Michigan's struggling run game will face one of its biggest tests of the season against an Iowa defense that ranks among the nation's best against the run.
Michigan's offense has taken some encouraging steps through the first three games of the season, but there is still one glaring area that needs to improve as the Wolverines enter Big Ten play: the running game.
Michigan currently ranks No. 91 nationally in rushing, and the Wolverines will face one of their toughest challenges of the season Saturday when they host Iowa, which enters the matchup with the No. 11 rushing defense in the country.
Offensive coordinator Jason Beck hasn't shied away from acknowledging Michigan's struggles on the ground. In particular, the Wolverines have struggled to consistently create production on some of their perimeter concepts.
"I was most surprised in our just handing off runs with where the result of those had been," Beck said. "That will be a continued emphasis and improvement that way. But I've also been kind of disappointed in our perimeter run game."
That perimeter run game has been particularly inefficient. Beck said Michigan is averaging just 2.5 yards per carry on those plays, compared to 8.5 yards per carry in the past.
"When I'm saying perimeter run, that's when we're giving these fly sweeps, and you got tight ends and receivers blocking out there, and there's a combination there," Beck said. "Who's carrying it? How's the blocking? With that combination together, has not been good for us."
Michigan has had more success when it has pulled and run the ball in the opposite direction, something Beck said has forced the coaching staff to evaluate which concepts should remain part of the offense.
"When we pulled and ran it the other way, those things have been very productive," Beck said. "But yeah, so there's decisions to be made. Do you keep doing it and get better at it, or is it you just do something else to get better results?"
The Wolverines could also need to lean on multiple backs Saturday. Jordan Marshall has been dealing with a nagging injury, while freshman Savion Hiter showed promise last week against UTEP with two touchdowns.
Beck said Michigan feels comfortable with its depth in the running back room but the whole "engine" needs to step it up.
"We're confident in Jordan when he's out there playing. Savion, same things, and Kuz [Bryson Kuzdzal] as well," Beck said. "So we got three guys we could roll with."
Regardless of who gets the carries, Beck believes Michigan needs to establish a more physical identity.
"Ultimately we just have to play harder and be more physical," Beck said. "We just got to play harder and get more out of what we got going when we do hand if off."
That challenge becomes even great against Iowa, a defense Beck described as disciplined, physical and difficult to create easy yardage against. Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker has been doing it well for a long time and Beck knows that Saturday will be a big test for his guys.
"They're really sound. They're really disciplined," Beck said. "So you rarely see an open gap or a missed tackle. They fit those things well and eliminate plays, and when they should, they tackle."
For Michigan, Saturday provides an early opportunity to see whether the issues in the run game can be corrected against one of the Big Ten's best defenses. The Wolverines don't necessarily need to completely reinvent their offense, but they will need to find a way to consistently create yards on the ground if they want to control the line of scrimmage against Iowa.
The Wolverines have shown flashes, especially against Oklahoma when quarterback Bryce Underwood was a bigger part of the running game, but they haven't been consistent during the first three weeks of the season. That certainly won't get easier against this Iowa defense. Ultimately, if they want to win, the Wolverines will have to find a way to create yards, win sometimes at the line of scrimmage and make the most of their opportunities if they want to be successful on the ground and on offense overall.
