The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/116680
guys closer to the ball. Now you should see more interceptions. "Will we get more sacks? I don't know. We might, but we might get more interceptions. You might not give up as many big plays, which is what beat us in the bowl game. We can't have that. "But we felt we had to get pressure on the quarterback, and we couldn't do that with our front four alone. That's the fine line." Speed, Speed, Speed Mattison is grateful to former players that gave their hearts to help the program reach its potential, but the Wolverines were somewhat limited in 2011 and 2012 due to a lack of elite speed and athleticism up front, especially at defensive end. That is no longer the case. "I think we've got more speed on the outside in this defense," he said. "We took a Sam linebacker in [junior] Brennen Beyer and made him a rush guy. [Junior] Frank Clark is developing every day into doing that. [Sophomore] Mario Ojemudia was recruited to be that. And then you bring in [early-enrollee freshman] Taco Charlton. "So you have four guys that have the athleticism so that when you go into a sub/nickel package, you have two speed rushers on the outside all of the time. That doesn't even count probably the guy that has been our most successful pass rusher, Jake Ryan. "It gives you so much flexibility to have fast guys on the outside. Now you can take your strongside ends, or bigger guys, and move them down one slot, and then they become fast there." Clark racked up five tackles for loss and two sacks in four November games, and he possess the promise to emerge as the Wolverines' first double-digit sack performer since Brandon Graham in 2009 (10.5). "Every day that he practices and every day he grows as a person like he has been, he becomes a better player," Mattison said. "With young men, they mature at a different level, at different times in their life. He has really worked hard this offseason to become as good as he can be. "My hope is that transfers right into spring football, and now you see what we've all expected to see — the Frank Clark that people are going to love." His classmate, Beyer — staying put at weakside end despite rumors he would move to strongside — wasn't productive in pass-rush situations, contributing only a half sack all year, but he fills a role. "He can give you the strong runplaying rush that you need, and then you can always have a faster guy come in if you want speed on the edges," Mattison said. At the opposite bookend to Clark, Beyer or Ojemudia, Michigan will feature redshirt sophomore Keith Heitzman and three redshirt freshmen — Tom Strobel, Matthew Godin and Chris Wormley. The latter three were recruited by Michigan's current staff specifically to add the type of size and strength necessary to be stout against the run, but also to have