Michigan escaped Piscataway with a 28-21 win over Rutgers, but what should have been a comfortable victory became another frustrating showcase of the Wolverines’ season-long shortcomings. Still, there were encouraging signs, starting with an impressive performance from freshman quarterback Tommy Carr. In this week’s TMI Postgame Recap, The Michigan Insider’s Sam Webb and Josh Newkirk are joined by Alejandro Zúñiga from Rutgers to dissect the good, the bad, and the downright sloppy. Making just his second start while battling illness, Carr displayed remarkable poise, worked through his progressions, extended plays, converted critical third downs, and scored twice with his legs. The offense also showed welcome improvement with more play-action, greater downfield aggressiveness, better involvement from the tight ends, and a more consistent commitment to downhill running. JJ Buchanan delivered spectacular contested catches, while freshman Savion Hiter showed encouraging flashes in an expanded role. But how much of that progress was sustainable improvement, and how much was Carr and his teammates overcoming a scheme that still isn’t consistently putting them in position to succeed? The crew examines the continued inability to scheme receivers open, the ineffective Rhino package, and a running game still struggling to generate explosive plays. They also break down the defensive lapses that overshadowed an otherwise solid effort, costly penalties, missed field goals, and mounting offensive line injuries that kept an overmatched Rutgers team within striking distance. Alejandro adds Kyle Whittingham’s postgame perspective and key personnel updates before the discussion turns to Michigan State. The Wolverines got a much-needed win, their young playmakers took meaningful steps forward, and the offense showed signs of life. Now can the coaching staff build on those positives while correcting the persistent problems that continue to make every game a struggle?
(00:00) – Michigan Holds On for a 28–21 Win Over Rutgers
(00:22) – Sam Says Tommy Carr Was the Story of the Game
(02:15) – Michigan’s Biggest Offensive Plays Still Required Individual Players to Win
(03:48) – Carr’s Third-Down Playmaking Gives Michigan a Major Boost
(08:00) – Michigan Still Cannot Consistently Scheme Receivers Open
(11:00) – Buchanan Makes Big Plays but Most of Michigan’s Receiving Production Comes in Traffic
(13:35) – Michigan’s Deep Shots Were There but Carr Could Not Finish Them
(15:34) – Sam Says Carr’s Poise Is the Biggest Thing Michigan Can Carry Forward
(16:15) – Michigan’s Field-Goal Situation Has Become a Serious Problem
(18:13) – Rhino Remains Heavily Involved
(19:44) – Sam Says Michigan’s Tight Ends Give the Offense More Flexibility
(21:02) – Josh Says Carr Has Settled Down Since the Indiana Interception
(23:13) – Michigan’s Running Backs Still Struggle to Create Explosive Plays
(24:10) – Michigan’s Defense Gives Up Too Many Explosive Plays
(25:48) – Alejandro Zuniga Joins From Rutgers for the Postgame Press Conference Takeaways
(26:30) – Savion Hiter May Be Separating Himself in the Running Back Rotation
(27:49) – Whittingham Says Nothing Has Been Easy for Michigan
(31:23) – Offensive-Line Injuries Continue to Complicate Everything
(33:14) – Michigan Survives the Rutgers Fight and Turns Toward Michigan State
(34:37) – Sam Says Carr’s Moxie Can Carry Over to Michigan State
(35:44) – Savion Hiter Calls Michigan State a “Dirty Game”
(38:19) – Michigan Continues to Miss John Henry Daley and Dom Nichols
(39:10) – Jay Hill Becomes More Aggressive Without His Top Pass Rushers
(40:00) – Rutgers’ Explosive Plays Show Why Michigan Cannot Relax Defensively
(41:08) – Missed Field Goals Keep Rutgers Alive
(41:43) – Whittingham May Reopen the Kicking Competition
(43:14) – Michigan Moves Into Rivalry Week With Plenty Still to Fix