The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1482097
28 THE WOLVERINE NOVEMBER 2022 upped his game and freshman Mason Graham is perhaps the best true freshman defensive tackle we've ever seen here. U-M ranks sixth nationally in run de- fense, allowing just 85.9 yards per game. LINEBACKERS — B The Michigan defense is still missing junior linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green — he's been out all year with an undisclosed injury — and that's been a big loss. Grad student Mike Barrett has played well, and junior Kalel Mullings is coming on (second on the team with 31 stops), but Hill-Green was expected to take a huge leap this year and potentially be one of the Big Ten's bet- ter linebackers. Sophomore Junior Colson, meanwhile, has had some outstanding moments, lead- ing the team with 49 tackles, but he's been somewhat inconsistent. The Wolverines have been exploited at times between the 'backers and the safeties in coverage, but it's improved since the Iowa game. Adding edge Jaylen Harrell to this group as an outside 'backer bumps the grade. The junior has been outstanding hold- ing the edge against the run, and while he only has 16 tackles, 5.5 have been for loss and he's notched 1.5 sacks. He also leads the team with 5 official quarterback hurries. This group can improve, but it's still played a huge role for the nation's No. 4 team in total defense (250 yards per game). SECONDARY — A- We expected senior D.J. Turner to have a great season, and he's been good. Grad student Gemon Green, however, has been the team's top cornerback through seven games, rarely getting beat. Turner and senior Mike Sainristil, who moved to nickel from receiver, lead the team with 4 pass break-ups each, but Green has been fantastic when quarter- backs throw at him. He's been one of the team's pleasant surprises. The same could be said of Sainristil, who made the move this spring and has been nothing short of outstanding. He's still learning at times — he gave up a big third-down play at Iowa — but for the most part, he's playing at an All-Big Ten level. Frosh Will Johnson is starting to see more time and is getting comfortable. Safety play, too, has been very good. Junior Makari Paige (16 tackles, 2 pass break-ups) has made a huge leap and is proving tough to take off the field, while sophomore Rod Moore leads the second- ary with 26 tackles and 2 interceptions. R.J. Moten has been solid, as well, with 17 tackles and 1.5 sacks. DEFENSIVE GRADE OVERALL — A- No, the schedule hasn't been all that tough, so we don't know how this defense will fare against the "good" teams on the schedule (or team — Ohio State). But you can only play what's in front of you, and this group has been very good and getting better. Is it "built to beat Ohio State" like Joel Klatt said (not that he was predicting it)? We'll see. SPECIAL TEAMS — A- It's past time to acknowledge the job Jay Harbaugh has done with the special teams since he arrived in Ann Arbor. This year is no different. Grad student kicker Jake Moody and sixth-year punter Brad Rob- bins are the best kicker-punter combo in the country. Moody is 13-for-16 on field goals and has been very good on kickoffs, as usual. Robbins is averaging 46.2 yards per punt with 9 kicks downed inside the 20. The Wolverines are allowing only 3.4 yards per punt return and 16.1 per kick return. That's good for 15th in the country. Junior A.J. Henning has been solid on punt returns, averaging 9.4 per return (23rd na- tionally), but U-M is only 105th nationally on kick return. That needs to improve. Overall, though — great. ❏ Graduate student receiver Ronnie Bell has returned from his 2021 knee injury to lead U-M in receiving with 35 catches for 429 yards while adding 1 touchdown in the first seven games. He is averaging 12.3 yards per reception and 61.3 yards per game. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL