The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1514918
FEBRUARY 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 65 F or the first time since 1997, Mich- igan defeated all comers and was crowned national champion of college football. It was the culmina- tion of a three-year turnaround under head coach Jim Harbaugh since the CO- VID-19 season, during which the Wol- verines posted an astounding 40-3 re- cord and improved a bit each year until they reached the pinnacle of the sport. During these three years, much was made about how Michigan's turnaround coincided with Harbaugh's decision to revisit his ground-and-pound identity on offense after a brief stint with "speed in space." It helped that the Wolverines devel- oped or brought in All-Americans or All-Big Ten players on the offensive line, could hand the ball off to the best running back in program history in Blake Corum and had uber-efficient J.J. Mc- Carthy at quarterback to make plays with his arm (and legs) when necessary. As a result, U-M was 12th in Offensive SP+ in 2023. However, although Corum dazzled with his 17-yard touchdown scamper in overtime against Alabama in the Rose Bowl and shut the door on Washington with 2 fourth-quarter scores in the Col- lege Football Playoff championship game, Michigan did not win the national title due to its offense. Michigan won a national title just like it did in 1997: with the country's best de- fense. The Wolverines were dominant on the defense all season. They were first in scoring defense (10.4 points per game) and were the first team since 1903 to not allow 25 or more points in 15-plus games. They also were first in total defense (247.0 yards allowed per game). Although they were only fourth in yards allowed per play (4.28), when adjusted for opponent quality and garbage time, they were first in Defense SP+. Until the CFP, though, many critics did not buy that Michigan was this elite on defense. They pointed to the many horrid Big Ten offenses and claimed the Wol- verines were just feasting on the poor. They predicted that Alabama dual-threat quarterback Jalen Milroe or Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and his elite triumvirate of receivers would shred U- M's defense. Although these critics were correct that Michigan had feasted on the poor— nine of U-M's first 13 opponents were 91st or worse in Offensive SP+ — they failed to realize just how impressive U-M needed to be to feast as it had. And boy, did those critics finally realize that after the CFP. The Maize and Blue held Alabama to 20 points — the fewest by the Tide in any game started by Milroe this season — and 4.36 yards per play — tied for the fewest by the Tide in their last 73 contests. Ala- bama did not have a drive longer than 55 yards all game and only reached 20 points due to special teams. The Wolverines sti- fled Milroe's big-play prowess, limiting him to 5 yards per pass attempt, 3 yards per carry and only one play 20 yards or longer all contest. Then, in the CFP National Champion- ship game, Michigan's defense had Penix and Washington's Joe Moore Award-win- ning offensive line seeing ghosts. Just one game after Penix lit up Texas with 430 passing yards (11.0 per attempt) and 37 points, he had arguably his worst game of the season against Michigan. He com- pleted only 27 of 51 throws for 255 yards (5.0 per attempt) and had a season-low 93.57 passer rating. Although the Wol- verines recorded only 1 sack, they pres- sured and hit Penix all night to where he was battered and uncomfortable trying to decipher coordinator Jesse Minter's complex coverages. As a result, the Wolverines' defense muzzled the Huskies to 13 points and 4.24 yards per play. Both were the low- est under then-head coach Kalen De- Boer (now at Alabama). There are no more doubters anymore about Michigan's defense. This unit was the star of the CFP and the star of the season. With nine Wolverines totaling at least 200 snaps, led by defensive tackle Mason Graham, the defensive line re- mained fresh all year and attacked op- posing offenses in relentless waves. With 71 combined starts and 107 combined games played, starting linebackers Mi- chael Barrett and Junior Colson manned the middle of the field with experience, speed and discipline. And in the back, with a pair of All- Americans in receiver-turned-nickel- back Mike Sainristil and corner Will Johnson, Michigan's secondary created nightmares. U-M was third nationally in interceptions (18) and first in interception return yards (419) and pick sixes (4). In fact, the question has now become where the 2023 Michigan unit ranks in the pantheon of great defenses. According to ESPN's Bill Connelly, SP+ would list this Wolverines defense as the second-best since the turn of the millennium, ranking it behind only the 2011 Alabama defense and ahead of that 2021 Georgia unit that many publicly debated was one of the best of all-time. But wherever this Michigan defense is ranked, there is no doubt it was why the Wolverines were able to sing "The Victors" while national championship confetti rained down upon them in Houston. ❏ INSIDE THE NUMBERS ❱ DREW HALLETT Defense Wins Championships Michigan's swarming defense bottled up quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and held the explosive Washington offense to 24.6 points below its season scoring average in the CFP National Championship game to guide U-M to a 34-13 victory. PHOTO BY GABRIELLA CERITANO Staff writer Drew Hallett has covered Michigan athletics since 2013. Contact him at drew.c.hallett@gmail.com and follow him on X (Twitter) @DrewCHallett.