Michigan football has a long way to go, plenty of questions to answer

MADISON, Wis. — This is what it looks like when an inch feels like a mile.

When reality smacks you right between the eyes and the the box score shows you uncomfortable, unforgiving facts.

This is Michigan football right now. A team that's not ready to sit at the big table. A coaching staff that has a lot of questions to answer.

A program that's got a long way to go.

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Saturday's 24-10 loss at Wisconsin was another extension in what seems to be an endless trend. No road wins over a ranked opponent since 2006. No wins over a team with a winning record in 2017. Slips on the big stage. Struggles against top level opponents.

More of the same. And the same isn't good enough.

It was familiar, but also new.

More: Michigan vs. Wisconsin observations: U-M offense just not very good

During the first 30 minutes Saturday, U-M outplayed the No. 5 team in the country in its own building. Michigan moved the football, got stops and had favorable field position. It almost accomplished everything necessary to take control of the game.

But when you realize the scoreboard reads "7-7," you remember the "almost."

When Michigan fell behind, 14-10, the lead felt almost insurmountable. When that lead grew to 21-10, and Brandon Peters was in the locker room, the game was basically over.

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This was a different stage with different players, but the feeling wasn't all that different from Nov. 26, 2016 — when Michigan spent three quarters outplaying Ohio State in Columbus but still, somehow, entered the final stanza clinging to a three-point lead that seemed sure to evaporate.

When you play football like this, you can't afford mental mistakes, you can't allow yourself to be pushed around and you'd better be tougher than the guy across from you.

More: Michigan report card: Offensive line can't hang at Wisconsin

Michigan's offensive system doesn't allow much room for error. When it works, it can be punishing. And make no mistake, U-M's pro-style, downhill, timing-based offense can work in modern football. But there are requirements.

And it goes beyond "find a quarterback."

The offensive line has to be the team's best unit. It has to be able to grind people down in the run game while also possessing enough fundamental skill to keep people away from your quarterback at all times.

It can't wilt against physical defenses. It can't continually get crossed up in pass protection to a point when two quarterbacks in one season are forced to leave the game and head to the hospital.

Your wide receivers have to make plays. Before Donovan Peoples-Jones pulled down a deep shot from Brandon Peters on Saturday, can anyone recall a time when a Michigan wideout went up and just took a football this season?

No? Neither can I.

Michigan got plenty of good stuff from Peters on Saturday — when he wasn't laying on the ground. Peters, a redshirt freshman, has enough talent to make this work. But he can't block for himself. He can't get open for himself. He can't catch the ball for himself.

At times, the offense looks close. Minutes later, it looks anything but. Maybe it's simply a matter of time on task, as the Wolverines have gone through 2017 with first-year starters all over the place. Maybe it's a matter of how those players are being coached every day.

More: Overheard after Michigan's 24-10 loss to Wisconsin

It's Jim Harbaugh's job to figure that one out. Right now, he's an coach who draws over-the-top attention but hasn't produced over-the-top results. No matter how this season ends, there will be some self-reflection time required for this offensive coaching staff. Because this group has been nothing short of terrible in each of Michigan's three defeats. An average of 267 yards and 11 points in those three games?

There's no way to spin out of that.

If Michigan can't pull a rabbit out of its hat next week against Ohio State, it'll be 1-5 against its rivals through Harbaugh's first three years.

That means fans are going to be upset. That means people are going to criticize you. That means pressure in 2018 gets cranked even higher. That means recruiting is going to be more difficult. Everything is going to be more difficult.

Fair or not, when news of Harbaugh's decision to come to Michigan at the end of 2014 broke, some observers expected instant trophies. Those observers were wrong.

U-M's not close to any trophy right now. Not even a little bit.

And this is what it looks like when an inch feels like a mile.

Contact Nick Baumgardner: nbaumgardn@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickBaumgardner. Download our Wolverines Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!