The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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after noting the close coverage didn't seem to be viewed equally in the con- test. "When you play aggressive, that's going to happen," Mattison said. "We all saw [last year] where you played off, and watched people catch it in front of you. Pretty soon, they're right down there scoring. "That can happen. There were a few of the same things against our offense that weren't called. I'm never going to complain about officiating, that's just part of it when you decide to be an aggressive team. If they got him, they got him." Mattison noted in some games, especially when shorthanded like the Wolverines were at Notre Dame, he may opt for more of a three- linebacker look than the amount of nickel package U-M played against the Irish. The bottom line is, Michi- gan has to improve, react to situa- tions and mix up the defense, he said. "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've got to be kidding me. We've got a guy hit- ting him and the coverage isn't aw- ful, and he put it right there." "We have to go back and forth be- tween some zone and man, so they don't know exactly what you're in all the time." While he was pleased over the Wolverines surrendering just 54 yards rushing in the game, Mattison noted three key areas where Michi- gan has to improve to keep teams off the scoreboard going forward. Red zone defense (where Notre Dame went 4 of 4, with three touchdowns), no turnovers forced, and third-down situations (the Irish going, as men- tioned earlier, 7 of 15, with several back-breakers) hurt Michigan badly. Like others, though, Mattison con- ceded nothing. "I don't worry about this defense," Mattison said. "They want to be a credit to Michigan. They want to be a great defense. They came in Sunday hurting, just like everybody else. If you watch the tape, I've never seen a defense play as hard as they played, play in and play out, for 60-some plays. "I'm watching the fourth quar- ter, and I'm seeing [fifth-year senior linebacker] Jake [Ryan] and [junior linebacker] Joe [Bolden and [redshirt sophomore defensive tackle] Willie [Henry] and guys running as hard as they did in the first quarter. That's all you can ask. The rest of it, that's our job." Special Teams Michigan capped the Triple Crown of frustration with a tough night by its kickers. Senior placekicker Matt Wile missed on two long field goal attempts, including hooking one badly when his plant foot slipped on the second. Fifth-year senior Will Hagerup av-