Monday Football Press Conference, Coach's Radio Show, Notes
10/31/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 31, 2016
#2 Michigan vs. Maryland
Saturday, Nov. 5 • 3:30 p.m. EDT
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, Michigan
Monday Schedule
Noon -- Weekly Press Conference
• Watch below
7 p.m. -- Inside Michigan Football Radio Show
Live from Pizza House in Ann Arbor
• Listen Live 
In the Polls
• Michigan: No. 2 AP, No. 2 Coaches
• Maryland: Not ranked
• Week 10 Rankings
Monday Press Conference
Coach Jim Harbaugh
Players
Game Notes
Quick Hits
• U-M looks to gain its fifth win in six games against Maryland (4-1).
• Kenny Allen was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week after scoring 12 points against Michigan State (3 FGs, 3 PATs).
• Jabrill Peppers was named to the Hornung Award Honor Roll for the fourth time this season.
• Peppers is a quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy; he and Jourdan Lewis are semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.
Wolverines and Terrapins
• This will be the sixth meeting between Michigan and Maryland. The Wolverines hold a 4-1 series lead and shut out the Terrapins by a 28-0 score last season. Maryland's only victory in the series came in the inaugural meeting as Big Ten Conference East Division foes, a 23-16 win for the Terrapins at Michigan Stadium during the 2014 season.
Maryland at the Big House
• This will be Maryland's fifth visit to the Big House, where the Wolverines hold a 3-1 edge in the series. U-M won the first three meetings as non-conference opponents, claiming victory in 1981, 1989 and 1990. Maryland won the last meeting, 23-16, in 2014.
Familiar Face on the Maryland Sideline
• Former Michigan defensive coordinator DJ Durkin will be roaming the sideline for the opposition as the first-year head coach of the Maryland Terrapins. Durkin spent the 2015 season mentoring the Michigan defense.
Maryland Series
• Michigan won four of the five games played between the two schools.
• The Wolverines made their first-ever visit to Maryland last season (2015), shutting out the Terrapins by a 28-0 score.
• Michigan won the first three games played between the two schools, all non-conference affairs at the Big House (20-0 in 1985, 41-21 in 1989 and 45-17 in 1990).
• The Terrapins earned a victory in the first game played as Big Ten foes, securing a 23-16 win at Michigan Stadium in 2014.
Maryland - Maryland Connections
• Michigan's roster features two Maryland natives that attended the Gilman School: senior FB Henry Poggi (Baltimore) and freshman OL Stephen Spanellis (Baltimore).
• Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown spent two years at Maryland as the defensive coordinator (2009-10).
• Maryland's head coach, DJ Durkin, served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Wolverines in 2015.
• Maryland linebackers coach Matt Barnes spent the 2015 season as the defensive analyst at Michigan under the then-defensive coordinator Durkin and head coach Jim Harbaugh.
• Senior FB Henry Poggi and freshman OL Stephen Spanellis were high school teammates at the Gilman School with Maryland junior LB Shane Cockerille and senior RB Kenneth Goins.
Big Ten Conference Season
• U-M is looking for its first 6-0 start in Big Ten play since 2007; started 6-0 in 2007 before losing its final two conference games.
• U-M has compiled a 496-200-18 record all-time in conference action, tops in Big Ten history.
• Michigan has a 11-2 mark in Big Ten action under second-year head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Offense
• Michigan ranks in the top 25 of 11 offensive categories: scoring offense (3rd), turnovers lost (4th), interceptions (5th), fumbles lost (12th), fourth down conversions (14th), rushing offense (15th), sacks allowed (19th), third down conversions (19th), completion percentage (22nd), red zone offense (22nd) and pass efficiency (23rd).
• U-M has been a balanced offensive unit this fall, averaging 249 yards per game on the ground and 228 yards passing.
• The offense has turned the ball over only six times through eight contests.
• The offense has gained 1,992 rushing yards on 371 carries (5.4 avg.) and scored 31 rushing TDs.
• Michigan is third nationally and tops in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 46.6 points per contest (373 total points).
Defense
• Michigan lists in the top four of eight (8) defensive categories nationally.
• U-M leads college football in five categories -- scoring defense, total defense, pass defense, third-down defense and red-zone defense.
• The Wolverines are second in the country in pass-efficiency defense and first downs allowed.
• Michigan is fourth nationally in tackles-for-loss.
• The Wolverines lead the Big Ten in nine categories and are second in two additional areas.
• U-M leads the nation in three-and-outs, averaging 6.63 per contest; the defense has forced 58 three-and-outs in 101 possessions (57.4%).
• Michigan is first nationally in pass defense, allowing just 111.1 yards through the air per game.
• The Wolverines jumped to the top spot nationally in red zone defense (58.3 pct.) after holding Michigan State scoreless in three of its six red-zone opportunities; have allowed just 12 red-zone opportunities with seven conversions (6 TDs, 1 FG).
• The defense has tallied 71 tackles-for-loss and 27 sacks so far this season.
• The Wolverines are fourth nationally and tops in the Big Ten in tackles-for-loss (8.9 avg.).
• The defense is ninth nationally in sacks per contest (3.38 avg.).
• U-M has recovered five fumbles this season, which is more than double its total of two recoveries from last season.
• Michigan leads the country in scoring defense, allowing 11.6 points per contest.
• The Wolverines have held the opposition to less than 10 points in five of the eight contests.
• The defense has forced 12 turnovers (eight interceptions and four fumbles) with the special teams collecting a fumble recovery.
• The 13 overall turnovers in 2016 have surpassed last season's total of 12 (10 interceptions, two fumble recoveries).
• The defense ranks second in the NCAA rankings by allowing only 97 first downs by the opposition (12.1 avg.).
• U-M has allowed just 31 points in the fourth quarter this season.
• The defense has focused on stopping the run early, allowing on average just 12.5 rushing yards per game in the first quarter.
Special Teams
• U-M leads the Big Ten and is fifth nationally in punt returns (17.94 avg.).
• Thirty (30) of the team's 60 kickoffs have been downed for touchbacks.
• Jabrill Peppers lists sixth nationally and tops in the Big Ten with a 17.1-yard average per punt return.
