Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

The 6'3.5" LT Jon Runyan Jr gave up 2 sacks and 8 QB hurries/pressures. Tough position for your QB to be in on the road in a hostile environment when his blind side protector is sucking that much ass. RG Mike Onwenu and C Cesar Ruiz have all the physical talent in the world. Which is why they were ranked so high as recruits. Unfortunately they both seem to struggle identifying who to block. When they know who to block- oh boy do they block. Onwenu absolutely caved in the DT and made a gaping hole for Higdon on the TD run. He is a behemoth- when he gets his hands on someone it's over. His football IQ and technique seem to really be lacking though. That's where Ed Warriner is going to have to earn his money.

By the way- for the lack of rush yards- some of that is on Karran Higdon. He had some gaping holes that he got only 4-5 yards out of that better backs would've gotten 20+ on. He is just an above average starting B1G back. Barely. Michigan should have ELITE backs. They sure as hell used to back in the days of Wheatley and Timmy B. Elite backs turn those 4-5 yard gains into 20 or more. And that makes any OL look better.

I THINK that Ed Warriner will be able to fix the OL in time. OL wasn't going to get fixed game one. Remember OSU's OL game one 2014 on the road at VaTech? Was pretty ugly. By the end of that year Warriner had them playing at a high level though.

As for Jon Runyan Jr- he knew who to block- he was just clearly out-matched. Same goes for RT Juwann Bushell Beatty. Really think they just don't have the physical talent to play. Time to see Jalen Mayfield and James Hudson in my opinion. Might as well let them take their lumps now and build for the future. No reason to keep starting 5th year guys at LT and RT that just can't play at this level.

I think Higdon has elite vision, he just doesn't have that burst.  Those holes close a half second faster against good defenses, which is the problem.  His football IQ carries him against lesser competition, but as you said, just sometimes a half step slow hitting the hole, that hurts you against a defense like the Irish.

I think Higdon has elite vision, he just doesn't have that burst.  Those holes close a half second faster against good defenses, which is the problem. His football IQ carries him against lesser competition, but as you said, just sometimes a half step slow hitting the hole, that hurts you against a defense like the Irish.

Not really sure it's the vision or the burst that hold him back- I think it's more his balance and tackle breaking. He had a couple 5 yard runs where he had huge holes got brought down with arm tackles. He breaks those arm tackles he had nothing but green ahead of him. Literally nothing. Bigger, stronger, NFL type backs would've shed those arm tackles bounced off them and went for 20 or more yards. The guy can't break arm tackles- and it's sad. He's too small.

His burst is fine in my eyes. It's the top end speed he lacks and like I said the lower body power and balance that all great backs have that he lacks. Look at the great backs to play this game. Their lower legs are like tree trunks and arm tackles never bring them down.

Why doesn't #12 start at RB for Michigan?  He has a burst.

according to PFF- Michigan's OL allowed 21 QB pressures (sacks, QB hits, QB hurries) against ND. Shea Patterson threw the ball 30 times folks. Dude was running for his life. 15 of those pressures came from the staring tackles. Jon Runyan Jr with 8 and Juwann Bushell Beaty with 7. Runyan by the way gave up 2 of the 3 sacks that ND had.

YUCK. Michigan had bad tackle play last year. These tackles are worse.

This Saturday against Western Michigan would be a PERFECT game to bench those guys and break in the young tackles James Hudson and Jalen Mayfield. What's Jim gonna do? Start the sucky seniors instead.

I'd really trust Warriner on this provided he decides who starts.They might want to get the others snaps if just to work them in for later in the season.The staff has prolly already figured that out

not sure he decides. unfortunately, I think Jim has his hands all over that offense. he really needs to just let it all go or he's going to wind up not being the coach at Michigan anymore.

Tactically, I think Jim has, at times, a decent to good level of creativity. He was great with the 49ers. Saturday was probably diverse enough tactically. But he can't seem to get his running backs, quarterbacks or offensive linemen to be good. And that kills everything.

He is creative- at times- with his running game. His passing game? It's atrocious.
Article from Inside the 49ers blog in 2015 on Jim's offense right after he left the 49ers. https://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/wont-miss-jim-harbaugh/
Reading that article now- damn is it prophetic.

Jim is a great turnaround artist. He picked Michigan football up out of the gutter- starting to doubt whether or not he's the kind of guy who can get over the hump and build a long lasting program.

He's a hell of a coach. But to me he just seems to have lost it. He's not the same guy he used to be. I think he might be on medication. He just seems to have lost that edge. It's like he's tamed now. He used to be batshit crazy on those sidelines and I think his team fed off that.

I don't think he'll ever get fired from Michigan, but he might be back off to the NFL in a couple years.