Season Review: 2017 Michigan Football
1/26/2018 10:15:00 AM | Football
• Final Notes Packet | Season Review | Record Book | Last Time It Happened
• Team Captains: Mason Cole, Mike McCray
• Record: 8-5, 5-4 Big Ten Conference (4th place, East Division)
• Postseason: Outback Bowl vs. South Carolina (L, 26-19)
The 2017 season featured its ups and downs for the University of Michigan football team, which finished the year with an 8-5 overall record that included win contributions from three different starting quarterbacks.
The Maize and Blue posted some of the nation's most impressive defensive numbers for the second year in a row, ranking top-seven nationally in seven statistical categories, including top-three in five categories. It was the second time in as many seasons under Matthew and Nicole Lester Family Defensive Coordinator Don Brown that U-M led the country in third-down defense (26.1 percent) and in pass defense (150.1 yards per game). Overall, the Wolverines led the Big Ten in five different defensive categories and ranked top-three in four others.
The offense was potent on the ground, accomplishing several feats not recently met in Michigan history. Three running backs averaged 5.0 yards per carry or better, and U-M was 7-1 when outrushing its opponent this year. As a team, Michigan ran for over 2,000 yards for the third straight season under J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh.
Team Highlights
• Opening the Season with a Win in Dallas: Playing at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, Michigan overcame multiple first-half turnovers with explosive offensive playmaking and a smothering defensive effort to beat No. 17 Florida, 33-17, to start the season. Quinn Nordin was 4-of-6 in his debut as placekicker and set multiple records with his two 50-plus-yard field goals, and Tarik Black (receiving) and Karan Higdon (rushing) added touchdowns to a dominant defensive performance. The Gators were held to 11 rushing yards and 3.6 yards per play, while nine Wolverines combined for 11.0 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks and four forced fumbles. Chase Winovich's strip sack in the end zone, recovered by Noah Furbush, helped seal the win.
• Making History on the Ground: The U-M offense put together several historic efforts in the run game during the 2017 season. Three particular games stand out among the rest: wins over Minnesota, Rutgers and Indiana. Junior running back Karan Higdon finished the season with 994 yards, just six shy of joining Fitzgerald Toussaint as Michigan's most recent 1,000-yard rushers. Higdon was U-M's first running back to run for 200 yards or more in multiple games in the same season (200 vs. Minnesota, 200 at Indiana) since Mike Hart did it in 2004. Chris Evans also had 191 yards rushing against Minnesota, marking the first time since 1975 that U-M had back-to-back games with multiple 100-plus yard rushers. One week earlier, Ty Isaac (109 yards) had helped Higdon (158) turn the trick. Against the Hoosiers, Higdon recorded his first career 200-yard rushing effort, with 25 carries for 200 yards even, including three touchdowns with a 59-yarder. Read more about Higdon's day against Indiana below.
• Big Ten Win No. 500: Michigan became the first program in the history of the Big Ten Conference to win 500 league games when it defeated Indiana in a thrilling 27-20 overtime win. The crowning conference achievement could not have come in more dramatic fashion. Indiana tied the game at the end of regulation with a 46-yard field goal while time expired. In overtime, U-M played offense first, and on the very first snap, Karan Higdon took the handoff 25 yards to the end zone for a touchdown. The game was in the hands of Michigan's defense, and it did not disappoint, stifling the Hoosiers on four consecutive goal-to-go situations from the three-yard line or closer and sealing the game with a Tyree Kinnel interception in the end zone on the final play.
• Defense Dominates Again: A young defensive corps was nothing short of exceptional for Michigan throughout the 2017 season. Replacing 10 starters, each of whom was departed to an NFL camp or active roster, was no easy task, but Matthew and Nicole Lester Family defensive coordinator Don Brown did not lower internal expectations, and it showed with an even more statistically impressive defense this past fall. The unit featured 10 all-conference performers, including four with first-team votes, two All-Americans and two national award finalists or semifinalists.
U-M stuffed the run and made passing an unattractive option for opposing offenses. The defense led the nation in sack rate at 11.64 percent and became the only team since 2004-05 Alabama to allow fewer than 1,750 passing yards on the season in consecutive years. Michigan was the only team in the country to allow fewer than 200 total yards of offense to five or more of its opponents, something no other Big Ten defense has done in the past 20 seasons.
Individual Highlights
• An All-America Year for Hurst: Maurice Hurst was named a consensus first team All-American after a physically dominant senior season. Hurst registered 61 tackles, including 14.5 for loss, along with 5.0 sacks, three quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and one blocked field goal. He was as effective as an interior defensive player can be, earning a final-season grade of 96.8 from Pro Football Focus College, the highest grade given to any player in the nation regardless of position. PFF named Hurst to its weekly National Defensive Team on four occasions, and he landed on PFF's Big Ten Defensive Team an incredible nine times in 12 weeks.
Hurst was named a first team All-American by the Associated Press and the Sporting News, and he was a unanimous first team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and media. Hurst will end his career with two degrees, four Academic All-Big Ten honors and his portrait hanging among the Michigan greats in Schembechler Hall.
• Hudson Etches Himself into the Record Books: Linebacker Khaleke Hudson landed himself in the Michigan, Big Ten and NCAA record books with a historic effort against Minnesota (Nov. 4). Hudson was credited with 15 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and one forced fumble, setting career highs in each category. Hudson's 8.0 TFLs set a new single-game record for Michigan and the Big Ten, and it ties the top single-game mark in the NCAA. Hudson was rewarded with Defensive Player of the Game honors internally and received Bronko Nagurski Award Defensive Player of the Week accolades.
• Hurst, Gary, Winovich Rack Up Monster Numbers, Standout Efforts: Michigan had three defensive linemen eclipse the 60-tackle mark, and all three set new career highs in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks. Chase Winovich led the way with 78 tackles, including 17.0 tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks. His standout performance was at Purdue (Sept. 23), when he had eight tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Rashan Gary's tackle count was 62, with 11.0 stops for loss and 5.0 sacks, and his top statistical effort came against Ohio State (Nov. 25), when he was credited with 11 stops, 2.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. Finally, Maurice Hurst closed his career with a 61-tackle campaign, including 14.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. Hurst finishes No. 20 all-time at U-M in tackles for loss (34.5) despite not starting until this season, and his 10-tackle, 3.5-TFLs effort against Michigan State (Oct. 7) and nine-tackle, 1.5-TFL, 1.0-sack game against Maryland (Nov. 11) were a couple of performances to remember from this year.
• A Record-Setting Season from Nordin: After he spent the 2016 season redshirting as a true freshman, many were eager to see kicker Quinn Nordin in game action in 2017. Nordin justified that excitement early on, hitting 4-of-6 field goal attempts in the win over Florida at the Advocare Classic (Sept. 1). He became the first Michigan kicker in his first year to hit two 50-yard field goals in the same game (50, 55) and earned co-Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors as a result. Nordin's 55-yarder is the longest by any collegiate kicker at Dallas Cowboys Stadium, and it also earned him the honor of being named the Lou Groza Award Star of the Week. Nordin hit three extra points to finish the game with 15 points and followed up that performance with a 17-point effort (5-of-5 field goals, 2 PATs) against Air Force (Sept. 16), just one point shy of a single-game scoring record at Michigan for a kicker.
The Rockford, Michigan, native recorded nine points or more on five occasions this year and worked his way into the record books. He converted on six field goals of 40 yards or more, one shy of the single-season program record set by Ali Haji-Sheikh in 1982. Nordin went on to be a Lou Groza Award semifinalist, finishing the season 19-of-24, which ties three others for the second-most successful field goal conversions by a Wolverine in a single season.
• Cole Matches Start Streak Record: Mason Cole began his career as the first-ever true freshman to start the season opener at tackle for the Maize and Blue. Fittingly, he closed his Michigan career with his 51st consecutive start, matching Craig Roh for the longest consecutive start streak in program history. Cole holds the record for offensive linemen after beginning his career with 25 consecutive starts at left tackle. He played center for the 2016 season (13 games) before sliding back out to tackle for his senior campaign for another 13 games. Cole blocked for 21 different 100-yard rushing performances during his career at Michigan, and he earned second team All-Big Ten honors for both the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
Honors and Awards
Maurice
Hurst
Devin
Bush
Chase
Winovich
Rashan
Gary
Mason
Cole
Mike
McCray
All-America
Maurice Hurst (consensus)
Devin Bush
Freshman All-America
Donovan Peoples-Jones (FWAA, punt returner)
All-Big Ten Conference (Coaches)
Offense
Second Team: Mason Cole, Ben Bredeson
Third Team: Karan Higdon
Honorable Mention: Chris Evans
Defense
First Team: Maurice Hurst, Rashan Gary, Devin Bush
Second Team: Chase Winovich, Lavert Hill
Third Team: Khaleke Hudson
Honorable Mention: Mike McCray, Tyree Kinnel, Josh Metellus
Special Teams
Honorable Mention: Quinn Nordin, Brad Robbins
All-Big Ten Conference (Media)
Offense
Second Team: Mason Cole, Ben Bredeson
Third Team: Karan Higdon
Honorable Mention: Zach Gentry, Patrick Kugler, Sean McKeon
Defense
First Team: Maurice Hurst, Chase Winovich
Second Team: Rashan Gary, Devin Bush
Honorable Mention: Lavert Hill, Mike McCray, Tyree Kinnel, Josh Metellus, David Long
Special Teams
Honorable Mention: Quinn Nordin, Donovan Peoples-Jones
Other Big Ten Conference Awards
Henry Poggi -- Big Ten Sportsmanship Award
Michigan Team Awards
Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player Award: Maurice Hurst
Dr. Arthur D. Robinson Scholarship Award (Top Senior Scholar-Athlete): Michael Wroblewski
Top GPA: Stephen Spanellis
Robert P. Ufer Award (Most Love and Enthusiasm for Michigan): Mike McCray and Henry Poggi
Hugh R. Rader Memorial Award (Top Offensive Lineman): Mason Cole
Roger Zatkoff Award (Top Linebacker): Devin Bush
Richard Katcher Award (Top Defensive Lineman): Rashan Gary
Offensive Player of the Year: Karan Higdon
Defensive Player of the Year: Maurice Hurst
Special Teams Player of the Year: Jordan Glasgow
Toughest Player Award: Ben Mason
Blue Collar Award: Chase Winovich
Rookie of the Year: Donovan Peoples-Jones
Most Improved Player (Offense): Zach Gentry
Most Improved Player (Defense): Tyree Kinnel
Most Improved Player (Special Teams): James Foug
Scout Team Player of the Year (Offense): Dylan McCaffrey
Scout Team Player of the Year (Defense): Jameson Offerdahl
Scout Team Player of the Year (Special Teams): Jake McCurry
CoSIDA Academic All-District
Jordan Glasgow, Jr., Business Administration
Academic All-Big Ten (48)
Joe Beneducci, Sr., Political Science
Ben Bredeson, So., Undeclared
Ian Bunting, Sr., Organizational Studies
Devin Bush, So., Undeclared
Jared Char, So., Business Administration
Brian Chu, Sr., Economics
Tyler Cochran, So., Business Administration
Dane Drobocky, So., Undeclared
Jack Dunaway, Jr., Sport Management
Conner Edmonds, So., Undeclared
Kenny Ferris, Jr., Neuroscience
Joseph Files, Jr., Biology
James Foug, Sr., Sport Management
Greg Froelich, Graduate Student, Public Policy
Noah Furbush, Sr., Aerospace Engineering
Rashan Gary, So., Undeclared
Jordan Glasgow, Jr., Business Administration
Louis Grodman, Jr., Movement Science
Will Hart, So., Undeclared
Joe Hewlett, Sr., Business Administration
Maurice Hurst, Graduate Student, Management Human Services
Bradford Jones, Sr., General Studies
Alex Kaminski, Sr., Political Science
Carlo Kemp, So., Undeclared
John Luby, Jr., Economics
Jake Martin, So., Industrial and Operational Engineering
Sean McKeon, So., Business Administration
Matt Mitchell, Sr., Business Administration
Bryan Mone, Sr., General Studies
Garrett Moores, Graduate Student, Master's of Management
Carl Myers, So., Sport Management
Grant Newsome, Jr., American Culture
Quinn Nordin, So., Undeclared
Jameson Offerdahl, Jr., Mechanical Engineering
John O'Korn, Sr., American Culture
Greg Robinson, So., Undeclared
Nate Schoenle, So., Business Administration
Michael Sessa, So., Undeclared
Stephen Spanellis, So., Undeclared
Ryan Tice, Jr., Sport Management
Andrew Vastardis, So., Undeclared
Nick Volk, Sr., International Studies
Jared Wangler, Sr., Accounting
Jack Wangler, Graduate Student, Psychology
Maurice Ways, Sr., International Studies
Jacob West, Jr., Biology
Brendan White, Jr., Mechanical Engineering
Michael Wroblewski, Sr., Health and Fitness
Big Ten Player of the Week
Chris Evans -- Big Ten co-Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 6)
Karan Higdon -- Big Ten co-Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 6)
Khaleke Hudson -- Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 6)
Tyree Kinnel -- Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 11)
Quinn Nordin -- Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 18); Big Ten co-Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 3)
Chase Winovich -- Big Ten co-Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 25)
Other National Weekly Awards
Maurice Hurst -- Reese's Senior Bowl Senior of the Week (Nov. 13)
Quinn Nordin -- Lou Groza Award Star of the Week (Sept. 4, 18)
Chase Winovich -- Walter Camp National Player of the Week (Sept. 25)
