The Michigan Insider

Recapping Michigan's pitiful loss to Michigan State on Saturday evening; discussion surrounds the latest offensive ineptitude among other things.

In this episode, Zach Shaw and Steve Lorenz break down the Michigan football team's rivalry matchup against Michigan State, and the keys for the Wolverines to win a fifth straight game over the Spartans.
They open with a look at Michigan's offense. They discuss why the pressure in more on the Wolverines than on Michigan State, then turn their attention to how Michigan can build off of last weekend's performance at Rutgers, particularly in the passing game.
In the second half of the episode, they look at the keys for Michigan's defense. They discuss a mismatched side of the ball, the Spartans' injuries, the importance of penalty discipline and other factors in the game. They close with their final thoughts on the matchup and predictions for the game.

Michigan and Michigan State will battle for state bragging rights and the Paul Bunyan Trophy when the two programs meet at the Big House on Saturday night. The Wolverines have won four in a row against the Spartans and lead the all-time series 75-38-5. This weekend will feature new head coaches on both sidelines, plus rosters featuring dozens of newcomers who will get their first taste of the rivalry.
Stephen Brooks of Spartan Tailgate / 247Sports join the show to give us the inside look at Pat Fitzgerald's MSU team this year.

Tommy Carr delivered an encouraging performance in Michigan’s 28-21 victory over Rutgers, but did his individual progress mask the offensive problems that continue to hold the Wolverines back? On this week’s Michigan Football Breakdown, The Michigan Insider’s Sam Webb joins former Michigan offensive coordinator Al Borges and former defensive coordinator Ron English for an in-depth film review of a win that highlighted Carr’s development while raising familiar questions about the offense’s broader limitations. Borges breaks down the freshman quarterback’s impressive poise, improved decision-making, and surprising explosiveness as a runner, while examining the adjustments that helped Michigan move the ball more effectively. But the Wolverines’ 12/16 performance on third down warrants closer scrutiny. How much of that success is sustainable when so many conversions required Carr to improvise or receivers like J.J. Buchanan to make exceptional individual plays against an overmatched opponent? The trio examines Michigan’s persistent struggles creating separation through scheme, the limitations of the heavily utilized Rhino package, and whether greater emphasis on play-action, motion, and more diverse passing concepts could provide answers. On defense, English delivers a critique of Jay Hill’s unusually aggressive approach, explaining how questionable coverage calls and execution breakdowns contributed to the explosive plays that kept Rutgers within striking distance. Finally, the discussion turns to the rivalry showdown with Michigan State, where Borges and English explain why the Spartans’ struggles won't necessarily carry over into this matchup, and why winning the rushing battle, maintaining defensive discipline, and avoiding costly emotional mistakes will be essential.

in this episode, Zach Shaw and Steve Lorenz break down the Michigan football team's 28-21 win at Rutgers, and what did and did not work for the Wolverines in their fifth win of the season.
They open with a look at the offense, and the success that Tommy Carr showed in his first road start. They discussed the value of Carr seeing the field well, working the ball to multiple pass-catchers and instincts when under pressure. They also look at an underwhelming rushing attack, and another bad game from the Wolverines' offensive line. They also spend time talking about Michigan's kicking battle, and what to make of Trey Butkowski's recent struggles. In the second half of the episode, they look at Michigan's defense, and balance the weight of bad big plays and penalties, but a good overall performance from the room.