The Michigan Insider

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.

Michigan escaped Piscataway with a 28-21 win over Rutgers, but what should have been a comfortable victory became another frustrating showcase of the Wolverines’ season-long shortcomings. Still, there were encouraging signs, starting with an impressive performance from freshman quarterback Tommy Carr. In this week’s TMI Postgame Recap, The Michigan Insider’s Sam Webb and Josh Newkirk are joined by Alejandro Zúñiga from Rutgers to dissect the good, the bad, and the downright sloppy. Making just his second start while battling illness, Carr displayed remarkable poise, worked through his progressions, extended plays, converted critical third downs, and scored twice with his legs. The offense also showed welcome improvement with more play-action, greater downfield aggressiveness, better involvement from the tight ends, and a more consistent commitment to downhill running. JJ Buchanan delivered spectacular contested catches, while freshman Savion Hiter showed encouraging flashes in an expanded role. But how much of that progress was sustainable improvement, and how much was Carr and his teammates overcoming a scheme that still isn’t consistently putting them in position to succeed? The crew examines the continued inability to scheme receivers open, the ineffective Rhino package, and a running game still struggling to generate explosive plays. They also break down the defensive lapses that overshadowed an otherwise solid effort, costly penalties, missed field goals, and mounting offensive line injuries that kept an overmatched Rutgers team within striking distance. Alejandro adds Kyle Whittingham’s postgame perspective and key personnel updates before the discussion turns to Michigan State. The Wolverines got a much-needed win, their young playmakers took meaningful steps forward, and the offense showed signs of life. Now can the coaching staff build on those positives while correcting the persistent problems that continue to make every game a struggle?
(00:00) – Michigan Holds On for a 28–21 Win Over Rutgers
(00:22) – Sam Says Tommy Carr Was the Story of the Game
(02:15) – Michigan’s Biggest Offensive Plays Still Required Individual Players to Win
(03:48) – Carr’s Third-Down Playmaking Gives Michigan a Major Boost
(08:00) – Michigan Still Cannot Consistently Scheme Receivers Open
(11:00) – Buchanan Makes Big Plays but Most of Michigan’s Receiving Production Comes in Traffic
(13:35) – Michigan’s Deep Shots Were There but Carr Could Not Finish Them
(15:34) – Sam Says Carr’s Poise Is the Biggest Thing Michigan Can Carry Forward
(16:15) – Michigan’s Field-Goal Situation Has Become a Serious Problem
(18:13) – Rhino Remains Heavily Involved
(19:44) – Sam Says Michigan’s Tight Ends Give the Offense More Flexibility
(21:02) – Josh Says Carr Has Settled Down Since the Indiana Interception
(23:13) – Michigan’s Running Backs Still Struggle to Create Explosive Plays
(24:10) – Michigan’s Defense Gives Up Too Many Explosive Plays
(25:48) – Alejandro Zuniga Joins From Rutgers for the Postgame Press Conference Takeaways
(26:30) – Savion Hiter May Be Separating Himself in the Running Back Rotation
(27:49) – Whittingham Says Nothing Has Been Easy for Michigan
(31:23) – Offensive-Line Injuries Continue to Complicate Everything
(33:14) – Michigan Survives the Rutgers Fight and Turns Toward Michigan State
(34:37) – Sam Says Carr’s Moxie Can Carry Over to Michigan State
(35:44) – Savion Hiter Calls Michigan State a “Dirty Game”
(38:19) – Michigan Continues to Miss John Henry Daley and Dom Nichols
(39:10) – Jay Hill Becomes More Aggressive Without His Top Pass Rushers
(40:00) – Rutgers’ Explosive Plays Show Why Michigan Cannot Relax Defensively
(41:08) – Missed Field Goals Keep Rutgers Alive
(41:43) – Whittingham May Reopen the Kicking Competition
(43:14) – Michigan Moves Into Rivalry Week With Plenty Still to Fix

In this episode, Zach Shaw and Steve Lorenz preview the Michigan football team’s road trip to take on Rutgers, and what the Wolverines need to show in what is expected to be a confidence-building game.
They open with a look at the keys for Michigan’s offense. They discuss the benefits of an establishing a rushing attack against a bottom-tier run defense, but also the potential value of getting Tommy Carr comfortable with tougher opponents waiting. They then discuss how long, if Michigan has success Saturday, it should keep the first-string offense out there and playing aggressively, as opposed to taking the win and limiting snaps for key players.
In the second half of the episode, they look at keys for the defense, and which players they want to see more of in the game. They close with final thoughts and score predictions for the matchup.