The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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SEPTEMBER 2021 THE WOLVERINE 29 are now better situated for success on defense. "Last year, we really didn't have much to show our true talents," Hill said. "But now, we have more free- dom … we have a lot more tools we can work from, whether it's our tal- ents or the coaches' calls. We've got a good year going for us. "We just have a lot more calls. That comes with more abilities, more free- dom to the ball — not being one- dimensional." Others have strongly hinted Mac- donald's defense — patterned after that of the Ravens — will involve more versatility, complexity and confusion for opposing quarterbacks than the Wolverines have put forth recently. Now, Hutchinson observed, it's time to execute. "I hope when we turn on that film on Sundays and Mondays, we're a fast defense," Hutchinson said. "We're aggressive. You look at every single position, and you either see someone smacking the other guy, or covering him, beating a double-team. "I just want to see that on film, that everyone is aggressive, attacking and just doing their jobs. If Sundays and Mondays look like that, we'll be suc- cessful." A COMMITMENT TO RUN, WITH SAVVY TO PERFORM Offensive coordinator Josh Gattis absolutely desires a strong and varied passing game. He recently vowed to make sure the Wolverines are getting the job done on the ground as well, with the running backs group led by a top three of redshirt sophomore Has- san Haskins, second-year freshman Blake Corum and true frosh Donovan Edwards. "That's got to be a commitment — to run the ball," Gattis said. "You've got to start games fast. We've got to play great, complementary football, and I've got to stick to it. "There were times last year where, per game, I kind of got away from it, and that's a bit of an acknowledgment. We've got really good running backs. Hassan Haskins, Blake Corum, Dono- van Edwards — those guys need the ball. We've got to make a firm com- mitment to run the ball more. That's how your numbers go up from that standpoint." Meanwhile, redshirt freshman quar- terback Cade McNamara stands con- vinced the Wolverines will be better for the same reason he'll be better. McNa- mara went through a fight to make it to the starting lineup, a battle to win a road game after being down by 17 and a determined return from injury. He's ready. "Comparing then and now, my com- fort with the offense is higher," McNa- mara assured. "Being able to execute in a game has given me a level of comfort in the offense, in my understanding of it and being able to take information in at a higher speed. "It's the confidence of being the starting quarterback at Michigan. Now I have a leadership spot on this team. I have a voice on this team. I can help contribute to wins in a very big way. "We're confident in ourselves going into the season. We're confident that we're definitely going to be different than we were last season. We don't want to say too much about it. We just want to be about it." In the eyes of the quarterback, changes in the offseason will lead to changes when the season actually kicks off. "I see it as a positive right now," McNamara said of U-M's offseason reset. "Everyone Coach Harbaugh has brought in has made a positive impact on this program. The biggest changes are obviously on the defensive side of the ball. Seeing what they've been doing, Coach Macdonald is doing a great job. "The coaches Coach Harbaugh brought in have done a great job mo- tivating the players and giving us a better chance to learn football, learn our side of the ball, learn positions and helping us to win." The true tests are coming quickly, and the Wolverines vow to be ready. ❏ Michigan's Response To Losing Seasons For decades, Michigan football forgot what a losing campaign looked and felt like. Bo Schembechler arrived in 1969, delivering immediate success. For 40 years — including Bump Elliott's final year in 1968 — the Wolverines never suffered the pain of a sub-.500 season. Over the past 13 years, they've experienced four such campaigns. Here's a quick look at how they responded to those disappointing autumns: 2009 — After the confidence-shaking 2008 season, when new head coach Rich Rodriguez's Wolverines tumbled to 3-9, all eyes were seeking a major turn- around. Things did get better — but not much. The '09 Wolverines won their opening four games, highlighted by a 38-34 vic- tory over Notre Dame. Then the heart of the Big Ten schedule hit, and U-M lost seven of its final eight, a misery streak broken only by a meaningless rout of Delaware State. In all, it wasn't the hoped-for response, and set the stage for a very short coach- ing run. 2010 — Michigan scraped its way to a 7-6 record, with another fast start and fall-flat finish. The Wolverines won their opening five games, including another victory over Notre Dame, 28-24 (there's a cringe-worthy bullet point in the proud history of the Irish). U-M lost six of its final eight, with one of the two wins involving a 67-65, triple- overtime home scramble past Illinois. Season-ending blowouts against Ohio State (37-7) and Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl (52-14) confirmed what everyone already knew — change was coming. 2015 — Brady Hoke's final Michigan team went 5-7 in 2014, plagued by the specter of imminent change and concussion controversy. Enter Jim Harbaugh, and a stunning turnaround in year one. Harbaugh guided the Wolverines to a 10-3 record, out-pacing even the most optimistic expectations for the new coach. The Wolverines went 6-2 in the Big Ten before stomping Florida in the Citrus Bowl, 41-7. They looked like they were on their way, and the 2016 campaign did nothing to dampen that outlook. 2021 — The script has yet to be written on Michigan's response to a miserable 2-4 record in 2020. So much went wrong — a late start, COVID attrition, injuries. But the bottom line was, the Wolverines weren't very good. Harbaugh turned over more than half his staff in what's looked at in some quarters as a total reset. The early returns are coming soon. — John Borton