BadgerBlitz.com' brings back its All-Out Blitz weekly series, where you can find what you need to know about Wisconsin's next opponent. After two dominant wins and a bye week, we look at what awaits Paul Chryst and the No. 13 Badgers in No. 11 Michigan.
QUICK PROGRAM FACTS
Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh (since 2015); 40-14 record as Wolverines head coach
Location: Ann Arbor, Mich.
2018 Record: 10-3, Co-Big Ten East division champions
2019 Record: 2-0
Rankings: No. 11 AP, No. 10 Amway Coaches poll
Series vs. Wisconsin: 51-15-1
In Madison: 19-7-1
WHEN MICHIGAN HAS THE BALL
In the offseason, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh hired Josh Gattis as the program's new offensive coordinator. The changes to the Wolverines' scheme is noticeable.
"It's definitely different," inside linebacker Chris Orr said on Monday. "I think they found way to utilize everybody, which is definitely harder to prepare for, but it'll be a fun test for us as a defense. We want to proud ourselves on being the best defense in the nation. We want to be one of the best defenses of all-time, somebody that people remember.
"You can only do that when you play great offenses, so they have a great offensive coordinator, really good quarterback, good skill positions, obviously all of their receivers, good running back and a good o-line, so that's going to be fun for us."
Despite a narrow win at home against Army, Michigan (2-0) is averaging nearly 400 yards per game offensively but has also fumbled eight times in two games, losing five. Running the ball, the Wolverines average 170.5 per contest but has gained just 3.8 yards per attempt.
Quarterback Shea Patterson has completed 62.1% of his passes for 410 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions in the two wins. True freshman running back Zach Charbonnet has rushed for 190 yards on 4.6 yards per carry with three touchdowns in front of an offensive line that features former Wisconsin prep standout Ben Bredeson.
Wisconsin will also have to contend with a dynamic set of Michigan receiving targets, with or without the injured Donovan Peoples-Jones. That includes Tarik Black (seven catches, 104 yards, one touchdown), Ronnie Bell (nine, 99) and Nico Collins (five, 81, one), along with tight end Sean McKeon (four, 72, one).
"Wide receiver-wise, they have great size," UW defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said on Tuesday. "They can run. They can go track the football down the field, and they love 50-50 balls as wide receivers. They're a talented group, that you add the tight ends into the group, and what they can do in the pass game, they have a lot of dynamic weapons around the field. Execution-wise, may not be as clean as they've wanted it the first couple of games, but we can't bank on that as a defense."
WHEN WISCONSIN HAS THE BALL
Despite losing key Wolverines to the NFL in Rashan Gary, Devin Bush and Chase Winovich, defensive coordinator Don Brown still has plenty of firepower in his unit's arsenal. In the first two contests, opponents have only gained 272 yards per game (133.5 rushing, 138.5 passing) and moved the chains on third downs just 29% of the time (9-of-31).
"Those guys always have quick d-linemen, quick linebackers," Wisconsin junior running back Jonathan Taylor said on Monday. "They lost some guys, but the guys that they plugged in are great players as well, so it really shouldn't be much of a drop-off. The guys that they got plugged in can run as well, so we should expect to see 'backers and d-linemen who can run from sideline to sideline."
This set of Michigan men will have to contain a seemingly balanced Wisconsin offensive attack spearheaded by Taylor and quarterback Jack Coan. Linebacker Khaleke Hudson, who plays Michigan's VIPER position in Brown's scheme, leads the team in tackles with 20 through two contests. Linebacker Jordan Glasgow (17 tackles, two sacks) and defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (14 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss) hold 4.5 of the team's eight tackles for loss early on.
In passing situations, linebacker Josh Uche and defensive end Kwity Paye could make an impact. PFF noted the two combined for 13 pressures in Michigan's first two games (eight and five, respectively). Uche, in particular, has already hit opposing quarterbacks four times.
The Wolverines have intercepted two passes in 2019 so far, both coming from defensive backs Lavert Hill and Ambry Thomas.