The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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"You've got to say that's what you're going to do if that's what it is," Mattison said before the game. "You can't say you're playing this guy, who is really fast, so we're not going to do that today. You've just got to decide when you're going to do it in a game. It's like a pitcher in baseball — if he throws it fast every time, eventually it will get knocked out." And, as the Irish proved, some- times good hitters are going to hit one out, regardless. A WORK IN PROGRESS What Notre Dame proved is that U-M's pass defense still needs work. The Wolverines didn't force a turn- over and weren't close to picking off any of Golson's 34 throws. It didn't help that the Irish quarterback was right on the money and played like a pro, but Mattison wouldn't let his group off the hook. "They hit some really crucial third downs in the first half," he said. "There were a couple where it was a perfect throw and a perfect catch. That doesn't matter. You have to stop them on third down. "When you play aggressive, that's going to happen. We all saw last year when you played off and watched people catch it in front of you. Pretty soon, they're right down there scor- ing." Lewis shook off the early penalties, and the Irish rarely looked his way again. Mattison insisted he wasn't overly concerned about his sopho- more, considered Michigan's top cover corner. "Jourdan is a competitor, now," Mattison said. "Jourdan Lewis is going to be a great football player. You've got to have a short memory. If you're going to ask a guy to go out and play man coverage, and go against one of their best receivers, a guy that's having a great night … He'd better come back the next day and the next play and say, 'Okay, that one's over with.' "We as coaches have to make sure you not being successful is not be- cause you're not playing with the perfect technique we want you to do. If it's because of aggressiveness, that's fine. Let's make sure — and that's what we all talked about as coaches hen we watch the tape — we're playing perfect technique." In fact, Lewis bounced back the next week against Miami (Ohio) to snare a first-quarter interception, which set up the Wolverines with a short field that led to a touchdown. As for the overall strategy regard- ing playing tighter coverage — it isn't going to suddenly disappear, the veteran coordinator noted. It just needs to be used selectively, with an eye toward a number of factors. "Their wide receivers were doing a great job of getting off our guys," Mattison said. "We were up on them. It wasn't like last year, where you're playing way off and saying, 'Go ahead.' We were up on them, and they beat us. "Their wide receivers did a nice job of double moves, and the ball was out quick. The quarterback was putting it right on the money. There were a couple where you say, 'You've