Wolverines Fail to Capitalize on Chances in Loss to Spartans
10/25/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 25, 2014
By Steve Kornacki
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- There's a big difference between not making the plays and not having a chance to make plays.
The University of Michigan football team had those chances on Saturday but almost never capitalized. And when a team fails to cash in time after time, the result is not going to be good. So, after hanging with No. 8 Michigan State well into the third quarter, the Wolverines lost to their in-state rivals, 35-11.
Quarterback Devin Gardner often had time to throw, and his receivers often got open. But a combination of dropped balls and off-target throws kept Michigan from scoring a touchdown until De'Veon Smith's one-yard run with 3:40 left in the game.
And a pair of Gardner interceptions -- including a pick-six that went to strong safety RJ Williamson - coupled with a lost fumble by the senior quarterback sealed the fate of the Wolverines (3-5, 1-3 Big Ten).
They couldn't take control of the game and then lost control of it.
"There were some (missed chances) in execution and making plays," said Michigan head coach Brady Hoke. "Especially in games like this, the team that makes the most plays, breaks a tackle, has a good run, makes a catch, those things. We had some opportunities, some shots at some big plays. That changes the momentum, but we've got to finish, and we've got to execute."
Michigan could not grab the momentum that was there for the taking at Spartan Stadium.
Three drives at the end of the first half and beginning of the second half told the story.
Michigan free safety Jarrod Wilson's hit caused Spartans tight end Josiah Price to lose a fumble that strong safety Delano Hill recovered at the MSU 31-yard line. The Spartans were clinging to a 7-0 lead with 4:18 remaining in the second quarter, and the Wolverines had a golden opportunity to tie the score.
Gardner dropped a nice touch pass into a great spot for wide receiver Devin Funchess, but he couldn't hold on to the third-and-10 pass at the MSU 7-yard line.
Matt Wile salvaged some points with a season-long 48-yard field goal that was his fifth from 40-plus yards this season, tying him with Remy Hamilton (1996), J.D. Carlson (1989) and Brendan Gibbons (2013) for the third most from that distance by a Michigan kicker in one campaign.
Had the Wolverines moved the chains and scored a touchdown there, MSU likely wouldn't have had time to make it 14-3 with a one-yard touchdown run by Jeremy Langford with 21 seconds remaining.
Still, the game was still up for grabs with 30 minutes remaining.
Hoke said, "At half time, our kids (are) in here and how they were interacting with each other and some of the adjustments that were made, they were really positive."
The Wolverine defense -- led by 12 tackles apiece from linebackers Jake Ryan and Joe Bolden -- buckled down again and forced the Spartans to punt.
Another chance to put together a touchdown drive and cut the deficit to four points was handed to the offense.
However, on a third-and-11 play in the middle of the third quarter, the game-changer occurred. Williamson got to a pass intended for Dennis Norfleet and took it down the left sideline for a 29-yard touchdown.
"He's constantly trying to make a play," Hoke said of Gardner."I think the pick-six was a pretty athletic play in some regards by the defender. He tried to maybe put it in there in a small window. I think part of it is, he's aggressive. He believes in himself and believes in making plays."
MSU (7-1, 4-0) was in complete control of the outcome after taking a 21-3 lead on that interception return. The Spartans could get as aggressive as they wanted to with a big enough lead to cover for any potential big plays by Michigan.
Shane Morris replaced Gardner with 5:24 to play and the Wolverines trailing by 25 points. But Gardner returned after Morris threw an incomplete pass on his only play, and Gardner marched Michigan on a 67-yard scoring drive before hitting tight end Jake Butt on a two-point conversion pass.
Hoke said, "What happened at the end, we wanted Devin to finish the game. I thought it was important. He wanted to finish the game. It was the last time he'll play at Michigan State."
Asked about a possible competition for the quarterback position headed into Saturday's home game with Indiana, Hoke said, "Let us think about it tonight. I think it's Devin's job right now."
The Wolverines had those chances before the game got away but couldn't come up with their first win in East Lansing since 2007.
Hoke was asked about what he told his team after the game.
"Number one," he said, "we're all very disappointed, and we should be. It's a rivalry game; it's a Big Ten game. So, that's always part of it; it always starts there. The message also is we're going back to work. That's what we have, and we have each other. This has been a very close-knit football team, a very hard-working football team. I know tomorrow when we get back in there, they'll go right back at it."
