Michigan's Comeback Effort Blocked by Scarlet Knights
10/5/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Steve Kornacki
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Matt Wile had the wind at his back, and the leg to make a 56-yard field goal that would've tied for the second-longest in school history. And it very well could've meant victory for the Wolverines, too.
But it was what Rutgers had in front of Wile that made the difference. Cornerback Nadir Barnwell blocked his kick by batting it down in the middle of the line of scrimmage to secure the first Big Ten win for the Scarlet Knights on Saturday night (Oct. 4).
The University of Michigan football team dropped to 2-4 overall and 0-2 in the Big Ten with the 26-24 defeat in a game that came down to the final drive.
Sparked by tailback De'Veon Smith's second-effort runs and quarterback Devin Gardner leading the team from its own 14-yard line to the Rutgers 38, the Wolverines had a spirit and vibrancy on their final drive. And it appeared that they had kept the chains moving on a third-down pass from Gardner to Amara Darboh.
However, officials ruled the pass incomplete and a challenge by Michigan coach Brady Hoke to review the play did not reverse the call. And so it came down to going for it on fourth-and-eight with 3:07 remaining to play or letting Wile take a shot.
Wile made a 52-yarder in the 2012 Outback Bowl, and Hoke was confident that he could provide a one-point lead with a field goal.
"We looked at it and talked about it," Hoke said. "And I was out early with Matt, and he was kicking 57, 59, all over. So, I felt good about it with the wind he had. I thought that he could make the field goal."
Gardner was asked if he was involved in a discussion on whether to kick or try to pick up the first down.
"Without a doubt," said Gardner. "We're a team and with Matt Wile, we believed he could make it. And he believed he could make it. And it looked like it was going to be good, but they have Division I athletes as well. They jumped, and he blocked the kick. You know, it happens."
Wile had an 11 mph wind at his back, but it never got the chance to help his kick through the uprights.
The Michigan record is a 57-yarder by Hayden Epstein against Michigan State in 2001. Epstein also had a 56-yarder against the Spartans in 1999 to match what had been the record distance set by Mike Gillette against Ohio State in 1988.
Oddly enough, all three of those long kicks came on the road in hostile stadiums. And Wile was attempting to do likewise before a raucous sellout crowd of 53,327 at High Point Solutions Stadium.
Still, moments before, nobody was thinking about a long field goal attempt.
Hoke was asked if he felt strongly that Darboh had made the catch on which he challenged.
"Very strongly," said Hoke. "And I probably still do. He possessed the ball and was trying to get to the [first-down marker] and kind of put it out there. And then the ball was gone."
Gardner agreed that it was a catch.
"He caught the ball," Gardner said of Darboh. "He took a few steps at it, and the ball came out like it might. And they called it an incomplete pass. I mean, you guys can watch the film. It looked like a complete pass to me."
Hoke was asked if he would further pursue an explanation of the call from the Big Ten.
"I think we'll have some conversations, yes," Hoke said.
Hoke, however, would not blame the loss on that one call. He seemed confident after the game, and surer of himself than after recent losses.
"I thought out kids played extremely hard and together," Hoke said. "Did we play well the whole time? No. We needed to cover a little better and needed to do better in generating more pass rush at times.
"They fought. I'm proud of them."
Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova threw for 404 yards and three touchdowns, but the Scarlet Knights couldn't run the ball very effectively with 30 carries for 74 yards.
Big third-down plays cost the Wolverines.
Michigan's defense did the hard part. It got Rutgers into numerous third-and-long situations, and had the upper hand in snuffing out a number of drives by the Scarlet Knights.
However, having an advantage in down-and-distance isn't enough. A knockout punch needs to be applied. And too often, the Wolverines swung and missed rather than connecting to stop Rutgers.
The Scarlet Knights scored 13 points after overcoming third-and-long plays in the first half
On a third-and-six with two minutes remaining before intermission, Nova hit Janarion Grant for a 27-yard gain. It was a key play in the touchdown drive that gave the home team a 19-17 lead at half time.
Both Kyle Federico field goals in the first half came after Nova pulled a play out of the fire on third-and-long.
On a third-and-eight play, Nova hit Leonte Caroo for 24 yards.
On a third-and-five, Nova made the Wolverines pay for a blitz by finding Grant for 53 yards.
Those big plays were critical.
"I think whenever you are into third downs," said Hoke, "you obviously have coverages that you think you like or pressures that you think you like. And they executed. We were close, obviously.
"At the end, (defensive end) Frank (Clark) has him and just has to run through him and don't reach. That's a lesson we talk about a lot. We had opportunities, but we just had to capitalize on them. We've just got to do a better job of putting pressure on the quarterback."
Nova was sacked just twice -- by Taco Charlton and Willie Henry -- and didn't throw an interception in completing 22 of 39 pass attempts.
Asked about the third down failures (Rutgers was 8-for-16 overall on that down), middle linebacker Jake Ryan said, "We just didn't execute. You always talk about fixes that you need to work on with the scheme."
Ryan was asked if it was a matter of getting the run game fixed this week, after Minnesota's David Cobb ran for 183 yards, and now having to focus on improvement on pass coverage.
"You know, it's just getting into film and correcting things," Ryan said. "It's knowing your technique and knowing position -- it's just your position. And you've got to figure it out and work towards that. Work towards those steps you need to take forward."
Michigan has dropped three straight games, and Ryan was asked what his message to teammates will be.
"Keep your heads up," said Ryan. "Play for the guy next to you, and play for Michigan. And I think that's what we're going to do.
"Whenever you lose, there's adversity. And we've just got to play through that. We're men, and we know we've got to move on."
