It was a win 10 months in the making, created by the actions of victors and the inertia of the vanquished.
There was Michigan football, zipping from one end of the field to another, displaying speed in space as it never had before.
There was Michigan State football, stuck in neutral, sputtering along and barred from the end zone for the final 46 minutes of a 44-10 loss to its rival.
There was Jim Harbaugh, beaming a smile and telling everyone afterwards he was “happy.”
There was Mark Dantonio, frowning, expressing his disappointment.
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On Jan. 10, one coach elected to modernize his offense by hiring an outsider with new ideas. That very same day, the other opted to keep his staff intact, shuffle the roles of his assistants and hope for a revival that would lead to increased productivity.
The 112th edition of the state’s biggest rivalry served as a referendum for both coaches’ decisions.
And Harbaugh came out the winner.
His move to appoint Josh Gattis as the offensive coordinator was celebrated when it was made, criticized following U-M’s first loss of the season and debated in the weeks thereafter. The system Gattis implemented was supposed to introduce excitement and harness the talent of Michigan’s playmakers on the edges.
But it had produced uneven results. Entering Saturday, the offense was ranked 46th in ESPN’s SP+ rankings.
U-M grades: Wolverines' offense perfect vs. MSU
MSU grades: Offense, defense, coaching fail vs. U-M
“We had all spring and all summer to get better at it,” said quarterback Shea Patterson. “But you don’t really know until you get into a game situation.”
At the outset, Gattis seemed too ambitious, rolling out all sorts of plays including one that featured two quarterbacks on the field at the same time. Following the defeat to Wisconsin, players insinuated that the Wolverines streamlined the call sheet and brought back elements that had been staples in previous seasons. There was also an increased emphasis placed on its ground game, which had been abandoned during the defeat to the Badgers.
Both Harbaugh and Gattis worked to blend their styles, massaging the playbook and drilling it into their players’ heads so that they can execute a game plan like the one implemented Saturday.
And that’s how speed in space finally came alive in the 12th week of the season.
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With the bulk of the 111,496 cheering them on, the Wolverines attacked the edges, creating one-on-one matchups they routinely won. Executing out of three-receiver sets, U-M sliced and diced MSU's overmatched secondary that was further reduced when cornerback Josiah Scott was injured on the second play of scrimmage.
The Wolverines produced 14 plays of 15 yards or more and Patterson finished with his second-best efficiency rating since arriving in Ann Arbor 22 months ago.
Asked if this was the best representation yet of Gattis’ offense, which netted 467 yards Saturday, receiver Ronnie Bell replied, “I guess you could say that. The execution was there. It was all there today.”
“Sound. Good Solid,” Harbaugh added. “It was as good as I have seen them play…Josh called a great game.”
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For a while, so too did Michigan State offensive coordinator Brad Salem. The Spartans struck first, moving the ball 60 yards in nine plays, dialing up some clever plays, including a play-action toss to fullback Max Rosenthal that yielded their only touchdown.
But MSU couldn’t sustain the momentum. Quarterback Brian Lewerke’s accuracy began to fade and the offensive looks the Spartans presented were accompanied by predictable play-calls. In one such sequence, Rosenthal lined up in the backfield and tailback Elijah Collins ran into the middle of the U-M’s defense. Moments later, the Spartans reorganized into a spread formation before Lewerke threw a quick flare that sailed past the intended receiver for an incomplete pass. The final outcome of the possession was a punt – one of seven MSU had during a disappointing afternoon.
“I feel like we had a firm understanding of the offense,” said Michigan linebacker Khaleke Hudson.
But it didn’t appear as if the Spartans had a grasp of what Gattis was had planned. Pre-snap motions changed the balance of the formations, forcing Michigan State to adjust instantaneously. And receivers ran in wide-open space, helping Michigan gain 7 yards per play.
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“Josh Gattis and the offensive staff really had this game plan wired,” Harbaugh said. “As I said earlier, they put together a tremendous plan and even predicted some of the adjustments. It was fun to be a part of. …Flawless in a lot of ways.”
It’s just what Harbaugh had hoped for when he stepped out of his comfort zone 10 months ago and made the bold move to welcome new ideas – ideas that were used to defeat the arch-rival that suffered the consequences of standing pat.
Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @RainerSabin. Read more on the Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Big Ten newsletter.
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