The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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it makes sense for the Wolverines to put four on the field together. "I think they'll be probably 75 per- cent/25 percent, 3-4 to 4-3," Ray said. "It really just depends on the forma- tion. Both of those schemes are very similar, to the point where Michi- gan doesn't have to declare and say, 'Hey, we're a 3-4 team,' or 'We're a 4-3 team.' "They're very flexible and inter- changeable, if you understand how the defensive tackles and defensive ends line up. Once they start to move, it's pretty much the same defense. "The biggest difference is, in the 3-4, you only need one guy in the middle on the D-line that needs to be a beast. That's the one-technique nose guard, who lines up over the center in the zero. In the 3-4, it gives you more flexibility with guys standing up, like more athletic guys on the perimeter of the defensive line who can rush the quarterback or drop." Michigan has a bevy of inside line- backers, starting with seniors Joe Bolden and Desmond Morgan, who have notched a combined 416 career tackles and 26 tackles for loss. The 6-3, 232-pound Bolden is the top returning tackler on the team (102 stops) and is the default leader of the linebackers while the 6-1, 236-pound Morgan is back for a fifth year after missing the 2014 season following an injury against Appalachian State in week one. "I'd like to see Joe become more than a practice All-American, and re- ally take all the things he does well at practice and show them on Saturday," Ray said. "He's very instinctive. He knows what Michigan's offense is go- ing to do. He flies around in practice, and he's very vocal. He anticipates well. He's a smart kid. I don't think he always shows that on Saturday. "I can see Desmond, with his expe- rience, starting off at the other inside linebacker." Gedeon and McCray should both make strong pushes to unseat the vet- erans at inside linebacker, while on the outside, senior Royce Jenkins-Stone and Furbush are ideal fits in the 3-4 because their strengths (rushing the passer) are utilized and their weak- nesses (coverage) are minimized. Someone like Ojemudia could also play an outside linebacker role. "Royce can be interchangeable where he can back up Ojemudia at that Buck linebacker," Ray said. "The Buck linebacker in the 3-4 is the de- fensive end that lines up to the weak side, opposite the tight end. He stands up, but in the 4-3 that guy has his hand on the ground. Royce can be versatile enough to play the Sam or the Buck linebacker.' "I think the linebackers can be pretty good overall. They're just go- ing to have to be able to make plays in space and fly around sideline to sideline, looking at the offenses they will face this year. "It's going to start off with the up- perclassmen, the leadership — James Ross, Desmond Morgan, Joe Bolden. But then it's going to come down to production. I know D.J. Durkin wants speed and production on that field. It doesn't matter if you're a senior or a freshman — the best players are going to play." ❏