The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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32 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2022 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL It's been a work in progress, but it's starting to come around. — Chris Balas QUARTERBACKS COACH POSITION ENDOWED BY ROBERT McCOLLUM FAMILY U-M Athletics announced on Oct. 18 that university alum and donor Robert McCollum pledged $2 million to endow the quarterbacks coaching position with the football program, currently held by Matt Weiss. The job will now be known as the Robert McCollum Family Quarter- backs Coach. "I am honored to have my position associated with the McCollum family," Weiss said. "It was great to speak with Robert, to get to know him and to have the opportunity to thank him for this com- mitment and generous support of our program. "I hope they feel great pride for Michi- gan whenever they see their name associ- ated with this position." McCollum, a Struthers, Ohio, native, was a member of the program from 1956- 57 and graduated from U-M in 1961 with a degree in speech and business. He is the retired chairman of R.S. Hughes, a man- ufacturing company out of Sunnyvale, Calif., that offers items such as tapes, printers, shipping supplies, adhesives and more. McCollum created the Robert McCol- lum Endowed Football Scholarship in 2016. The recipient of this year's scholar- ship is junior running back Blake Corum. "We appreciate the generous gestures that Robert McCollum and his family continue to make to express their com- mitment to our football program and athletic department," head coach Jim Harbaugh said in a statement. "Robert's multiple gifts to our program over the last few years have helped provide better resources for our student-athletes and staff." — Anthony Broome U-M DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JESSE MINTER IS A NOMINEE FOR BROYLES AWARD Michigan had a Broyles Award winner last season, and the Maize and Blue have another contender in 2022. First-year defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has been named as a nominee for the honor, handed out annually to the nation's top assistant. He is one of 51 coaches to make the cut. Last season, Michigan saw for- mer offensive coordinator Josh Gattis take home the hardware. The Broyles Award semifinalists will be announced Nov. 22, followed by the unveiling of the finalists Nov. 29. Minter is one of seven Big Ten assis- tants to be nominated, joining Illinois de- fensive coordinator Ryan Walters, Iowa DC Phil Parker, Minnesota DC Joe Rossi, Ohio State DC Jim Knowles, Penn State DC Manny Diaz and Rutgers DC Joe Ha- rasymiak. Minter's unit leads the nation in scoring defense (11.2 points allowed per game), total defense (232.8 yards surrendered per outing) and rushing defense (72.7 yards given up per contest). The Wolverines are fourth in the coun- try in pass defense, yielding just 160.1 yards per game, and second in pass de- fense efficiency, allowing 5.3 yards per attempt. They've allowed just 127 first downs, the fewest in the country. Through 10 games, Michigan has al- lowed 20 or more points to just one oppo- nent (Maryland; 34) and held five teams to 10 points or less. Michigan has been especially good in second halves, with coaches and players crediting Minter and the staff for mak- ing great adjustments. Over the last five weeks, the Wolverines have outscored opponents 117-3 after halftime. They've outscored teams 91-6 in the third quarter this year. There were questions surrounding the pass rush and the defense as a whole heading into Minter's first season in Ann Arbor. Statistically, the group is better at this point in the season, and the pass rush numbers bear that out as well. Michigan is averaging 3.1 sacks per game this season, compared to 2.4 a year ago. Minter has loved how his defense has come together after losing star edge rush- ers Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo from a season ago. "When I first started looking at the personnel and looking at some of the things they did last year, I was like, 'OK, we've got a lot of good pieces coming back that have played some snaps. I don't know that there's that one guy, a tran- scendent player like Aidan,'" Minter said on the "Inside Michigan Football" radio show Nov. 14. "But the guys have really, really bought in, and Coach [Jim] Harbaugh said at the beginning of the year, this is a team de- fense, a 'no-star' defense. And I think that's become kind of a mindset of ours, that it really doesn't matter — we want somebody to make the play, it doesn't matter who it is." — Clayton Sayfie QUICK HITTERS • Michigan football is 10-0 for the first time since 2006, the second time since 1997 and third time since 1974. • U-M remains the only team in the country that has not been tied or trailed in the fourth quarter through 10 games this season. There have only been two drives (five total plays) when an opponent has had the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead from U-M in the fourth quarter. • Michigan has outscored its opponents 117-3 in the second half of its last 5 games (Indiana, Penn State, Michigan State, Rutgers and Nebraska). • Michigan and Ohio State are the only unbeatens who have won every game by at least one touchdown. It would have been every game by double digits if Michigan didn't allow a garbage-time touchdown to Maryland that cut the lead from 15 to 7 points. The same thing happened in 2006. Both Michigan and Ohio State were 11-0 and won every game by at least a touchdown. OSU prevailed in that year's matchup of The Game, 42-39. • After losing its defensive coordinator to the NFL and seven defensive starters (including two first-rounders and a second-rounder) from a year ago, Michigan now ranks at or near the top in these NCAA statistical categories through Nov. 13: — 1st in total defense (232.8 yards allowed per game) — 1st in scoring defense (11.20 points given up per game) — 1st in rushing defense (72.7 yards surrendered per game) — 2nd in passing efficiency defense (98.55 rating) — 4th in passing yards allowed (160.1 per game) — Drew Hallett