to provide Carr with a reliable option in the passing game.

Michigan's offensive line had some impressive individual performances in pass protection. Nathan Efobi led the way with an outstanding 86.1 pass-blocking grade, followed closely by Jake Guarnera at 83.6 and Avery Gach at 80.7. However, Blake Frazier struggled significantly, earning a team-low 49.1 overall offensive grade and a 45.4 run-blocking grade.

Bryson Kuzdzal actually earned Michigan's third-highest overall offensive grade at 73.1, but his 13 snaps fell below the 25-snap minimum. Kuzdzal rushed for 37 yards on six carries, averaging 6.2 yards per attempt, and earned a 72.8 rushing grade.

Carr's improvement from the previous week was particularly noteworthy. After earning a 47.8 overall grade against Indiana, he jumped all the way to 83.1 against Rutgers. His passing grade also improved dramatically, climbing from 50.8 to 82.1.