Michigan

Michigan Football: Offensive player grades vs. Arkansas State

Published

1 year ago

September 16, 2024

Michigan Football: Offensive player grades vs. Arkansas State

Michigan got it’s second win of the 2024 season at home against Arkansas State in a 28-18 victory. The Wolverines still didn’t look like a defending national championship team, but they did end up getting the job done.

Michigan’s defense was almost reminiscent of last years squad, and looked dominant through three quarters. They ended up giving away two touchdowns to Arkansas State’s backup QB Timmy McClain with less than 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter during garbage time. Michigan’s run game looked phenomenal, but the passing game was nonexistent which led to changes at the QB position. Michigan’s top pass catcher Colston Loveland went out with a shoulder injury, and the Wolverines will need to monitor his status in the coming days.

There is plenty to review in the Week 3 victory, but here’s how some of Michigan’s offensive players graded out:

Sep 14, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Davis Warren (16) prepares to run a play against the Arkansas State Red Wolves during the first half at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Davis Warren (F)

Starting QB Davis Warren had his worst game of the season through the air against the Red Wolves before eventually getting benched for backup QB Alex Orji late in the 3rd quarter. Warren threw three self-inflicted interceptions in only 14 attempts. Interestingly enough, he did move the offense downfield for three touchdowns, but they mostly included handing the ball to the running backs. Other than his three interceptions, he actually completed all 11 of his other passes. Overall he was a negative contributor to the Michigan offense and needed to be taken out of the game.

Alex Orji (B-)

Alex Orji ended up leading the offense after starting QB Davis Warren was taken out of the game following a third interception. Orji threw a touchdown to rookie TE Hogan Hansen on his first pass attempt on his first drive of the game. He also had a decent fourth quarter on the ground rushing three times for 27 yards totaling 9.0 ypc. He ended the game on two drives that included only one first down and a three-and-out on the last Michigan drive of the game which didn’t help his offensive output overall.

Sep 14, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Kalel Mullings (20) celebrates with offensive lineman Evan Link (71) after running for a touchdown against the Arkansas State Red Wolves in first half at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Donovan Edwards (A-)

Edwards took the backseat in the backfield this week putting up a solid performance against a shaky Arkansas State run defense. The senior and team captain ended the game with 17 rushes for 82 yards and a touchdown. He also added one catch for 11 yards. It was a solid game for the veteran who broke out for multiple chunk plays, but his performance was overshadowed by backup running back Kalel Mullings.

Kalel Mullings (A+)

Kalel Mullings had the best single game individual performance of the year so far this season. Mullings proved himself as a very efficient running back option for the Michigan offense taking less carries than Edwards with only 15, but turning it into 153 total rushing yards. He averaged an outstanding 10.2 ypc cutting through the Red Wolves defense for huge plays. We will see how his role changes next week following this monster performance.

Sep 14, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines tight end Hogan Hansen (80) celebrates with running back Donovan Edwards (7) after scoring a touchdown against the Arkansas State Red Wolves during the second half at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Tight Ends (B-)

Colston Loveland was again the favorite target for Davis Warren before going out of the game with a shoulder injury late in the 2nd quarter. He ended up coming back and catching the first ball of the 2nd half before once again going to the sideline for his shoulder, and eventually leaving the field altogether. Loveland only totaled three catches for 30 yards, while the leading pass catcher for the Wolverines offense was Junior TE Marlin Klein (three receptions for 43 yards). Rookie TE Hogan Hansen had his first career catch which was also his first touchdown as a Wolverine. Hogan had the only Michigan receiving touchdown on the day.

Receivers (D)

The receiver room struggled once again to develop a rhythm with the QBs, which seems to have become a weekly occurrence. Fredrick Moore led all wideouts with just 38 receiving yards receiving. The only other wideout to catch a pass was Semaj Morgan, who turned two catches into just three yards. The struggles in the receiver room could be the result of the lackluster QB play through three weeks, which will hopefully improve with the change from Warren to Orji.

Offensive Line (B+)

The Michigan offensive line looked the best it has all season in Saturday’s game. They led the RB room to 255 rushing yards on 35 total carries. With Kalel Mullings leading the way, the Wolverines o-line created huge holes in the Red Wolves run defense which led to big plays on the ground. The only blemish on their performance was the below average pass block performance which led to both Michigan QB’s being forced to throw either on the run or outside the pocket on many occasions.

The Wolverines will look to double-down on Saturday’s performance when No. 11 USC comes to the Big House in a heavyweight ranked matchup on CBS at 3:30 pm EST

Sherrone Moore updates Michigan’s quarterback status following Arkansas State win

The Good, The Bad: Michigan defeats Arkansas State

Takeaways: Michigan defeats Arkansas State but leaves much to be desired

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Michigan

Opportunity knocks for Michigan’s guards with L.J. Cason out

Published

2 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Opportunity knocks for Michigan’s guards with L.J. Cason out

Ann Arbor — The Wolverines won the outright Big Ten regular-season title with two games to go, but it came at a great cost.

L.J. Cason, Michigan’s backup point guard and a key piece of the rotation, tore his right ACL in the championship-clinching win at Illinois. Just like that, Cason’s season was over and Michigan was hit with a brutal blow.

But when adversity strikes, opportunity knocks. While the team won’t be the same without Cason, coach Dusty May believes Michigan has backcourt pieces who can step up and make up for the loss.

“This is a great opportunity for Roddy (Gayle Jr.), Trey (McKenney) and Nimari (Burnett) to play more, and those guys are really good players,” May said Monday. “Our rotation has been nine and nine, I think, is too deep. It’s playing too many guys, if you want to optimize everyone. But we felt like we had nine guys that deserved to play, that gave us a different element.

“We look at this as another challenge, but it’s also an opportunity for guys to play a little bit more, to play longer periods, to play through a mistake, to play a little bit different role. We do feel like these guys are a lot better than they were earlier this year, so we’re prepared to handle whatever comes at us.”

May said he doesn’t know exactly when Cason tore his ACL, and neither does Cason. The sophomore guard fell to the court and got up favoring his right leg on two separate occasions against Illinois.

The first instance came in the final minute of the first half, when Cason tipped a long rebound ahead and chased it down to start a fast break. After he grabbed the ball in the air and bounced it backward between his legs to a trailing teammate, Cason went down. He got up hobbling, was subbed out and went back to the locker room.

Cason briefly checked back in during the second half and scored a driving layup a minute into his shift. But on Michigan’s next possession, he fell down after trying to score through contact and got up limping again. Shortly after that, Cason motioned to the Michigan bench to be taken out of the game and he exited for good.

“At halftime, the training staff came and said basically he’s passed all of his jump test. He just did the bike. He says he’s 100% ready to go. I was surprised, because I was expecting him to be out,” May said. “I said, ‘What about the test?’ They said both of his knees are loose, so it’s hard. We don’t feel that anything is torn.

“He comes back in. He lands funny again. … It’s unfortunate for him because he was playing so well. When an ACL pops on a noncontact injury, you’re like, ‘Man, what could we have done different?’ When it happens on a funny, quirky play, usually those are the ones that aren’t preventable.”

May added it hasn’t been determined yet when Cason will undergo surgery. Given the typical recovery timeline for a torn ACL ranges anywhere from nine to 12 months, May said Cason redshirting next season is a possibility that’s “on the table.”

“That’s certainly been discussed as well, and then that impacts the recruiting decision-making,” May said. “But right now, we’re still trying to figure out when he’s going to have it. What’s the timeline? Does it make sense to go ahead and sit out next year? … We haven’t made any definitive decisions, because all the information is so inconclusive.”

Moving forward, the plan isn’t to have just one guy replace Cason, who averaged 8.4 points and 2.4 assists in 18.6 minutes per game, shot 40.2% from 3-point range and served as a facilitator when starting point guard Elliot Cadeau wasn’t on the court. It’ll be a by-committee approach.

That said, Cason’s absence is certainly going to put much more on Cadeau’s shoulders. The Wolverines can ill afford to have Cadeau commit unnecessary fouls and miss long stretches at a time. Without Cason, Cadeau is the one guard who can break down opposing defenses off the dribble and create for others.

“This will force Elliot to be much more solid with his defensive decision-making when it comes to fouling,” May said. “He doesn’t have that insurance policy anymore named L.J. behind him, because L.J. came in and carried the load several games for our group. That’s not there anymore.”

While Burnett, Gayle and McKenney haven’t had to be facilitators in their roles this season, May expressed confidence all three can take on minutes with the ball in their hands and initiate the offense.

Even beyond the guards, May noted the team has “other capable weapons” who can serve as triggers on offense depending on the matchup, like forwards Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. and big man Aday Mara.

Add it all together, May feels the Wolverines can find a way to absorb the blow, fill the void and forge ahead with Cason sidelined.

“We have enough to overcome what L.J. brought to the team,” May said. “I don’t know if he’s the best backup point guard in the country, but I can’t think of one that’s better. We’re losing a lot, but once again, we’re not going to sit here and look at it from that angle.

“This is an opportunity for all these other guys to do a little bit more, and they’re more than capable. It’s on us to find the right rotations and situations. Without a doubt, we have a lot of confidence in our roster.”

jhawkins@detroitnews.com

@jamesbhawkins

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Michigan State Police patrol car damaged in hit-and-run on Lodge Freeway in Detroit

Published

14 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Michigan State Police patrol car damaged in hit-and-run on Lodge Freeway in Detroit

Nick Lentz

Updated on: March 1, 2026 / 11:08 PM EST
/ CBS Detroit

The Michigan State Police is looking for the driver of a Jeep that the agency said hit one of its patrol cars on Lodge Freeway in Detroit Sunday night.

According to officials, the incident happened at 7:50 p.m. on the northbound side of the freeway near Shaefer Highway. The agency said a trooper was investigating a crash and had the patrol car parked on the right shoulder of the freeway with its emergency lights on when it was rear-ended by the Jeep.

“The impact forced the patrol car to strike the concrete wall on the right shoulder,” according to the agency.

A damaged Michigan State Police patrol car on the side of Lodge Freeway in Detroit on March 1, 2026, after it was hit by a Jeep.

Michigan State Police

The Jeep then went across three lanes of the freeway and hit a median wall, officials said. The driver, identified by law enforcement as a 29-year-old Detroit woman, left the vehicle and fled the scene.

Michigan State Police First Lieutenant Mike Shaw said that while the trooper was evaluated and cleared at the scene by medical personnel, he was still taken to the hospital as a precaution.

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Indiana extends Big Ten streak to five as the Michigan women win for the first time since 2018

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Indiana extends Big Ten streak to five as the Michigan women win for the first time since 2018

The Indiana men didn’t just win, they secured a fifth straight conference championship, continuing a swimming and diving dynasty in Bloomington. Michigan’s women surged to the top of the league, capturing the title with authority and balance across the lineup.

Records fell left and right throughout the week as this year’s Big 10 championships featured some of the best performances in conference history in the pool.

Here are the main takeaways from this year’s Big 10 swimming and diving championships:

Indiana breaks away from Michigan to win fifth straight title

The Indiana men continued their dominance in the pool in 2026, extending their Big 10 dynasty.

From start to finish, the Hoosiers demonstrated experience and elite talent. Indiana won ten different events, including two relays and eight individual wins from six different athletes.

Indiana dominated the distance events this week, winning the 400-yd IM, the 500-yd freestyle, and 1,650-yd freestyle. Senior Zalan Sarkany won both distance freestyle events while freshman Josh Bey started off his Big 10 career with a win in the 400-yard IM.

Owen McDonald was the second highest scorer in the meet behind Michigan senior Tyler Ray, who was named Big 10 Swimmer of the Championships. The senior won the Big 10 title in the 100-yd backstroke and 200-yd IM.

Senior Kai Van Westering and junior Dylan Smiley closed on the week with wins on the last night of competition for the Hoosiers. Van Westering grabbed the win in the 200-yd backstroke and Dylan Smiley won the 100-yd freestyle before leading Indiana to a win in the 400-yd freestyle relay to close out the meet.

Beyond individual stars, the Hoosiers stacked swims in the top eight of each event, showcasing balance across not only distance, but sprint and mid-distance events as well. Indiana’s performance combined consistency and poise, placing swimmers in the establishing control from the first event individual event to the final relay.

The win marks Indiana’s 32nd Big 10 title overall, which is second all time behind Michigan. Head coach Ray Looze won his ninth men’s Big Ten title, moving him into the top five all time in conference history.

The Hoosiers have once again positioned themselves as one of the nation’s elite teams, ready to challenge for another top-three finish at the NCAA Championships in March.

Michigan women continue building momentum

The Michigan women left Minneapolis with its first Big 10 title since 2018 and the Wolverines’ 18th all-time, the most in conference history.

The Michigan women started the season ranked tenth in the CSCAA Top 25, one spot behind Big 10 rival Indiana. Since December they’ve moved into the top four and have cemented themselves as one of the best teams in the country.

“We had a really great team this year,” senior Devon Kitchel told Yahoo Sports. “Throughout the season we consistently worked hard and continually improved. By the time B1Gs came we were ready to go.”

As a team Michigan won eight individual events, took first in four of the five relays and medaled in five additional events.

Bella Sims lead the charge for the Wolverines. The junior transfer won two out of her three individual swims and was named Swimmer of the Championships, the first for Michigan since Maggie MacNeil won it three times between 2020-22.

As a team, Michigan put eight athletes of a possible 17 on the All-Big 10 First Team. Along with Sims, eight-time Big 10 champion Stephanie Balduccini, eight-time Big 10 champion Brady Kendall, five-time Big 10 champion Letitia Sim, and five-time Big 10 champion Hannah Bellard led the way for the Wolverines.

Michigan will now turn its focus to the NCAA Championships in March, where the team will attempt to improve on its ninth-place finish in 2025.

Welcome to the Big 10, Bella Sims

Bella Sims is finding her groove in Ann Arbor.

Sims swam in seven Big Ten finals, which included the 200-yd and 400-yd IM’s, the 100-yd backstroke, and four relays. She finished the meet with five gold medals and two silvers.

In her first two years of collegiate swimming Sims was a three-time NCAA champion, thirteen time All-American, and nine time SEC champion. However, all three of her NCAA titles came during her freshman season at Florida.

The Las Vegas native has represented the United States at the Olympics and World Championships and transferred to Michigan to finish her collegiate career.

Now approaching her third NCAA championship meet, Sims has momentum on her side. Although she is yet to go a personal best this season, Sims is leading the Michigan women to new heights in 2026.