Big Housed: Michigan Game Notes

(Robert Kitching and Hafis Williams during the fourth quarter of UMass 63-13 loss to the Wolverines)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – While losing by 50 points is never good, there were a few positive that came out of yesterday’s game. UMass essentially declared a starting running back, saw its quarterback situation improve and got back some much-needed experience on the offensive line.

Below are the game notes from a tough loss to one of the best teams in the country.

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Mike Cox Emerges as Clear Starter: Heading into the Michigan game, there were questions about who was going to carry the load for the Minutemen. On the pre-game depth chart, Cox and Chris Burns were both listed as potential starters. However, when game captains were announced and Cox took the field, it was clear who was getting the ball. Cox had his best game as a Minuteman and netted 76 yards on 18 carries, all while dodging a Michigan defensive line that kept the pressure on throughout the game. Against a lesser defense, Cox could have easily ran for 100 yards with a good push from the O-line. The fact that he produced what he did is impressive.

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Open Audition for Punt Returner: Michigan caused many of UMass’ miscues, but the problems at punt return were self-induced. Both Brian Dowling and Trey Dudley-Giles fumbled Michigan punts in what must have been cases of nervousness. I’m interested to see who fields punts for UMass against Miami (OH) next weekend. If I were a betting man, I would guess that Jordan Broadnax, who has done a good job as the main kick returner, could get a few reps. That being said, I’m not ready to give up on Dowling, yet. The New Jersey native was a tremendous returner in high school and has the speed and athleticism to be successful. You might want to chalk up yesterday’s performance as a case of the jitters. It can’t be easy to field a punt in front of 110,000 screaming fans.

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Brendon Levengood is This Team’s Kicker: After a dismal 2011 season, Levengood essentially forced coach Molnar to go kicker shopping. UMass went out and grabbed Blake Lucas and Colter Johnson in hopes of solidifying a position that was a major problem for the Minutemen. After a tough game against Indiana (missed PAT, missed field goal), Lucas lost his spot as placekicker, paving the way for Levengood to take over. Levengood made the most of his opportunity and made field goals of 25 and 32 yards. He missed a 45 yarder later in the game, but Molnar said it was a “good miss.” Levengood botched his first kickoff, but was pretty solid the rest of the game. It appears that last year is behind the kicker who fans joking called “Nevergood.” My vote is to let him keep the job. I think Lucas will be good, but the transition from high school to college is taking a little while for the freshman.

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Deion Walker Finally Arrives: During the first two games of the season, Walker was invisible. Coming into this year, UMass fans expected a lot from the former Notre Dame receiver. He was supposed to lead a squad of rookies and help bolster a wide receiving corps that looked to be a major weakness. Then, Walker lost the position battle to freshman Tajae Sharpe, and was unable to get anything going against either UConn or Indiana. Against the Wolverines, Walker finally made his presence felt, grabbing four catches for 63 yards. He ran good routes and seemed to match up well with Michigan’s secondary. I foresee more production from Walker as he faces MAC corners and he continues to grow comfortable with Mike Wegzyn.

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More Interest in FBS UMass: More Michigan fans came out to watch the Wolverines face the FBS version of UMass. Back in 2010, 110,187 fans came to watch Michigan play a close one against the then-FCS Minutemen. Yesterday, 110,708 piled in to witness the Wolvernies dismantle UMass. That’s right folks, 521 more fans blew through the gates to catch a glimpse of the new-and-not-yet improved Minutemen. I’m sure the players could feel the difference.

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Say What You Want, Wegzyn Continues to Improve: Sure, things don’t look like they’re getting any better at quarterback, but Wegzyn is improving right in front of our eyes. While Wegzyn isn’t lighting up the scoreboard, he also isn’t giving the ball away. For the second-straight game, Wegzyn threw for more than 100 yards without an interception. He looks more comfortable in the pocket and seems to be on the same page with Alan Williams and Walker. It’s hard to call for Wegzyn’s head after only three games. He has been playing behind a young offensive line, against quality defensive lines, all while making his first tour as an FBS quarterback. I like how Wegzyn doesn’t force passes and isn’t afraid to tuck the ball and run when no one is open. While the kid needs to learn how to slide, he is playing with guts and confidence, which is all you can really ask for from a freshman. A.J. Doyle will have his time, but right now Wegzyn is taking care of his end of the deal.

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Hafis Williams is Getting Comfortable: Williams, a defensive tackle who transferred to UMass from Notre Dame, is starting to hit his stride. Against an absolutely enormous Michigan offensive line, Williams was able to tally five tackles, one for a loss. While the Wolverine front built a pretty sturdy pocket around Denard Robinson, Williams was able to get a good push and forced Robinson to use his legs a number of times (for better or worse). Williams has 12 tackles on the season, two for loss and also tipped a pass against Michigan. He will be a productive member of the defensive line throughout the season.

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Odds and Ends: It was good to get Anthony Dima back at right tackle. He looked to be back in form and did a nice job holding back an aggressive Wolvering pass rush. … Dalvin Battle, a freshman wide receiver, suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury. The Florida native had his right knee tested by the training staff and had to be helped off the field. Molnar indicated that the initial prognosis didn’t look good. … Michael Boland, a freshman offensive lineman, did not play after suffering an injury during practice. Molnar was disappointed to not have Boland in the lineup after getting two full games of reps.