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J.J. McCarthy shines, Blake Corum adds 3 TDs in Michigan football's 35-7 blowout of UNLV
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- J.J. McCarthy shines, Blake Corum adds 3 TDs in Michigan football's 35-7 blowout of UNLV
Michigan football manhandled UNLV in every which way Saturday, cruising to a 35-7 victory in An Arbor.
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy started the game completing his first 13 passes — a record in the Jim Harbaugh era — and finished 22-for-25 for 279 yards and two scores. After not running at all in Week 1, he also added 38 yards on three carries.
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McCarthy hit Roman Wilson for four catches for a game-high 89 yards and two scores and Cornelius Johnson , who led the team with five catches for 82 yards and had a 26-yard rush.
For the second straight week, U-M's ground game didn't get going in the same way it did in 2022, but All-American running back Blake Corum eclipsed 100 all-purpose yards; 15 carries for 80 yards and three touchdowns and two catches for 23 yards.
Michigan running back Blake Corum (2) runs for a first down against UNLV defensive back Jerrae Williams (1) during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.
UNLV quarterback Doug Brumfield completed 10 of 19 passes for 100 yards. As much as that aspect of the offense struggled, it still had more success than the run game. The Rebels, as a team, ran 31 times for 61 yards.
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Slice and dice
In Week 1, Wilson appeared to be U-M's top pass catching option, leading the team in targets while grabbing three touchdowns. On Saturday, the distribution through the air couldn't have started more balanced and the tone was set on the opening drive.
McCarthy found Corum on a play-action pass to get the day started. After U-M's tailback was stuffed on consecutive runs, the Wolverines went back to the air as McCarthy found Morris for 16, then Wilson for 25.
It may have appeared as though U-M got cute with a jet sweep to Loveland which lost three yards (don't worry, it actually paid off), before McCarthy found Johnson for a gain of six. On third-and-7, U-M again sent Loveland in motion, but instead of handing the ball to the tight end, the Wolverines took advantage of the linebackers sliding with him and handed it to Corum up the middle for a gain of nine.
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On the next play, he was in the end zone, putting the Wolverines up 7-0.
Possession No. 2 saw more of the same. Six different players contributed on the drive, including Indiana transfer tight end AJ Barner with a 12-yard grab, his first in maize and blue. McCarthy, who didn't run last week, took a zone read for 17 yards on the final play of the quarter to set up first and goal.
Corum scored from two yards out to begin the second quarter and put U-M up 14-0.
Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson (1) jumps into the end zone for a touchdown against UNLV during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.
It appeared as if Michigan 's third drive would end the same way, but after Edwards gained just eight yards on three rushes, Corum was stuffed for a gain of one on fourth-and-2, resulting in a turnover on downs. That was about the only adversity for U-M.
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The Wolverines got the ball back on the next possession, and put together a methodical 10-play, 83-yard drive which ended with a score in the final minute. Six passes, four rushes, punctuated when McCarthy found Wilson on a 13-yard strike to go up three scores.
The Wolverines went three-and-out on two of their first three drives of the second half − for what it's worth, that's when running backs coach Mike Hart took over as acting head coach − but the scoring drive came easily as McCarthy hit Wilson in stride on a crossing-route before he took it 47 yards to the house.
It put U-M up 28-0 with 10:31 left in the third quarter.
Two drives later, it was Corum's turn again. He rippd off a gain of 19, then Johnson had consecutive gains of 26 − the first a catch, the next on an end-around − which set up Corum's final run of the day, a five-yard blast up the middle, sealed by a pulling Loveland, to go up 35-0.
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Defense pins its ears
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) makes a pass against UNLV during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.
The Wolverines spent all offseason discussing their renewed emphasis to the pass rush then didn't record a sack in Week 1. That didn't sit well with Jesse Minter's group, which made up for it in a big way on Saturday, racking up x sacks on the afternoon, including five in the first 20 snaps of the game.
Derrick Moore got the party started midway through the first quarter after U-M dialed up a blitz, which helped him win his one on one on the right side.
On UNLV's first offensive play of the second quarter, Jaylen Harrell got home. U-M sent pressure from the outside in the form of safety Quinten Johnson, which forced Brumfield to step up in the pocket − right where Harrell was waiting.
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Two plays later, lined up on the other side of the formation, Harrell ran a stunt with Mason Graham and combined for another sack and forced a Rebels punt.
Michigan defensive lineman Kris Jenkins (94) sacks UNLV quarterback Doug Brumfield (2) during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.
On UNLV's next drive, sophomore Kenneth Grant picked up where he left off in Week 1, and got a sack of his own. Though the Rebels were able to pick up the third down and get near midfield, senior captain Kris Jenkins got his first sack of the year on a bullrush up the middle to drop Brumfield and force a third down, and eventually, a punt.
Michigan's defense finished with 10 tackles for loss as a unit: Grant led the way with 2½ (he also had a pass breakup at the line of scrimmagee), McGregor, Harrell and Graham each had 1½, Moore and Jyaire Hill each tallied one and Cam Goode and Jenkins each with a half.
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Clean it up
While one of it mattered on Saturday, the Wolverines made a handful of careless plays that the staff would like to do without. Certainly, it can be difficult to keep the same focus with the shuffling of head coaches and the lack of challenge presented by opponent, but that's no excuse.
Immediately following U-M's first touchdown, Tommy Doman sent the kickoff out of bounds. Later in the game, U-M forced an incompletion on third down, but Rayshaun Benny was flagged for roughing the passer which extended the drive.
On that same drive, Michigan eventually forced a punt, which Tyler Morris appeared to return for nearly 20 yards, but it was nullified by offsetting penalties, including running-into-the-punter, by U-M.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: J.J. McCarthy dazzles in Michigan football's 35-7 blowout of UNLV
