CFB Analyst's Message For Critics Of Michigan's Performance Against Penn State: 'It Is An Absurd And Clownish Take'
Even though the Michigan Wolverines were dominating their opponents for each of the first nine weeks of the season, the critics would always respond to each impressive win with the same played out question: "But who have they played?"
To a certain extent, criticism of Michigan's non-conference schedule was warranted through the first three weeks of the season. But to continue to criticize Michigan's strength of schedule six weeks into conference play says more about the rest of the conference than it does about Michigan. Nevertheless, the general consensus was that everybody - critics included - would find out just how good the Michigan Wolverines truly were when they traveled to Happy Valley for a road matchup with No. 10 Penn State.
As is often the case, Michigan didn't play a flashy brand of football against the Nittany Lions. In fact, the Wolverines style of play on Saturday was very much on brand for the type of program that head coach Jim Harbaugh worked so hard to build. It was slow and methodical, smash-mouth football, and the result was a 24-15 road win over a Top-10 opponent.
Not surprisingly, many of the critics who pointed to the Penn State game as a litmus test for the Wolverines moved the goalposts after Michigan's dominant win.
FOX Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt was having none of that.
"Some people will knock Michigan for this win, which is absurd," Klatt said. It is an absurd and clownish take to knock Michigan for what went on on Saturday."
"What did Michigan do? They reverted back to their roots, almost as if Jim (Harbaugh) is still on the sideline. And what did they do? They just ran the ball. They got really big, and ran the ball. I was so impressed with the way they adjusted, I was impressed with the way they clearly analyzed the game for what it was. It was going to be a run oriented game because they could do that based on the way their defense was playing against the opposing offense."
The Michigan defense held the Nittany Lions offense in check all afternoon, limiting them to just 238 total yards. Outside of some relatively big plays with his legs, the Wolverine defense made life difficult for sophomore quarterback Drew Allar - who finished the afternoon completing 10-of-22 attempts for 70 yards and one touchdown. The Nittany Lions were also just 4-of-14 on third down conversions, which largely contributed to Michigan's decision to finish the game with 32-straight running plays.
"They put extra offensive linemen on the field, so they were playing at times with seven offensive linemen on the field, and they just ran the crap out of the ball," Klatt said. "They didn't attempt an official pass for basically the last two and a half quarters. It's a remarkable, remarkable type of feat when you look at what they were able to do against that defense just running the ball. Didn't attempt a pass in the second half with a guy, as a quarterback, that is in the Heisman trophy running."
Michigan finished the afternoon with 227 total rushing yards. Senior running back Blake Corum led the way with 145 yards and 2 touchdowns on 26 carries, while junior running back Donovan Edwards added 52 yards and 1 touchdown on 10 carries.
For Klatt, Sherrone Moore's commitment to pound the rock for two and a half quarters was indicative of a disciplined coach who clearly understood that Michigan was in complete control.
"Number one, it takes a play-caller that, with clear eyes, can analyze what is going on around him and adjust, and is willing to do whatever is best. 32 straight run plays for Michigan and Sherrone Moore - 32. It takes an incredibly disciplined play-caller, a guy that is willing to not get bored taking a profit."