Expect Michigan football to get run game going vs. UNLV: Scouting report, prediction

Free Press sports writer Tony Garcia breaks down Michigan football's Week 2 matchup on Saturday vs. UNLV:

Fast facts

Matchup: No. 2 Michigan (1-0) vs. UNLV (1-0).

Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. Saturday; Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor.

TV/radio: CBS; WWJ-AM (950), WTKA-AM (1050).

Line: Wolverines by 36½.

Injury report

Michigan: Out: CB Amorion Walker (lower body), RB Tavierre Dunlap (undisclosed), WR Logan Forbes (lower body) Questionable: S Rod Moore (undisclosed), CB Will Johnson (knee), LB Jimmy Rolder (undisclosed), WR Payton O'Leary (undisclosed), DB German Green (undisclosed)

UNLV: None.

Scouting report

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When Michigan has the ball: U-M passed to its heart's content in Week 1 against East Carolina, which may have some expecting a repeat of "the greatest show on turf." Don't be surprised if the Wolverines have significantly more success on the ground against UNLV. Last week, East Carolina held U-M to 122 yards on 31 rushes (3.9 per attempt). But that came at the expense of allowing J.J. McCarthy to complete 26 of 30 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns, all of which went to Roman Wilson (six catches, 78 yards). UNLV seems unlikely to pose the same resistance on the ground. Discounting a mishap when punter Ethan Gettman was charged with a loss of 23 yards rushing, FCS-level Bryant ran 39 times against the Rebels, for more than 200 yards in Week 1.

Maybe U-M RB Blake Corum, who ran 10 times for 73 yards, said it best: “If we need to run the ball, we'll run it. We need to pass, we'll pass," he said last week. "There’s no, ‘Ah, they can't pass or they can't run.’ It's none of that."

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When UNLV has the ball: The Rebels ran 40 times for 268 yards (6.7 yards per attempt) and five touchdowns whle scoring 44 points vs. Bryant; offensive coordinator Brennan Marion's "go-go" offense is predicated on getting to the line quickly and running as many plays as possible. Running back Donavyn Lester, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound transfer from William & Mary, was shut down in Week 1, but averaged better than 6 yards per rush the past two seasons.

Jacob De Jesus is a quick slot receiver in his first year in the FBS after he put up more than 2,500 all-purpose yards over the past two seasons in junior college. The transfer led the Rebels with four catches for 50 yards last week.

But the Rebels' offense starts with dual-threat quarterback Doug Brumfield, who passed for 1,898 yards, had 16 total touchdowns (10 passing, six rushing) and five interceptions in a season that was disrupted by a concussion.

Know the foe

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Experience matters: If UNLV is going to expedite its rebuild under former Missouri coach Barry Odom, Jackson Woodard will be key. The middle linebacker played on Odom's defense the past two years at Arkansas; he's the quarterback of the unit and led the group with nine tackles in Week 1. And while it will take a few recruiting cycles to build depth, there are already some nice pieces on the defense. Zavier Carter, a defensive end transfer from LSU, was productive with three tackles in Week 1, and defensive back Cameron Oliver is the only returning Mountain wet player with multiple pick-sixes last season.

Pretty Ricky: UNLV wide receiver Ricky White has been waiting to return to The Big House. The last time White played in Ann Arbor was in 2020 as a freshman at Michigan State — White set an MSU freshman record with eight catches for 196 yards and one touchdown in the Spartans' upset of U-M. He only caught one pass the rest of the year before transferring to UNLV. Last year, White was one of the Rebels' top receivers, hauling in 51 passes for 619 yards and four scores.

Although he was quiet in the opener, catching just two balls for 5 yards, he nearly had a 31-yard touchdown grab, but was ruled out of bounds by inches. “He’s got enough talent and skill set that the plays will come to him,” Odom told reporters. “There’s always plays you design for certain players, and certainly we’ll prepare a number each week into the game for Ricky, but we also can’t force it."

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Something special: Jacob De Jesus proved electric in the return game in Week 1, with a 97-yard kickoff return (the fourth longest in UNLV history). Kicker Jose Pizano, a Missouri State transfer, nailed all four of his PATs and all three field goal attempts (from 35, 37 and 48 yards out) in his UNLV debut.

Tony Garcia's two cents

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Run it up: Michigan ran between the tackles 12 times for 30 yards on Saturday; that 2.5-yard average is a far cry from 2022's 5.9-yard average between the tackles. Certainly, ECU's game plan had much to do with it, but the offensive line will need time to jell as well. Karsen Barnhart moved from the right side to the left, while center Drake Nugent and right tackle Myles Hinton both transferred in from Stanford. Michigan is in a perfect setup for a bounce-back performance: an overmatched opponent on the heels of everybody praising the pass game.

Get him down: Michigan didn't sack ECU quarterback Mason Garcia. He was throwing short routes by design — only four times did he even attempt a pass more than 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, none of which he completed — but still it frustrated the Wolverines' front to go without a sack after an offseason of talk about getting the QB on the ground. UNLV only attempted 24 passes in its opener, none of which were complete more than 10 yards downfield; this week, the game script will be different.

Prediction

Special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh serves as interim coach the first half for his father, and U-M starts by returning the opening kick for a touchdown. In the second half, when running backs coach Mike Hart takes over, the Wolverines continue to impose their will on the ground. UNLV appears improved this year, but its up-tempo plan plays into Michigan's plan of controlling time of possession. This will get out of hand; the only question is if UNLV scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter. I think they do, late, but U-M still sends certain people home happy, especially if they waited until late in the week to make their pick. The pick: U-M 47, UNLV 10.

Contact Tony Garcia at apgarcia@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @realtonygarcia.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football vs. UNLV: Scouting report, prediction