The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1412876
28 THE WOLVERINE OCTOBER 2021 BY CHRIS BALAS W hen it comes to first-year coordinators in college foot- ball, you never know what you're going to get. Transi- tions to new defenses can take time for new and returning players alike, espe- cially those who have spent time in the same defense for several years. This uncertainty was the case entering the season for Michigan's 2021 defense, which was shredded the year before to the tune of 34.5 points allowed per game. That was the worst in former coordinator Don Brown's five years (by far), looked every bit as bad as some of the Rich Ro- driguez defenses from 2008-10 and pre- cipitated a change, with head coach Jim Harbaugh turning to Baltimore Ravens assistant Mike Macdonald. It's been hit and miss in Ann Arbor over the last 25 years, the first-year success stories having been really good and the bad really, really abysmal. While the jury is still out, Macdonald is off to a great start. "It's been so encouraging … on the de- fensive side of the ball," Harbaugh said after Michigan trounced Northern Illi- nois, 63-10, Sept. 18. "Those meetings are good. You sit in them, and it's talking ball; people giving their input. "But they enjoy each other's company, and it's humming. It's good." The Wolverines have gone back to more of a bend-but-don't-break, don't give up big plays type of defense under Macdon- ald, and it had gotten the job done through three non-conference games. Though they weren't in the top 25 in either run defense (47th, 112.3 yards per game) or pass efficiency defense (31st, 111.5), they A GRINDING A GRINDING HALT HALT Michigan's Defense Stood Among The Best In The Country Through Three Games Mike Macdonald's first Michigan unit has cut down on big plays allowed — only three of 30 yards or more through three games, which tied for 13th fewest nationally — and was tied for eighth in the land by giving up just 11.3 points per contest. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN