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Michigan fans weren’t sure whether they would have a playmaker at quarterback this season under first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh, but when Iowa transfer Jake Rudock was named the starter in the opener against Utah, they probably expected to see a smart, experienced signal caller who would take care of the ball. Rudock hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations, and though the Wolverines have won their recent games against Oregon State and UNLV pretty comfortably, the production behind center has been disappointing.
Rudock threw three interceptions in the team’s opening week loss to Utah and has thrown two more in the Wolverines’ last two games, bringing his season totals to five compared to just three touchdowns. He threw five picks all season as a junior last year at Iowa.
Michigan will close out their non-conference slate this weekend in Ann Arbor against BYU. The Cougars are the 22nd-ranked team in the country and will be a difficult test for the Wolverines.
The running game led by De’Veon Smith and former USC back Ty Isaac is one of the top groups in the conference and will help to keep them in a lot of games, along with a strong defense. The passing game has been the problem for Michigan, and the fact that there isn’t a lot of talent or depth at the receiver position is making Rudock’s job much more difficult. Amara Darboh and Jake Butt have combined for 30 receptions in three games, though no one else on the roster has more than five.
The Wolverines will travel to College Park in two weeks to open up Big Ten play against Maryland, which means things won’t get any easier for them. The Terps may be one of the weaker teams in the conference, but they’ll face a few elite defenses who will have a field day if the Michigan offensive unit remains one-dimensional.
Jason Shawley is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com covering Big Ten Football. Follow him on Twitter @jshawls.
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