Snap counts, PFF grades from Michigan’s win over Iowa

Michigan Wolverines football blew out Iowa in the Big Ten championship game, 26-0. Here, we look at snap counts and Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades from the game.

*Denotes starter

Quarterback

PlayerSnapsPass PlaysRun PlaysOverall GradeJ.J. McCarthy*64362875.7Alex Orji20263.4

McCarthy was pressured on 9 of his 34 dropbacks and took 4 sacks, tying a season-high. He averaged 7.2 yards per attempt under pressure, completing all 5 of his passes, though, compared to 4.4 when he was kept clean.

McCarthy was inaccurate on passes of 10-plus air yards. He was 3-of-9 on those throws and didn’t attempt one of 20-plus yards.

Michigan used 3 play-action passes, completing 1 of them for 9 yards.

Orji came in for a couple snaps and ran for 9 yards on 2 attempts.

Running back

PlayerSnapsPass PlaysRun PlaysOverall GradeBlake Corum*38172161.6Donovan Edwards*2317664.5Kalel Mullings103759.5

Corum forced 3 missed tackles, while Edwards and McCarthy forced 1.

Michigan’s longest play was a 17-yard run from Edwards. The Maize and Blue didn’t have another 10-plus yard rush, showing how much the Iowa defense kept U-M’s run game in check.

Corum picked up 3 first downs on the ground.

Corum was fifth on the team with a 70.8 grade as a pass protector.

Wide receiver

PlayerSnapsPass PlaysRun PlaysOverall GradeCornelius Johnson*60352571.1Roman Wilson*51302171.1Tyler Morris30191152.3Peyton O’Leary74358.4Fredrick Moore31258.2Darrius Clemons21158.1Semaj Morgan10160.0

Johnson made Michigan’s only contested catch of the evening, on 4 attempts. Amazingly, Johnson only had 7 yards after the catch on 9 receptions.

Johnson led Michigan with a 70.9 receiving grade. No other player on the team was better than 63.3 (Corum) in that category.

Tight end

PlayerSnapsPass PlaysRun PlaysOverall GradeColston Loveland*37301752.6AJ Barner41212055.1Max Bredeson102848.0Marlin Klein30360.0Matthew Hibner20259.8Josh Beetham20260.0

Barner and Loveland each dropped a pass, Michigan’s only two drops of the game.

Barner (49.8), Bredeson (45.5) and Loveland (43.5) were Michigan’s three worst run blockers.

Offensive line

PlayerPositionSnapsPass PlaysRun PlaysOverall GradeTrente Jones*RT63362772.8LaDarius Henderson*LT63362757.6Trevor Keegan*LG58342465.8Karsen Barnhart*RG58342457.8Drake Nugent*C58342462.1Greg CrippenC82660.7Jeffrey PersiRG82653.5Giovanni El-HadiLG82669.6Andrew GentryRT30360.0Myles HintonLT30360.0

Jones (85.5) and Keegan (80.9) led Michigan with stellar pass-blocking grades, followed by Barnhart (75.5) and Nugent (74.4).

Henderson, meanwhile, struggled in pass pro, allowing 6 pressures and a sack. He had a 46.6 rating in that category. Nugent (2 pressures, 1 sack) and Barnhart (2 pressures, 1 sack) each also yielded a sack. Keegan gave up 1 pressure.

Jones was Michigan’s best run blocker at 77.0, and by a wide margin. Keegan (62.1) was the next highest rated starter. El-Hadi (68.9) was solid in his limited snaps off the bench.

Defensive tackle

PlayerSnapsRun PlaysPass PlaysOverall GradeMason Graham*35122377.8Kris Jenkins*30141668.9Kenneth Grant*28161269.9Rayshaun Benny2081265.0Cam Goode1941556.4

EDGE

PlayerSnapsRun PlaysPass PlaysOverall GradeJaylen Harrell*39152466.5Braiden McGregor*31102168.1Derrick Moore25101568.3Josaiah Stewart1851360.5TJ Guy30367.9

Linebacker

PlayerSnapsRun PlaysPass PlaysOverall GradeJunior Colson*45153087.0Michael Barrett*44143079.0Ernest Hausmann20101073.2

Colson and Barrett ranked second and third on the defense in overall grade, respectively. Colson’s 82.0 run-defense rating led the team, as did his 82.4 tackling rating.

Cornerback / nickel

PlayerSnapsRun PlaysPass PlaysOverall GradeMike Sainristil*53203390.3Josh Wallace*45182772.3Ja’Den McBurrows2742366.3DJ Waller Jr.92764.5Amorion Walker70756.0Keshaun Harris21161.2

Sainristil, who won the Big Ten championship game MVP award, was all over the field. Not only did he grade out at 88.1 in coverage, allowing 2 receptions for 6 yards on 3 targets, but he also posted 3 pressures, including 1 that he jarred the ball loose on, as a pass rusher. He mostly played cornerback but also saw some time at his typical nickel position.

Sophomore Will Johnson missed the game with an injury, but McBurrows picked up the slack and Sainristil shifted to the outside. McBurrows registered a 65.9 coverage rating, with 0 receptions allowed on 4 targets.

Wallace had a solid 72.3 rating in coverage. He gave up just 30 yards on 4 receptions (5 targets).

Safety

PlayerSnapsRun PlaysPass PlaysOverall GradeMakari Paige*37152273.6Rod Moore*33132063.6Keon Sabb2371658.7Quinten Johnson2271561.3Brandyn Hillman10160.0

Moore posted a 68.1 run-defense grade that ranked fourth on the Michigan defense. His 80.8 mark as a tackler slotted third.

Paige’s 78.1 coverage rating checked in third on the defense.

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