The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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board following their own turnovers. The Wolverines are five for five in that area through three games, hav‑ ing allowed zero points on sudden‑ change situations. "They haven't scored until they score," head coach Jim Harbaugh said. "It starts with the turnover. If you're an offensive player, you do not let them get into the end zone. There are so many times you can get a tackle, whether it's on the 5 or the 3, but you don't let them into the end zone. "Then you play that stingy way on defense. They're not getting into our end zone. If they have to settle for a field goal, that's what you want them to do rather than get into the end zone. We want to play with the mindset that they're not getting into our end zone." Mattison emphasized turnovers as Michigan's defensive coordinator the past four years, but the Wolverines didn't get results. They generated only 14 last year and ranked 123rd nationally. "In practice you try to get every turnover you can," Mattison said. "We've stressed that probably more this year than ever. There's a lot of praise in that meeting room for a guy in practice. You show that clip and show how important getting a turn‑ over is. That's been emphasized a great deal." LINE LEADING THE WAY EARLY The results haven't been there when it comes to takeaways, but that would be one of the few com‑ plaints about a unit that's done what it should against lesser competi‑