The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/201975
michigan football Mattison, Michigan's defensive coordinator, was not happy after the Wolverines gave up 47 points and 572 yards to Indiana, with 269 of those yards coming on just seven big plays. photo by per kjeldsen Big Plays Allowed Irk Greg Mattison Though Michigan's defense had plenty to work on, the unit had been extremely strong in one area through the first five games — big plays allowed. The Wolverines ranked among the national leaders in surrendering just 14 plays of 20 yards or more in five contests, holding Minnesota without one and Connecticut to a single big play. In U-M's loss to Penn State, however, the Nittany Lions accrued four pass completions of 20 yards or greater, including back-to-back plays of 29 and 36 yards on their gametying fourth-quarter TD drive. The Wolverines beat Indiana a week later thanks to an outpouring of offensive execution in which Michigan racked up 751 yards and scored 63 points. The defense allowed 47 points and 572 yards, with 269 of those yards coming on seven big plays surrendered. "That's not our defense," said coordinator Greg Mattison, irritated. "We've got some things we've got to get corrected. A lot of that is on me. Anytime something like this happens, you've got to look at yourself, the game plan, what you had in. I think there are some things we could have done different. We'll get it corrected. "Your job as a defensive coordina-