Through the first five games of the season, Michigan football’s offense has been struggling to produce explosive plays, especially through the air. While senior running back Kalel Mullings has been a standout performer, the passing efficiency of the Wolverines ranks a low 121st nationally. Offensive Coordinator Kirk Campbell recently addressed the issues facing the team, emphasizing that successful drives hinge on getting the first down.
“Getting the first first-down is the most important thing in a drive,” Campbell said during a press conference. He explained that avoiding three-and-out situations is crucial for maintaining momentum and supporting the rest of the team, noting that stalled drives put extra pressure on the defense and special teams. Without consistent first downs, Michigan isn’t playing complementary football, a strategy that balances the efforts of both the offense and defense.
While Mullings has carried much of the offensive workload so far, Campbell acknowledged that relying solely on the run game is not sustainable for the entire season. He emphasized the need to inject more explosiveness into Michigan’s passing game to complement the ground attack. Campbell stressed that explosive passing plays could shorten drives and relieve some of the pressure on the running game.
“The explosiveness that we mentioned earlier in the pass game needs to show up so we have faster drives,” Campbell said. He clarified that Michigan isn’t looking to adopt an “air raid” offensive approach that relies on lightning-fast drives, but incorporating more big plays through the air would certainly make it easier to sustain drives. By mixing in passing plays that gain significant yardage, the offense wouldn’t need to depend so heavily on the running game to create those opportunities.
In terms of creativity, Michigan’s offense has yet to tap into its full potential. Campbell admitted that they have not been able to fully utilize their more creative play calls because the team hasn’t executed the basics consistently enough. He emphasized that once the Wolverines start making routine plays and moving the football more efficiently, they can then afford to dig deeper into their playbook and call more complex or innovative plays.
“When you’re not executing at a high level and moving the football, they’re hard to get off the call sheet,” Campbell said, underscoring that creativity on offense starts with mastering the fundamentals. He believes that once Michigan begins to string together successful drives, they will be able to introduce more variety and complexity into their offensive schemes.
With tougher opponents on the horizon, including Washington, the team will need to find ways to spark their offense and balance the run and pass games more effectively if they hope to compete at a high level for the remainder of the season.
