Butt, Green Spark Wolverines in Big Second Half
9/13/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 13, 2014
By Steve Kornacki
You could see the building blocks getting stacked one upon the other as the University of Michigan football team's offense made definite progress in a 34-10 win Saturday (Sept. 13) over Miami (Ohio).
Tight end Jake Butt, who stretches defenses with his play-making ability, sparked the Wolverines in the second half and provided some of what was missing without dynamic wide receiver Devin Funchess in the lineup.
Derrick Green carried 22 times for 137 yards and two touchdowns while inspiring the rest of his unit with his dogged determination to move the chains and reach the end zone.
Wideout Amara Darboh stepped up with six catches for 88 yards and a 17-yard touchdown reception from Devin Gardner in the first quarter.
Darboh and the other receivers continued their impressive blocking, while the offensive line worked well together and provided solid pass protection and more than adequate holes for Green and the other backs.
"I think from an offensive standpoint we did some very good things," said Wolverine head coach Brady Hoke, now 11-0 against non-conference opponents at Michigan Stadium. "I think the second half obviously we took care of the football, didn't turn the ball over and completed some drives.
"We were able to run the ball. I thought Derrick and De'Veon (Smith) both did a nice job. The offensive line worked very hard. I think the guys on the perimeter (receivers) did a nice job."
The game was in doubt, though, until the turnovers were eliminated in the second half after Michigan lost three (two fumbles and one interception) in the first 30 minutes of play.
The Wolverines needed a spark, and Butt raised his hand.
Late in the third quarter, with the lead still a rather insecure seven points, Butt caught a 22-yard pass to get the ball rolling.
Smith, who rushed nine times for 44 yards, busted off a 12-yard gain on the next play.
And then Butt went in motion from his tight end spot on the left side of the line and maneuvered his way to a patch of green grass that he had all to his lonesome. Gardner hit him in stride, and Butt made an over-the-shoulder grab before prancing into the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown.
"We had a bluff screen (on) where I kind of bluffed the defender and leak (out)," said Butt. "I got a chance to go in there, broke down like I was going to block, the safety came flying up, and I leaked. Devin lofted the ball up there, I caught it and scored. It felt great."
Butt has made a quick comeback from ACL knee surgery in February and is being eased back into the lineup. The only mistake he made was not following the advice of linebacker Jake Ryan, who had ACL surgery the previous year, and jumping to celebrate with high fives at the urging of sparkplug receiver Dennis Norfleet.
"I saw Fleet going up and he was pointing to the sky, and I knew I wasn't supposed to," said Butt, "but I did. I don't have as big of hops any way. It was a baby jump."
Butt's play kick-started the Wolverines.
"Things weren't going exactly how they wanted in the game," he said. "Everybody was fired up on the sideline (after that score). They know how hard I've worked. I'm real close. Once you get out there and the adrenaline's flowing, you don't think about it. I'm getting closer and closer to 100 percent."
Butt finished with three catches for 59 yards, after subbing in for starter Khalid Hill.
"He's a big target," Hoke said of Butt, who is 6-foot-6, 249 pounds. "He's a physical guy. I think he always will have an impact."
Green put the game away on Michigan's next possession. He carried seven times for 50 yards -- including the key third-and-one pickup and 12-yard touchdown.
Needing one yard for the first down at the Miami 27-yard line, Green eluded RedHawk defensive end Bryson Albright, who dove at his legs. Then Green found no hole, but he kicked into high gear with feet that seemed to be on fire and picked up two yards on sheer determination.
"Derrick Green had a great week of practice," said Hoke. "Probably as good as I've seen from him. I think (offensive coordinator Doug) Nussmeier would say the same thing because we've both kind of said it together. He had a great week. He was finishing runs, he was really coming out the other side.
"It will be interesting to see how he felt he played. If he missed a read there, sometimes that happens. But I thought he played a nice football game."
Butt said Green inspired the offense with his attitude and approach.
"We always talk about how we want our running backs to run angry," Butt said, "and I think Derrick did a good job of breaking some long runs. And De'Veon came in and had some great carries as well. Once you get the running game going, it's going to open up everything. It starts with the line but then the second effort by the backs."
Green has 50 carries this season for 332 yards (6.6 yards per attempt) and three touchdowns. He's becoming the go-to back. Smith has rushed for 189 yards and a 7.9-yard average.
They provide the kind of one-two punch a good offense requires. However, Green is getting into a nice groove as the lead guy.
"As a running back you want to keep getting the ball because you have that extra energy going up and up so you're running harder," Green said. "And when you have an offensive line like we do, the holes will be there. You just have to hit them."
And that was the case on his one-yard touchdown run that gave Michigan a 17-10 lead with 4:26 remaining in the first half. Nobody came close to touching him.
Green erased a second-and-17 hole on that drive by taking a draw play up the middle for 27 yards. He ended up getting the ball on four consecutive plays to cover the final 20 yards of the drive.
Green was the constant, Butt was the spark, and together they were the answers the Wolverines needed to questions about their offense.
