What does Michigan have for Iowa to exploit? 'Not much'

IOWA CITY — The objective for college football teams during preparation is to find a weakness — weaknesses, preferably — in an opponent and use the various tools in the toolbox to take advantage of them.

'Take what they give you,' is a common phrase, in that regard.

The problem for the Iowa football team, though, is No. 3 Michigan doesn't have many weaknesses. Coach Kirk Ferentz laughed — because, at this point, what other response could there be? — when asked what the Wolverines give opponents.

'Not much,' Ferentz said.

There are 33 team statistical categories tracked by the Big Ten Conference. Of those, Michigan ranks first or second in 20 of those.

The Wolverines (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) are best in the nation in scoring defense (10.7 ppg), total defense (246.3 ypg), pass defense (138.9 ypg), opponent first downs (12.9 per game), opponent third down conversions (19 percent), red zone defense (57.1 percent) and team tackles for loss (9.3 per game). They're also first in the Big Ten in scoring offense (47.8 ppg), pass efficiency (158.2), punt returns (17.2 ypr), point after kicks (56 of 56) and sacks (30).

Pick an area, and Michigan is likely one of the best in the country, and certainly one of the best in the conference. That doesn't offer a whole lot of room to work if you're the Hawkeyes offense or defense.

'It's really hard to find many cracks or weaknesses,' Ferentz said Tuesday. 'It's all deserved and earned, as I said in (my) opening statement. They're really veteran, got a lot of key veteran players, a lot of seniors that play very well, not only talented, they're well-coached, and they play consistently well. That's the thing that really to me jumps out.

'You look at nine games, typically there's some ups and downs, that type of thing, but it's really hard to find too many. I think they were down 14-0 at one point (of one game). That's for an entire nine games, not an entire season but nine games. That doesn't happen much historically. It doesn't happen to many teams, so it's a real credit to them. They're really playing well right now.'

To Ferentz and Iowa players' credit, there were very few 'this is just another opponent' comments during Tuesday's media availability at the Hansen Performance Center. When it's not the No. 3 team in the country and one of just five teams left in the country that remains undefeated, maybe it's possible to convince yourself the opponent is irrelevant.

Yes, Iowa (5-4, 3-3) will attack this week like they always do, but even a tacit acknowledgment that this week is different goes to show how special this season has been for Michigan. When asked about Michigan, some players responded with a resigned laugh. Others kept a steely, edgy demeanor.

The Hawkeyes realize well what they're up against, but that doesn't mean special plans or plays should be expected to try to overcome it.

'It doesn't seem like they have a weakness, no,' linebacker Ben Niemann said. 'I wouldn't say we're looking at weakness and trying to exploit it (though). We play a lot of base defense here, so really we're just trying to do our job and stop whatever they bring at us.'

To be fair, it wasn't a Wolverine love fest on Tuesday in Iowa City. 'Not much,' might be an accurate answer when it comes to what Michigan gives up or how many weaknesses they have, but the Jim Harbaugh-led team isn't perfect.

Cornerback Desmond King pointed out special teams as a place Iowa can make some hay. Michigan is last in the Big Ten in kickoff return yardage at 17.6 yards per return. That might be a bigger deal if the Wolverines returned more kicks, but they've only returned 16 kicks all season. Maybe a more telling stat — and yes, it's in the weeds, but that's where you have to go to find Michigan weaknesses — is on kickoff coverage, where the Wolverines average 40.9 net yards on kickoffs, meaning opponents start at the 30-yard line on average.

Defensive end Parker Hesse offered the only tangible example of how the Michigan offense has been slowed — but at least there is an example.

No, it's not much. But it's something. And Iowa has to cling to something.

'It's just like any offense — getting them off schedule. If you can stop them on first and second down and get them into plays they haven't scripted out, making the quarterback uncomfortable; that's the stuff that disrupts any offense,' Hesse said. 'Colorado did a really good job defensively. They brought some pressures and they were disrupting the quarterback, and on special teams they made a few plays that put the game in their hands — they had control for a while. Stuff like that, we're going to have to capitalize.'

NO 2017 FRIDAY GAMES FOR IOWA

The Big Ten announced last week it would have select games on Friday nights starting next season, and on Tuesday, the league released the first slate of games. Iowa will not be among the first group of Big Ten teams to be part of those games.

Six Big Ten games will be played on Fridays next year. On Sept. 1, Rutgers hosts Washington and Wisconsin hosts Utah State. On Sept. 8, Purdue hosts Ohio. On Sept. 29, Illinois hosts Nebraska. On Oct. 13, Maryland hosts Northwestern, and on Oct. 27, Northwestern hosts Michigan State.

Iowa and Nebraska do play each year on a Friday, but it's on the day after Thanksgiving, annually, as an agreement between the two schools.

WAECHTER LEAVES PROGRAM

Coach Kirk Ferentz announced Tuesday offensive lineman Brett Waechter has left the Iowa football program for medical reasons. Waechter started this season listed as the No. 2 left tackle behind then-starting left tackle Cole Croston.

Waechter took to Twitter on Tuesday afternoon to offer a full explanation.

'As some of my friends from high school remember, I threw up a lot in sports. Practice, games, lifting. As time went on, my issue worsened,' Waechter wrote in an extended message he posted. 'My puking is what made it impossible for me. Towards the end of my time, it came to the point that I couldn't even hold water down during practice.'

Waechter's full message can be read below.

November 8, 2016

pic.twitter.com/AyoQUaHv6A

— BRETT WAECHTER (@Waechter89)

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