Joel Klatt On Michigan 'No Team Has Been More Dominant'
Fox Sports analyst and college football commentator, Joel Klatt, likes to describe Michigan as a boa constrictor. And after the Wolverines took Minnesota to the cleaners after a 52-10 win, Klatt is more and more impressed with the maize and blue.
On Monday, on The Joel Klatt Show, Klatt said there is finally some separation at the top of the rankings for the first time all year. Georgia took care of business against Kentucky, and Michigan is really starting to assert its dominance.
Klatt believes no team has been more complete or dominant as Michigan has been this year. Yeah, the Wolverines' schedule hasn't been the greatest, but Michigan has dominated every aspect of every game. Gophers' coach PJ Fleck also described Michigan as a boa constrictor -- which got Klatt back on the analogy.
"This Michigan team is exactly as he described them [a boa constrictor]", said Klatt." They are incredibly deep, they know exactly what they're doing and how. They're very talented and at this point in time, albeit against a schedule that hasn't been fantastic, no other team has been as complete or as dominant as Michigan this year -- full stop."
"That's what PJ [Fleck] was talking about, the analogy of a boa constrictor is absolutely true... There is an inevitability to their win and they know it. It's like being trapped with no weapon in a small room with a hungry boa constrictor, it's going to end poorly for you. There's nothing you can do about it. It's going to suffocate you at some point -- that's what Michigan does. They will suffocate you at some point."
The suffocating Michigan defense
Photo: Christopher Breiler
Jim Harbaugh has stated he thinks up to 20 players could get drafted in April and set a new record for players being selected from a certain team. Klatt also thinks the Wolverines can have a record amount of players drafted come April.
Klatt credits the Wolverines for not making many mistakes and being the least penalized team in the country.
"This is as deep as a team as there is in the country," said Klatt. "I believe they probably have 12 to 15, maybe more, guys that will be drafted next spring. They've got NFL depth on their roster currently. They're veteran, they're strong, and they have a unique, firm grasp of exactly how they win and why. That's a dangerous thing because they don't make mistakes. They are one of the least penalized teams in the country. They don't beat themselves, they don't give you an inch -- that's a scary proposition for anybody, even the really good teams."
But what makes Michigan so strong? Obviously, the Wolverines have great trench play on both sides of the football. Michigan can run the ball with anybody in the country, but what also makes the Wolverines a national title contender is J.J. McCarthy. His stats don't jump off the screen, but that's what makes him the perfect fit for Michigan. He doesn't care about his stats, he just cares about winning football games.
"Do you know why they're so unique?" asked Klatt. "Their quarterback seems to care this much -- flashing a big zero on the screen -- zero cares about his stats. You see, if they had a guy that went there and wanted more NIL dollars, wanted to throw for -- lead the country in passing and wanted to throw 40 touchdowns, it wouldn't work. A player like that would be too selfish for Michigan. J.J. McCarthy in a lot of ways is the perfect guy, not just as a player, but a guy for Michigan. He doesn't care if he throws it 18, 19, or 20 times. He knows that's why they win. They have faced the second-fewest drives in per game in all of football."
Klatt loves what he has seen from the Wolverines in six games this year. But he does have one question and it's a valid one. What happens to the Wolverines if they get off schedule? It hasn't happened to the Wolverines this season and it may not happen until they travel to Penn State on Nov. 11.
"Here's my only question with Michigan," stated Klatt. "I've only got one. What happens when they get taken out of that blueprint? For whatever reason, whether it's a couple of fluky turnovers, you know a special teams touch -- something happens like what happened against TCU in the semi-finals. What happens when they get taken outside of their blueprint, I guess we don't really know. That's my only question with them."
You can watch the full video below.
