The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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26 THE WOLVERINE ❱ MAY 2023 BY CLAYTON SAYFIE F or the first time since 2020, Michigan has a returning defensive c o o r d i n a t o r. J e s s e Minter is entering his second campaign with the Maize and Blue, after interviewing with the Philadelphia Eagles this offsea- son, giving the group a boost. "Just tremendous cohesive- ness," Minter said of the conti- nuity. "Everybody understands each other's expectations, they understand my expectations. I understand [head] Coach [Jim] Harbaugh's expectations, I un- derstand the players' expecta- tions." According to ESPN.com, the Wolverines return 78 percent of their defensive production from a unit that ranked sixth nation- ally in total defense and seventh in scoring defense last season. The Wolverines will be with- out potential first-round NFL Draft picks in defensive tackle Mazi Smith and cornerback DJ Turner, and Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year Mike Morris is also off to the pro ranks. But Minter is confident about the established play- ers he has returning, plus some up- and-coming youngsters who can prove themselves. "We have some key losses, certainly, but I feel good about where the guys are at and just knowledge, understanding, attacking the first-day, sort of picking up where we left off," Minter explained. Knowing the expectations is the basis for taking the next step, Minter said. "We talk about our four pillars be- ing really important — effort, block destruction, ball disruption and com- munication," Minter revealed. "We've made strides in those areas, but I hon- estly think that there are leaps and bounds more for us in all four of those areas. I look forward to these guys con- tinuing to chase those." DEFENSIVE LINE Senior edge Braiden McGregor has been a spring ball darling, mentioned by his teammates as one who's stood out. He's in better shape, he said, and has a newfound sense of confidence. "He's trusted the process here, and he's continued to develop at a really fast, high rate," Minter said. "He has a chance to be a dominant player." The Wolverines are looking to replace the production provided by Morris, who had 7.5 sacks last season. Mc- Gregor, senior Jaylen Harrell, sophomore Derrick Moore and junior Josaiah Stewart, a Coastal Carolina transfer, are all in the mix to do that. Stewart, especially, stood out in the spring game, when he posted a game-high 2 tack- les for loss, 1 sack and 5 tackles. He's undersized at 6-foot-1, 237 pounds but has the tools to make an impact and may be too good to keep off the field. " H e 's h a d a p ro d u c t i ve spring," Minter said. "If you talk to some of our guys, they'd say he stood out at times." A "weakness" of the 2022 de- fense was the pass rush, accord- ing to a pair of defensive tackles, senior Kris Jenkins and sopho- more Kenneth Grant. Only 6.5 of the team's 37 sacks came from the interior defensive line. Je n k i n s i s l o c ke d i n a s a starter. Replacing Smith at the nose tackle spot is up to Grant and classmate Mason Graham, who posted 27 tackles and 2.5 sacks last year. Grant was the No. 1 overall pick by the Maize team in the spring game draft, due in part to the fact that he was set to play for the majority of the scrimmage but also be- cause he'll be a big piece — literally, at 6-foot-3, 356 pounds — this fall. Junior Rayshaun Benny from Detroit is a ver- satile player who can rotate in, too. He flashed in the spring game with 2 stops for loss and 1 sack. To get more out of the pass rush, Minter said, it starts with stopping the run and "creating more negative plays on nontraditional passing downs." "So, when we dialed up the pressure, dialed up something on third down, we were pretty good, but we had very, very Senior edge Braiden McGregor was one of the top defensive players in U-M's spring practices. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL GREAT EXPECTATIONS Michigan's Defense Is Looking To Take The Next Step