Briefly in secondary school

This loss actually wasn’t as devastating as some of the others, as the Ducks scored a touchdown in the final seconds. Missing starting cornerbacks Will Johnson and Jyaire Hill due to ailments, Michigan found itself in a tough position against an Oregon offense that ranked in the top 10 in most categories, with quarterback Dillon Gabriel leading the nation with a 76 completion percentage, 2.

Sure enough, the Ducks scored touchdowns on four of their first five drives, although the first, a two-yard pass from Gabriel to Evan Stewart, was inexplicably botched by the Big Ten’s scoring system. It came on third down and after Oregon kicked the extra point, CBS returned with a replay clearly showing the ball hitting the ground.

That blunder did not decide the match. But the Wolverines did come back from a 28-10 halftime deficit after passing Davis Warren and big plays from Colston Loveland, who had seven receptions for 112 yards. With seven minutes left it was 31-17, the defense had just forced a punt and Michigan was driving to Oregon’s 15. Then came a series of ineffective play calls, capped by a fourth-down throwback attempt by receiver Semaj Morgan against Quarterback Alex. Orji, who sailed high and wide.

Bizarre play call from coordinator Kirk Campbell? Certainly, with limited options, the offense has been forced to try creative, unorthodox things, and several of them have worked. For three years, the Wolverines knew exactly who they were and what they were doing, playing power football behind a great line with a mistake-averse quarterback in JJ McCarthy.

They now have little to lean on. Kalel Mullings was productive early in the season and Donovan Edwards scored every now and then, but it all puts pressure on the offense. And that puts all the pressure on the defense, which has top talent — Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Josaiah Stewart — but is too often sent back onto the field after a UM turnover.

Absorb water

There is no question of a championship or even a guarantee of a winning season. But I think it’s fair to say there is still effort and energy, although that will be tested later.

“I’m just proud of the way the guys fought,” Warren said. “We stood with our backs against the wall and had a heart-to-heart talk during halftime. Obviously it’s disappointing, but it’s not our job to have that perspective, or to feel bad about ourselves. Our job is to focus on the next day, the next game.”

Davis settled in and played well, going 13-for-23 for 165 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. The offense repeated the turnover-free effort needed to beat Michigan State.

Wojo asks Derrick Moore about the team’s 5-4 record heading into the stretch.

Wojo asks Derrick Moore about the team’s 5-4 record heading into the stretch.

But leaks are emerging on defense, as Oregon piled up 470 yards and converted 10 of 15 third downs. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale tried to apply pressure, but the Wolverines didn’t record a sack on Gabriel, who went 22-for-34.

In the future, the tasks of both coordinators should be thoroughly evaluated. A deep dive into the transfer portal is a must to replenish the squad. The Wolverines’ ramped-up NIL program should yield results, and if it somehow gets them back in the mix for top quarterback recruit Bryce Underwood of Belleville, fortunes could quickly turn around.

But there are no givens now. While you saw many of the personnel issues arise after UM sent thirteen players to the NFL draft, that doesn’t make them any easier to solve.

In the meantime, there are games to play and reputations to uphold. I asked Moore about the challenge of motivating a team that went 40-3 for three seasons and is now 5-4.

“The motivation is being in Michigan,” Moore said. “You know you wear the winged helmet, you have the block M on your chest and you have to play against really good teams the rest of the way. These guys have a lot of pride. They will keep fighting.”

If this seems like an unusual situation for a defending champion, it is. The last major fall from a national title came at LSU, where Joe Burrow led the Tigers to a 15-0 mark in 2019. After he left, LSU was 5-5 during the COVID season. Before that, Auburn went 14-0 in 2010, but fell to 8-5 after the departure of Cam Newton.

The UM national champions were not led by a single star, but by a physical style and system. In some ways, that deep valley of experience and talent is harder to replace. There is no point in comparing current results and strategies to last season because the squad is so different. What worked then – just give the ball to Blake Corum behind a powerful line – doesn’t work now.

The challenge for Moore and his staff is to keep the team engaged and competitive. The challenge for the players is to prove that pride is not just a buzzword.

“I don’t really look at it as a challenge, more of an opportunity for us,” defensive end Derrick Moore said. “The next three games it will be more: how do we want to be remembered, how do we want to end the season?”

Over the past three years it has been a difficult task, but an easy answer. This will be even more difficult, both personally and practically.

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@bobwojnowski