How Fast Can Harbaugh Get Michigan Straightened Out?
By Charles Jay
After a lot of mediocrity under the likes of Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke, University of Michigan fans were looking for someone who could bring a lot of hope back to the football program, particularly in light of the stunning success Ohio State has had under Urban Meyer. And so the athletic department made an ambitious move, reaching out to grab Jim Harbaugh, who had worn out the welcome mat with the San Francisco 49ers, but not before leading them to the Super Bowl. Understandably there is a lot of excitement, although there could well be a hiccup in the opener, as the Maize and Blue make a rough trek to Salt Lake City to meet up with the Utah Utes in a game that will begin at 8:30 PM ET, to be televised on Fox Sports-1. Please keep in mind that Vietbet customers have the opportunity to place wagers on the NCAA football betting action while it is actually happening, as they take advantage of what Live Betting Extra has to offer.
Michigan finished 5-7 last season, with very little to hang its hat on aside from a win over Penn State, and when there was a chance to become bowl eligible, they had the misfortune of encountering an Ohio State team that would go on to win the national title. The result was a 42-28 defeat.
Harbaugh, by coincidence, was going through a trying season in San Francisco, where he had his problems with management, to put it mildly. It was time for a way out, so it was ideal timing. What he will bring to Ann Arbor is a pro-style scheme that will emphasize power running. He knows he knows he doesn’t have anyone like Andrew Luck in the fold, so the best he can hope for is a quarterback who can take care of the ball a little. If he winds up starting Jake Rudock, the Iowa transfer (he is keeping the whole thing a mystery), he’ll be opting the guy who is more experienced than Shane Morris.
NCAA Football Betting – Michigan vs Utah
In the NCAA football betting odds established at Vietbet, Utah is the favorite at home:
- Utah Utes -5.5
- Michigan Wolverines +5.5
- Over 46.5 points -110
- Under 46.5 points -110
The assumption is that Harbaugh can get things turned around with this program. The only unknown factor is how quickly he can do it. There has been a tremendous amount of momentum lost, and the general consensus is that if they can get something consistent behind center, they can beat teams with their ground attack. There are a few backs, at least, who will merit playing time. De’Veon Smith had 519 yards last year and he is the leading returning back, but there is a lot to be said about Ty Isaac, a transfer out of USC, and Derrick Green, who supplies the most pure power in the trio. Morris completed 14 of 40 passes in 2014, so even though he was an eagerly anticipated arrival on campus, the jury is still out. In many ways, Rudock, the grad student who started 25 times for the Hawkeyes, is the more “known” commodity, and therefore more reliable.
Poise under pressure is going to be a key, because Utah brings a storm down across the line of scrimmage. This team led the nation with 55 sacks, and even though they lost their defensive coordinator, Kalani Sitake, Vietbet customers know that they are bringing enough talent back to make things uncomfortable for all opposing passers.
Utah’s game is “in your face,” and they are probably better at it than the Wolverines. If they go with two quarterbacks, it might not be out of necessity, although Travis Wilson has not always been the steadiest hand in the world. People who follow this program are anxious to see how Kendal Thompson responds to the ACL injury he had an operation on. If the 6’7″ Wilson slumps, Whittingham might have to turn to the Oklahoma transfer.
The security blanket is Devontae Booker, a punishing senior runner who had 815 yards after the first contact last season (and 1512 overall). But hey – Michigan, which returns seven starters on defense, held Utah to 81 net yards rushing (2.2 ypc average) in last year’s meeting, even though it did not go the Wolverines’ way (26-10 HOME loss).
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