Urban Meyer isn’t pulling punches, folks. The three-time national champion head coach, now a Fox Sports analyst, just flat-out called Michigan football a “train wreck” after back-to-back brutal losses. He spilled the tea on “The Triple Option,” and honestly, after watching those games, can anyone really argue?
Offense? What Offense?
Meyer put it plain: “It’s an enigma right now…You can blame Bryce Underwood all you want. I don’t see any explosiveness on offense. I see a quarterback getting hammered…And I don’t see a fast solution at all. It’s a train wreck right now. I stood right there and watched it.” And the numbers back him up big time. In new head coach Kyle Whittingham’s first season, this offense has been an absolute disaster. Outside of one 52-17 win over a 1-4 UTEP squad, Michigan has averaged a measly 15.75 points in their four other games. That puts them at a shocking 105th in Division I-FBS. Quarterback Bryce Underwood has only thrown for five touchdowns and 176.2 passing yards per game across his five starts. Even the running game, which you’d think would be reliable, is limping along at just 3.9 yards per carry. It’s tough to watch, and Meyer is right, there’s no spark anywhere.
Fourth Quarter Flops and a Controversial ‘W’
The frustration just boils over when you look at how they’re losing. The Wolverines blew fourth-quarter leads in both of their last two games! Against Iowa, they were up 19-14 only to give up a game-ending 20-yard touchdown pass with no time left. Then, against Minnesota, they led 14-7 at halftime and still held a 14-13 lead early in the fourth before an Underwood interception set up the Golden Gophers’ game-winning three-play, 35-yard touchdown drive. That’s just inexcusable. And remember how the year even started? With a controversial 12-7 win over heavy underdog Western Michigan where Underwood initially threw an incomplete Hail Mary, only for one second to be put back on the clock, giving him a second chance to connect with JJ Buchanan for the win. That’s not exactly inspiring confidence, is it?
What’s Next for the Wolverines?
It doesn’t get any easier for Michigan. They’ve got a bye week ahead, which they desperately need to “recalibrate,” as the source article puts it. But after that? The schedule is brutal. Four of their remaining seven opponents are currently ranked in the Top 25: No. 7 Indiana, No. 13 Oregon, No. 21 UCLA, and No. 5 Ohio State. Yikes. Their next game is Saturday, October 17, when they host Penn State, another program struggling with a first-year head coach, Matt Campbell, and on a two-game losing streak. It’s a chance to maybe get back on track, but if they don’t find some answers during that bye, it’s going to be a long, painful season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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