The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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136 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2025 FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2. WINK MARTINDALE MAKES THE ADJUSTMENT TO COLLEGE Martindale joined the program as the re- placement for defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, keeping the Baltimore Ravens' style of defense intact from the previous few seasons. Martindale is the godfather of the system that both Minter and Mike Macdonald ran from 2021-23. However, there were still some dif- ferences in terminology and talent from the previous season. The defense was good most of the year, but struggled in games against Texas and Oregon, surrendering a combined 69 points in the two losses. Including a 20-15 loss at Indiana, the Wolverines never allowed more than 20 points in any of their final four games, notching wins over eventual national champion Ohio State, 13-10, and a motivated Alabama team, 19-13, in the ReliaQuest Bowl. 3. OFFENSIVE WOES HELD THE WOLVERINES BACK Moore's ascension from offensive coordina- tor to head coach opened up a key spot in the coaching staff's brain trust. Kirk Campbell, who had spent the 2023 season as the team's quar- terbacks coach, was named the team's play- caller shortly after Moore was hired. It brought some continuity with a guy who had a major influence in the passing game and developing J.J. McCarthy into an NFL Draft first-rounder, but Campbell wasn't able to develop a functioning and efficient offensive attack. The Wolverines' quarterback room was comprised of a former walk-on in Davis Warren, a gadget player in Alex Orji and a seventh-year veteran in Jack Tuttle, who battled many injuries in his career and medically retired halfway through the season. Michigan only scored 24 or more points in five of 13 games in 2024. The Wolverines fin- ished the season ranked 128th in total of- fense (286.2 yards per game), 122nd in yards per play (4.7), 113th in scoring (22.0 points per game) and 125th in first downs (16.2 a contest), which led to Campbell's dismissal in December and paved the way for the hiring of Chip Lindsey as offensive coordinator heading into 2025. 1. 13-10 WIN IN 'THE GAME' On a cold and blustery late-November day in Columbus, the Ohio State faithful had a pep in their step, confident they were walking into a coronation. Set as a three-touchdown favorite in The Game over the 6-5 Wolverines, it was finally going to be the cathartic beatdown that restored order to the rivalry en route to a national championship run. Michigan had other plans, dragging the Bucks into the mud and the grime, and playing the game on its terms. If the Wolverines were going to pull off the upset, they had to make it a bar fight, and they did. OSU held a 3-0 lead after the first quarter, which elicited groans from the home crowd that would only get angrier as the game went on. An interception by cornerback Aamir Hall set up U-M on the 2-yard line, where it would score its only touchdown of the game two plays later on a 1-yard rush from Kalel Mullings with 12:37 to go in the half. Kicker Dominic Zvada blasted a 54-yard field goal through the uprights with a little over two minutes to go in the second quarter before the Buckeyes went right down the field and tied the score at 10-10 with 30 seconds to go. The Buckeyes did not score in the second half, which gave U-M an opening to pull off a stunning upset. After Mullings' 27- yard run on third-and-6 late in the game, Zvada booted through a 21-yard field goal with 45 seconds left that delivered a 13-10 victory and a fourth straight win in the series. Michigan outgained Ohio State 172 to 77 on the ground, and for the 23rd consecutive time, the team with the higher rushing yardage total proved victorious in this matchup. After the stunning victory, Michi- gan planted a flag at midfield, which caused a postgame fracas and plenty of emotional outbursts from the Buckeye faithful sans head coach Ryan Day, who stood motionless with a blank stare on his face while the chaos erupted around him. TOP 3 GAMES 2. RELIAQUEST BOWL WIN VERSUS ALABAMA Michigan went into its Dec. 31 postseason matchup with Alabama with nothing to lose. Almost every NFL Draft hopeful on the roster opted out of the contest, giving the team a month of practices to work together with new opportunities and a chance to leave an impression heading into the 2025 season. Alabama, on the other hand, was upset it was excluded from the 12-team College Football Playoff and most of its guys opted in, including quarterback Jalen Milroe. The Crimson Tide entered the game in Tampa as 16.5-point favorites. U-M's shorthanded defense stood tall, especially in the first quarter with a pocket of heavy rain bursting over Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Alabama's first four drives went: turnover on downs, fumble, interception, fumble, which helped spot the Wolverines a 16-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Alabama struck back with 10 points before halftime, but was never able to figure out the U-M defense in the second half, gaining only 260 total yards of offense and converting 4-of-16 third- and fourth-down attempts. Freshman running back Jordan Marshall earned game MVP honors, rushing 23 times for 100 yards after both Donovan Edwards and Kalel Mullings opted out of the game. 3. A SWEET HOME WIN VERSUS USC This Sept. 21 victory was the most remarkable win of the sea- son until the two-game finish. The Wolverines came out of nonconference play at an underwhelming 2-1 due mostly to the offense's lack of production and an eventual quarterback change from Davis Warren to Alex Orji. Orji's limited passing talent meant that Michigan was going to have to depend on the running game to have a chance to take down USC. That task was made even tougher by an injury to Colston Loveland, who missed the game. It did not wind up mattering. Michigan hammered USC to the tune of 290 yards rushing in the Trojans' first-ever Big Ten Conference game. Every bit of that rushing total was needed since Orji only went 7-for-12 passing for 37 yards. Michigan held a 14-3 lead at the half thanks to a 53-yard touchdown run from Mullings and a 41-yard score from Donovan Edwards. USC got its offense going in the second half, narrowing the deficit to 14- 10 before a Will Johnson pick six extended the lead to 20-10 with 5:26 left in the third quarter. USC would score the next two touchdowns of the game and lead 24- 20 with 7:01 to go. Mullings saved the day with a 63-yard run on third-and-1 with 2:21 to go, eventually closing out the game with a 1-yard touchdown run with 37 seconds left. Head coach Sherrone Moore earned his official first victory over Ohio State in the Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio, when his Wolverines dominated defensively in a 13-10 upset of the even- tual national champions. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL