The Pylons -- Michigan

A loot at the look at Saturday night's matchup with Michigan.

1) Hurt

 The Johnny Cash song from "American IV: The Man Comes Around." Sadly beautiful, haunting.

It's week 6, everyone has some "Hurt."

For Michigan, the big question is RB Carlos Brown. He didn't practice Wednesday because of an undisclosed injury but then didn't show up on UM's injury report. This raised the eyebrow of AnnArbor.com's Dave Birkett (link here). Center David Molk (foot) is out and he's a biggie. UM coach Rich Rodriguez called him one of their better players this week.

There were rumors about a concussion with Brown. He's Michigan's leading rusher with 336 yards on 44 carries (7.6 yards an attempt).

UPDATE: The Detroit News' Angelique Chengelis reported today is out with a concussion he suffered Tuesday. He did not make the trip to Iowa City. Get to know sophomore RB Michael Shaw and freshman QB Denard Robinson, who averages 5.3 yards on 32 carries.

This is as healthy as Iowa has been in weeks. Maybe.

Tight end Tony Moeaki tested his highly sprained ankle in practice this week. He hasn't played since Iowa State week 2. He's dressed the last two weeks. The plan this week, according to Kirk Ferentz, was to play him. He practiced this week but was involved in a lot of contact. TE Allen Reisner (thigh bruise) should be good.

Ferentz didn't offer much of an update on CB Shaun Prater, who hyperextended a knee last Wednesday. Ferentz said he should play. That's not exactly definitive. Sophomore Willie Lowe replaced him last week and was picked on. We'll see here.

OL Bryan Bulaga (thyroid) is in.

2) Where should you point the binoculars (besides the TV)?

The Iowa O-line -- This unit is coming off its second-worst effort of the season. Northern Iowa was worse, but that OL was total patchwork. Last week's OL is pretty much it from here on out and it managed just 3.76 yards a carry against Arkansas State of the Sun Belt Conference.

Ferentz used the word "regressed." G Julian Vandervelde said this: "They always say the film is never as good or bad as you think it's going to be. Sometimes, that's just not true. It's every bit as bad as you thought it was going to be. This was probably one of those weekends.”

The crusher was when Iowa needed a first down on a third-and-4 with about a minute left. RB Adam Robinson ran left (Bulaga and Dace Richardson) and was stopped for no gain.

Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi is sooooo much better when Iowa runs the ball well. The running game needs to help Stanzi as much as possible.

Tate Forcier -- Ferentz and the Hawkeyes really let the love flow for Forcier this week. (Bellamy Brothers' video "Let Your Flow" video here.)

Ferentz used the words “magic” and “amazing” while describing the 6-foot-1, 187-pound freshman this week. When he wasn't dropping laurels, Ferentz did bring up Forcier's improvisational skills, which, for a true freshman, have been “magic” and “amazing.”

Contain is key against a creative QB.

"The guys who're playing pass had better play pass first until he breaks the line and then we will worry about it," Ferentz said. "The guys that need to be coming are the underneath cover guys and not the deep cover guys, or you'll give up something really quick and easy and that's not good.”

Thus, the Iowa defense's “bend don't break” mentality comes to the fore this week.

“I'm not going to leave a guy if I think he's going to throw it to him,” linebacker Pat Angerer said. “I'd rather get beat in front of me than behind me. … That's the ‘bend don't break' defense. Do your job, get depth and make sure they don't get you with the long ball.”

Birkett writes that Forcier is starting to feel the role of vocal leader as a true freshman QB.

Michigan's defense -- This unit is, to roll out the ol' media cliche word, maligned.

The Wolverines are 91st nationally in total defense but bounce to 55th in scoring defense. They're giving up yards, but are stingy with points. Sound familiar, Iowa people?

The Wolverines are still feeling it out at some spots, including the CB spot opposite Donovan Warren (sound familiar, Iowa people?).

UM's D-line was solid last week. DE Brandon Graham is NFL on the hoof. He had 20 tackles for loss last year and has 6.5 so far this year. Iowa had trouble with Ark State's Alex Carrington last week. Graham is better than Carrington (yeah, what a crazy limb on that one, huh?).

UM has great athletes. Always do, always will. This is the first year for coordinator Greg Robinson. He's UM's third d-coordinator in three seasons. It's week 6, the new system excuse doesn't hold anymore for this unit. Time of possession (UM is 115th in the nation) doesn't help this unit, either.

3) Who's No. __? 

DE Brandon Graham (55) might be the best player on the field Saturday night. Forty percent of his tackles have been for loss. He leads UM with 6.5 tackles for loss. LB Stevie Brown (3) and S Jordan Kovacs (2) are Nos. 2 and 3 on the TFL list, showing the Wolverines aren't afraid to blitz. Kirk Ferentz has been cautious against Robinson's defenses. Remember the 2006 game at 'Cuse, when Robinson was head coach there? Iowa could've started a young Jake Christensen ( who talked about Iowa again this week) but went with Jason Manson instead because of the hostile environment and what Robinson's defenses are capable of.

Kovacs is a walk-on sophomore who is UM's third-leading tackler. Warren leads UM with two picks. Troy Woolfolk (29) has bounced between corner and safety.

Tate Forcier is No. 5 if you haven't noticed already. He's led two comeback victories already in his career. Last week, he rallied for a tie against Michigan State. Kid is clutch. He made his first frosh mistake with an INT in OT, but don't bank on a lot of those.

"Tate is an interesting guy," senior tackle Mark Ortmann said. "You look at him, and he has the same facial expressions on the sidelines no matter the situation. I think that's one of the most impressive things about him -- he doesn't let the pressure get to him."

Michigan has a SWAT team of WRs who can take a ball in space and take it the distance. Martavious Odoms (9) is the leader with 14 catches for 137 yards. Junior Hemingway (21) and Darryl Stonum (22) are playmakers. Stonum is No. 2 in the Big Ten in kick returns with 30.1 a try.

4) Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi is palms up and wondering if . . .

I was not aware of this term until this week's Thursday chat, but my friends at Black Heart Gold Pants (they work blue, if you don't like blue, don't click) have coined the term "STANZIBALL." I think it's officially all caps, too. Maybe OopsPow or BHGP will drop by for a complete (and hopefully PG rated) explanation.

Obviously, it's the inexplicable pass that Stanzi seems to let loose every other week or so. Last week, a linebacker took a Stanziball 75 yards for six.

We've been over all the numbers and yada. Simply, these passes put the Hawkeyes behind schedule. Forget pick sixes (there have been two). It's the touch behind, the overthrow, the misfire on communication, that sets back Iowa's offense. Suddenly, it's drive over and punt time.

Stanzi and the Iowa offense need to  finish.