5 players to watch for Michigan football vs. Cincinnati

Wolverines huge favorites at home against Bearcats

Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines started the 2017 season with a win over Florida in Dallas (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images).

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – It's been a great week for the Michigan football team after its big win over Florida to open the season, but now the Wolverines have to move on to their matchup with Cincinnati.

Michigan is an enormous favorite in its home opener, projected to win by nearly five touchdowns. How can the Wolverines get to that point? Here are five players who could make the difference.

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QB Wilton Speight

We'll start off with an easy one. Wilton Speight struggled against Florida, throwing two interceptions and completing just 11 of 25 pass attempts.

Michigan didn't name a starting quarterback all off-season, likely because Jim Harbaugh didn't want to give Florida any information he didn't have to. But when Speight got off to such a rough start, it raised questions about the offense as a whole.

Last year, Speight was excellent for nine games and Michigan started 9-0. When he injured his shoulder at Iowa and struggled, the team lost each of his final three starts.

Saturday will give fans a better idea about which Speight they will see this season. If he commands the offense, looks crisp in the short game and connects on a couple deep passes, the Michigan offense will look like it did during the middle of last season.

LB Devin Bush

Devin Bush's first game couldn't have been more different than Speight's, as he took the starting linebacker job and ran with it, making seven tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss.

Bush nearly got thrown out on the first snap of the game when he delivered a late hit at the sideline, but he made the most of his second life, flying all over the field and leading a dominant effort against the running game. The Gators finished with just 11 rushing yards, and Bush was a major part of that.

Speed and athleticism areas the most obvious ares of improvement on the defensive side, and Bush is a prime example. If he can dominate against the speed of the Gators, he should have another field day against Cincinnati.

S Tyree Kinnel

While the college football world heaps praise the players from Michigan's last two recruiting classes, one of the most improved defenders on the team came from the unheralded 2015 class.

Tyree Kinnel has improved each and every year, and he quietly had a great game against Florida. He finished second on the team with six tackles and even made 1.5 tackles for loss. Kinnel has good closing speed and can come up and make a stop in the running game.

The defense recovered three fumbles in the opener, but Saturday will give the secondary a chance to get in on the action. Kinnel is a player who could make a big play if Michigan builds a lead and Cincinnati is forced to throw the ball.

DE Rashan Gary

Everyone is expecting a huge year for Rashan Gary, and rightfully so. He's one of the most physically gifted players on the roster and his impact on the field is clear.

But Gary hasn't had a breakout game yet, and although he spent some time in the backfield against Florida, he didn't make a big splash like Bush and Khaleke Hudson.

Saturday is a chance for Gary to throw his coming-out party, especially if Michigan gets ahead early and takes a big lead. The more Cincinnati is forced to throw the football, the more trouble its offensive line is going to have containing Michigan's pass rushers.

If Hayden Moore has to throw the ball 40 times, there's a good chance he could get a rude introduction to Gary more than once in the pocket.

OL Nolan Ulizio

The offensive line as a whole was solid against Florida after the first couple drives, but the one shaky spot was right tackle, which figured to be the weak point going into the season.

Ulizio surprised most fans by winning the starting right tackle job over Juwann Bushell-Beatty and Jon Runyan Jr. He struggled early, but settled in against a very good Florida pass rush.

It was a mixed bag for Ulizio, but Saturday's challenge should be more manageable than the one he faced in his first start. The next few games are an opportunity for Ulizio to refine his pass blocking and build confidence before Michigan faces more talented defensive lines.


About the Author:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.