ANN ARBOR — The full picture of Michigan’s offense — or defense, for that matter — won’t be seen during Saturday’s spring game. The Wolverines don’t play a traditional spring game, opting instead for a practice with elements of a controlled scrimmage.
Still, fans will get a glimpse of what offensive coordinator Josh Gattis has been cooking up. How fast is the offense? Will the tempo catch defenses off guard? Can Shea Patterson flourish with the shackles lifted from his athletic, instinctive style of play?
Here are some things to watch:
1. New offense
If Patterson was given a test on the new offense, he would score an A-plus. At least that’s what his teammates say. Everyone is all about offense and curious about quarterbacks. Michigan has one that could lift the program to heights not seen in more than a decade.
“He’s acing it,” tight end Nick Eubanks said.
Patterson, a senior and probable captain, is more vocal and quick to help players learn. He’s thrived in similar systems in high school and at Mississippi, where he threw for more than 3,000 yards in just 10 games in his final season before suffering a knee injury.
“Whatever he says, we do,” Eubanks added.
Michigan’s offense improved drastically around Patterson last season, but Jim Harbaugh and Pep Hamilton still didn’t put him in the most optimal positions to succeed. Now, it’s all set up for the team and its quarterback — they just have to produce.
“Shea is excited,” quarterbacks coach Ben McDaniels said. “And I’m excited for him.”
2. Shoes to fill on defense
The theme of Michigan football under Harbaugh, besides the losses to Ohio State, has been outstanding defense, orchestrated by Don Brown the past three years. Well, Rashan Gary, Chase Winovich, and Devin Bush, Jr., no longer are on the roster, leaving some to think a significant drop off is coming.
But Brown always finds a way, and names like Josh Uche, Michael Dwumfour, Kwity Paye, and Josh Ross just might become recognizable across the country.
"Right now, I think [Ross is] going to be that kind of player: sideline to sideline and A gap to B gap to C gap and be able to cover, as well,” Harbaugh said.
3. Kicker competition
Who doesn’t love a kicking competition? The Wolverines have Jake Moody, who handled kickoffs all season and made 10 of 11 on field goals in 2018 after Quinn Nordin missed the final three games for reasons that still aren’t fully clear. Nordin was 11 of 16.
Last week, Harbaugh said the kickers were neck and neck, a message echoed by special teams coordinator Chris Partridge.
“Couldn’t ask for better as a coach,” Partridge said. “Those guys are coming in every day, they’re competing, and getting after each other. They’re great teammates for each other. The environment is very competitive, and those guys have handled it A-plus as student-athletes.”
First Published April 12, 2019, 6:23 p.m.
