As the final minutes of a scoreless first quarter ticked away, Michigan football needed 5 yards to avoid a three-and-out on its third possession of the game. All season, quarterback Cade McNamara stressed the importance of picking up the initial first down on any given drive as the offense searches for a rhythm at the beginning of each half. The failure to accomplish that against Rutgers, he said, is why the offense petered out in what remains this season’s benchmark for offensive stagnation.
This time, as the Wolverines sought their first score, the first down was achieved by connecting with tight end Erick All, who settled into the soft spot of a Northwestern zone.