BY NICOLE AUERBACH AND TIM ROHAN
Daily Sports Writer and Daily Sports Editor
Published September 16, 2010
It’s been a week since Michigan’s thrilling 28-24 victory at Notre Dame, and Ann Arbor has been consumed by a single theme — seven days of Denard Robinson mania.
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The sophomore quarterback, who put up a record-setting 502 total yards last weekend, will once again be the center of attention against Massachusetts.
How many carries will Robinson get? Will he play the whole game? Could he get injured?
Those answers will come in the Big House. Let’s look at some other questions as the Wolverines take on the Minutemen, their only Football Championship Subdivision opponent of the season.
Michigan run offense vs. Massachusetts run defense
When your team’s quarterback is the nation’s leading rusher, you’ve got to feel pretty good about your run game. Robinson’s 455 total rushing yards top the best running back in the nation, Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter, by 41 yards.
OK, so Robinson can run — that much we know. But what about Michigan’s running backs?
Last week, junior Mike Shaw, sophomore Vincent Smith and freshman Stephen Hopkins ran the ball 13 times for 30 yards and one touchdown. That’s fewer than half the carries Robinson had.
The Wolverines need to spread the wealth in the running game, and that will come at Massachusetts’s expense.
Edge: Michigan
Michigan pass offense vs. Massachusetts pass defense
The Minutemen have held opposing offenses to 319 total passing yards in their first two games. Robinson has shown that he’s capable of finding open Michigan receivers downfield.
If the Wolverines’ run game gets on track early, Massachusetts will have to respect the run and Robinson & Co. will look to throw it over the top — just like Michigan did against Notre Dame and Connecticut.
Junior wide receiver Martavious Odoms, redshirt sophomore Roy Roundtree and junior Darryl Stonum seem to have built a rapport with Robinson.
Even though the Minutemen have stifled FCS opponents’ passing attacks, Robinson has matured as a passer in just two weeks as the starting quarterback.
Massachusetts’s defense won’t be better than that of the Huskies or the Fighting Irish.
Edge: Michigan
Massachusetts run offense vs. Michigan run defense
The Wolverines corralled the Fighting Irish’s running backs last week and have allowed 292 total yards all season. Michigan let Jordan Todman rush for more than 100 yards in week one and Armando Allen rushed for 89 last week.
Massachusetts has experienced success on the ground game, and have amassed over 220 rushing yards per game. It’s possible that running backs Jonathan Hernandez or John Griffin of Massachusetts could run for more than 100 yards. But the Minutemen probably won’t be running much, especially if Michigan gets off to a fast start and builds an early lead.
The Wolverines’ front seven has been active and tackling well during the first two weeks. Redshirt sophomore Jordan Kovacs and fifth-year senior Jonas Mouton seemed to be in the middle of every pile last week. But those two will probably have to drop back in pass defense instead.
Edge: Push
Massachusetts pass offense vs. Michigan pass defense
The Minutemen average 258 yards per game through the air, and Michigan’s secondary is still its biggest question mark. That’s not the best combination for the Wolverines, who allowed Notre Dame (without its No. 1 quarterback for nearly half the game) to pass for 381 yards.
This matchup will be key in preventing another Appalachian State-magnitude upset because a strong Massachusetts rushing performance won’t be enough to do it.
Redshirt freshman Cam Gordon had a tough day against the Fighting Irish receivers last week, so expect him to bounce back against the Minutemen.
Edge: Michigan
Special teams
Redshirt freshman Brendan Gibbons missed two makeable second-half field goals (at 39 and 40 yards) to keep Notre Dame in the game. The Fighting Irish took those six missed points and the lead with less than four points remaining in the game. True freshman Will Hagerup didn’t get a lot of reps against Connecticut, but against the Fighting Irish, Hagerup had plenty of punting opportunities — but there were more shanks than booming punts.
Special teams won’t be a factor against an FCS school, unless it’s close.





















