TO CLOSE

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh congratulates QB Shea Patterson in the 42-7 victory over Rutgers on November 10, 2018.
Nick Baumgardner, press

Michigan quarterback Joe Milton will face Wisconsin in the second half of Saturday, October 13, 2018 at Michigan Stadium.(Photo: Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press)

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – One of the biggest questions coming into Michigan SoccerSaturday's trip to Rutgers was his quarterback job.

It turns out that it is a two man concert.

Michigan played the third year of third year Brandon Peters and real freshman Joe Milton in relief from Shea Patterson during raking a 42-7 win at Rutgers. While substitute Dylan McCaffrey was out for the season (collarbone fracture), coach Jim Harbaugh said he felt it was necessary to provide real-life gaming experience to both players.

More: Michigan Soccer Cruises by Rutgers, As Expected, 42-7

Both players had representatives this week. And if Michigan needs a substitute at some point this season, Harbaugh said Peters and Milton could play at the same time.

"We wanted them to play, invite them to play." The Brandon series was only a game because Chris (Evans) had made a long pass (touchdown), but they both needed reps of the game, "said Harbaugh. "You want to prepare them before you need them.

"I think the way we are going to go is that we like the things that both do, and if we are in this situation, we will both keep them and continue to prepare them to play (if something happens) where the need is felt. " "

More: Michigan football notes: everything is easy against Rutgers

Automatic reading

Thumbnails poster

Show captions

Last slide next

Peters came first. Neither one nor the other player tried a pass in the game. Milton was sacked once and Michael Sessa took the picture for the final series of the match.

Milton has now played in two games. Under the NCAA rules, he can play four games in total this season, in the playoffs, while retaining his red vest.

1000 club

Michigan running back Karan Higdon became the first Wolverine to return to the 1,000-yard mark for a season since Fitzgerald Toussaint in 2011.

Higdon started the match with 37 yards to reach the goal, finished with 43 points and barely played in the second half.

His streak of seven consecutive games with at least 100 yards is over, but his goal of over 1,000 yards has been reached.

"Karan had a goal in his head, he set it up last year," said Rashan Gary, the Michigan defender, at the end of the match. "He attacked his goal.

"I'm happy for him."

Higdon and Toussaint are the only Michigan backs to have collected 1,000 yards since Mike Hart finished his career in 2007.

Hart will be on the bench next week when Michigan will be Indiana, the former Wolverine star being the Hoosiers semifinalist coach.

Efficiency

The Michigan offense was outstanding on Saturday, converting 9 attempts to 14.

Patterson gave Donovan Peoples-Jones two shots in the third piece, including a scrum pitch that was delivered to a Peoples-Jones dive along the sideline.

Outside of a stuck stop early in the first half, Michigan was solid in the red zone. The Wolverines finished 4 out of 5, the four conversions were touchdowns.

Patterson book

With 260 yards and three touchdown passes on Saturday, Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson continued to improve his efficiency as a passer.

The Michigan junior now has a score of 160.3 in 10 games with 1 927 yards, 17 touchdowns and three interceptions (with a success rate of 67%).

If the season ended today, Patterson's efficiency would rank 6th on Michigan's all-time list, just ahead of Drew Henson's 159.4 posted in 2000.

Contact Nick Baumgardner: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @nickbaumgardner.