The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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APRIL 2018 THE WOLVERINE 39 "We've got so much talent at that position," Jansen raved. "We're going to be as deep as we were two years ago, when we had Taco [Charlton, a first-round NFL Draft pick] and all of those guys. You're going to see two or three guys at every position go in there and play well." The linebackers will clearly benefit from the talent up front, and they're not exactly bereft of it themselves. Bush might be thanking the men ahead of him, but he'll be wholly in- volved in a seek-and-destroy mission, after posting a team-high 102 tackles with five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss in his breakthrough year as a first- year starter. "Devin Bush was probably the sec- ond-best linebacker in college football last year," proclaimed Jansen. "He is as natural a linebacker as you're ever going to see. His instincts are dead on. His ability to cover side- line to sideline, cover backs out of the backfield, cover tight ends, rush the passer … he makes the correct read and then reacts like nobody else." Junior viper Khaleke Hudson also stepped up in a big way and will look to build on his 83 tackles, 18.5 TFLs, eight sacks, two interceptions and team-leading nine pass breakups. "He's a guy, like Devin Bush, who has great instincts," Jansen observed. "He has unbelievable athletic ability. He's strong. "He was a great player. He's only going to continue to get better and better, as he sees more looks, as Don Brown gives him the autonomy to do more things." Michigan does have to replace in- side linebacker Mike McCray, who served as a captain in his fifth-year senior season. Look for redshirt soph- omore Devin Gil to step up or maybe fifth-year senior outside linebacker Noah Furbush to move over at times, Jansen noted. He's not worried about Brown fill- ing the hole, like whoever he puts in place. "You'll probably see Don Brown put three or four guys in that posi- tion," Jansen said. "Early on, they'll all be in a position to have success. "I love our linebackers. Once again, we're going to be a top-three defense in the country, all year long." Nobody expected them to be top three a year ago, in no small part due to an all-new starting secondary. That group merely wound up leading the nation in fewest passing yards per game surrendered (150.1). The starters are all back, including junior cornerbacks Lavert Hill and David Long, along with senior safety Tyree Kinnel and junior safety Josh Metellus. With sophomore safety J'Marick Woods and sophomore cor- ner Ambry Thomas pushing hard for time — among a host of other chal- lengers, including fifth-year senior cornerback Brandon Watson — depth is building quickly. "Our corners, Lavert Hill and Da- vid Long, were outstanding," Jansen said. "It's going to be a broken re- cord, but those guys who stepped up and played well last year were young guys. They're going to have another year of experience, another year of Don Brown being able to be creative and use them in different ways. "He makes those guys play man-to- man coverage all the time, and they're successful at it. That allows that de- fensive line to really put pressure on the quarterback." Michigan's defenders would like to pry the football free more often. In 2017, the 17 turnovers they forced were tied for 81st nationally. "When you've got guys who can play man-to-man coverage, you're able to put pressure on the quarter- back and rush one more guy than anybody can block. That's when you start creating turnovers," Jansen pointed out. "That's what Don Brown wants to generate. "He wants more and more turn- overs, sudden-change situations, put your offense in a good position to be successful. "If your offense is struggling, like it did at times last year, put them in good position. Let them get confi- dence with some short fields. Even if they end up with just a field goal, that's points on the board, and it's a direct result of what Don Brown is doing on defense." Michigan's safeties need to play a big role there. Jansen wants to see them take a step forward this season. "I thought there were still some things we need to do better, in terms of coverage and run support, being a little more solid on assignments," he observed. "Tyree Kinnel and Josh Metellus are both good players." And make no mistake, Jansen in- sisted, Dr. Blitz is the man with the plan. "I love watching coaches who can make in-game adjustments and relay those adjustments to the players with- out screaming and shouting at them," Jansen said. "Don Brown's that guy. "You watch him on the sidelines, and he's just a master at, 'Okay, here's what the offense is doing. We haven't seen that, or it's a little different than what we planned for, here is how we're going to adjust.' "Now all of a sudden, what worked on the first series as an offense doesn't work anymore. His ability to make those adjustments and to get guys to play aggressively in those adjust- ments, I think is phenomenal." His defense has the chance to be phenomenal as well. With the sched- ule Michigan plays — starting under the lights at Notre Dame — it needs to be. ❏ According to former U-M All-American Jon Jansen, junior viper Khaleke Hudson out- performed former Heisman Trophy finalist Jabrill Peppers, the player he replaced, in his first year as a starter. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Former U-M All-American Jon Jansen "I love our linebackers. Once again, we're going to be a top- three defense in the country, all year long."