The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1412876
OCTOBER 2021 THE WOLVERINE 29 ranked top 10 in the statistic that matters most, and some would say the only sig- nificant one — scoring defense. U-M allowed just 11.3 points per game, tied for eighth in the country, in holding a solid Western Michigan offense — which later went on the road and scored 44 points in an upset of Pitt — to 14 points in the opener (seven of them coming late in the game) and Power Five school Washington to 10 in a 21-point, week two victory. NIU's touchdown in the 6 3 - 1 0 b l o w o u t didn't come until there were less than nine minutes remaining and U-M's third- string defense was on the field. As importantly, they weren't allow- ing big plays, an emphasis this year. They were tied for 11th after three weeks in al- lowing only two passing plays of 30 yards or more, and tied for 13th by giving up just three such plays overall. As of Sept. 21, Michigan was one of only 43 FBS teams to not allow a gain of at least 50 yards. It was clear the unit was communicat- ing better at all positions and determined to prove last year was a fluke. There are bigger tests to come in Big Ten play, but Harbaugh was clearly pleased. It was evident after the opener, first-year secondary coach Steve Clinkscale said, that Macdonald knew what he was doing. "Mike is not a dictator," Clinkscale noted. "He wants everyone to do their job. I've been very impressed. I really like him, and I've learned a lot of football. "I think Mike did a great job [in the opener]. He's a really good coach and a re- ally good organizer. He's the coordinator, so he has adjustments for everybody. You get the big picture from your coordinator, and then we have to break it down into a smaller picture for our players." A FRIENDLIER SCHEME SUITS THE SECONDARY It was clear even before they took a snap that Clinkscale corners were happy with the new defense. Though none of them shy away from playing the press man coverage Brown demanded on most snaps, there was a lot of pressure on the group on almost every play in Brown's approach. While they had their share of success in past years (Brown included), it was also obvious the defensive backs lost a lot of confidence last season. Redshirt sophomore cornerback Vin- cent Gray was among those who wel- comed the change. "It's night and day, for real," Gray said. "I feel like this defense allows us to create more plays and create more plays on the ball, and that's going to be good for us going forward this year. "I'm very excited to show that I can do more than just stand in front of a guy, press him and run around with a guy. We learned a lot this offseason conceptually, and it's going to show on Saturdays." It already has. Gray talked about studying route concepts, the schematics of offenses, formations, what quarter- backs were looking for on certain downs and distances and certain areas of the field they're targeting, and also learn- ing how to play different positions on the field. Having played 'zero' (press man) cov- erage his whole life in high school, Gray was ready for the challenge. At the same time, he was also eager for a new one. " I d i d n ' t r e - a l l y l e a r n m u c h new, but over this o f f s ea s o n , b e i n g around coach Mac- donald and Coach Clink — and even coach Mo [Linguist, now the head coach at Buffalo who was briefly an assistant at U-M] in the spring — we just learned so much more about what the offenses would bring to us," Gray said. It helps, too, when you've got one of the best athletes in the Big Ten at your disposal. Sophomore defensive back Daxton Hill came out smoking in the first game playing nickel and safety, "all over the field" in Harbaugh's words, Redshirt sophomore cornerback Vincent Gray "I feel like this defense allows us to create more plays and create more plays on the ball, and that's going to be good for us going forward this year." Sophomore defensive back Daxton Hill played nickel and safety, "all over the field" in head coach Jim Harbaugh's words, and notched six tackles in each of U-M's first two games this season, before being largely avoided in week three. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL