Kornacki: Smith Inspires Teammates with Running Style
9/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 12, 2015
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- De'Veon Smith was in perpetual motion all game long. Michigan's junior tailback ran right, ran left and ran up the middle. He caught passes out of the backfield, including a two-point conversion play.
Smith's legs churned hard -- up and down like the pistons in an engine, play after play. He punished would-be tacklers more than they hurt him. He was a beast.
Smith carried 23 times for 126 yards and three touchdowns with 20 points total on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 12). And while the defense repelled Oregon State after the Beavers scored a touchdown on the game's first drive, Smith ran the ball with power to key a 35-7 win in Jim Harbaugh's first game as head coach at Michigan Stadium.
Harbaugh and the 109,651 in attendance could see the impact Smith was having on the field. However, Harbaugh also could hear the confidence Smith was instilling in tackles Mason Cole and Erik Magnuson, center Graham Glasgow, guards Ben Braden and Kyle Kalis and tight ends Jake Butt, Ian Bunting and A.J. Williams.
Harbaugh said, "The offensive line, they commented over on the sideline, you could over-hear them: 'Hey, hey, De'Veon's running hard!' He was running through contact, and it inspired them. A great play by the running back inspires the offensive line to sustain and strain longer on blocks."
Quarterback Jake Rudock added, "It was one of those things where the linemen knew, 'Hey, we've got our blocks, and he might bounce off a couple.' It kind of gets everyone going."
The entire team fed off Smith's relentless play.
When asked if even the defense was inspired by Smith, a 5-11, 228-pound punisher, linebacker Joe Bolden said with a smile, "Yeah, heck yeah. We love it. Obviously, as a defense, you never want to get run over. And you've got your running back running guys over, toting the ball, knowing that every play you are going to get four yards.
"I mean, it's a great feeling. Four times three is 12 (yards), and that's a first down, and you just keep running over and over, and you end up in the end zone."
-- Smith on his offensive line
The Wolverines used to win games like this all the time when Bo Schembechler, Gary Moeller and Lloyd Carr were the head coaches. Hard times hit during a 5-7 showing in 2015, though, when Michigan had difficulty controlling the line of scrimmage. This was more like old times and was what fans expected with Harbaugh coaching.
Harbaugh downplayed his own impact on the outcome and the significance of his first win leading his alma mater. But you could sense the Wolverines feeding off his sideline intensity and regimen just as they did Smith's physical style of running.
Smith combined with Rudock to make Harbaugh's biggest gamble pay off on a fourth-and-five play, when the coach eschewed a 46-yard field goal attempt into the wind in the second quarter. Smith got open, and Rudock hit him for a 20-yard pass play.
"I'm happy I caught the ball this time," said Smith. "Last week, I dropped the ball (on a play at Utah). So, this week, it was what I was trying to work on -- looking the ball in, catching the ball and getting a good feel."
When asked what option he was on that particular pass play, Smith said, "I think I am the last option."
But in this case, the last option brought a first down.
"I went through the progression -- one, two -- and there De'Veon was open," said Rudock. "He pops wide open, and I'm getting him the ball, and when he gets the ball in his hands he does good things with it."
Smith got the ball on handoffs for the next two plays and scored on the second one from one yard out after breaking two tackles. But he also benefitted from the improved play of the offensive line.
"A shout out to my offensive line," Smith said. "They did a great job today. They made some huge holes -- holes a bus could drive through. They did a good job of run-blocking and in pass-blocking. So, I'm proud of them."
Smith had 17 carries for only 47 yards in the opening-game loss at Utah but said Harbaugh and running backs coach Tyrone Wheatley worked with him on having more patience and trusting his vision in selecting running lanes.
However, when there's not much daylight, Smith makes yards by bulling his way forward. Asked to describe his running style, Smith said, "Power."
Smith had 11 carries for 46 yards in the first half but rushed 12 times for 81 yards after that.
"I feel like the offense wore down the defense a lot," said Smith. "We started grounding and pounding it. So, if you have a big back, and more than one big back, they are going to start getting tired -- tired of tackling the big guy. When you can tell the defense is wearing down, you want the ball more. For me personally, my strongest quarter is the fourth quarter."
Derrick Green (eight carries, 35 yards) and Ty Isaac (six carries, 35 yards) also are 225 pounds or more and took it to the Beavers.
Defensive tackle Chris Wormley, who is emerging as a difference-maker on his side of the ball, chimed in: "When you are able to run the ball like De'Veon, Derrick and Ty did, it gives the defense great confidence that we can stop them. When you see the special teams producing as well, it just gives you that confidence and drive to keep going and fighting and get the win every week."
Running the ball down an opponent's throat -- as Michigan did with 244 yards rushing and a 4.7-yard average -- and holding the other guys to 138 yards total offense (four yards after halftime) is a recipe for victory.
"You want to dominate an opponent," said co-captain Bolden, "and the most dominating thing you can do is run the football directly at them and play defense. And if you're moving the football, you are eating up the clock, you are making their defense tired. Their offense gets on the field, and you either get a turnover or get the ball back.
"That ties other teams down as to what they can do. Football is a game of momentum, and that just zaps it right away."
Michigan averaged 9:30 of possession time per quarter to Oregon State's 5:30.
"We wanted to make sure we made a great statement to the world today," said Smith, whose play spoke as loudly as anyone's.
Harbaugh could hear it up and down his sideline.
• Smith, Stout Defense Smother Beavers for Harbaugh's First U-M Win
