Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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122 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY BRYAN DRISKELL There has been one constant throughout Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh's career, and it's not what you think. The former NFL quarterback is associated with offense, and his most prominent pupil is former Stanford signal-caller Andrew Luck, the No. 1 pick of the 2012 NFL Draft. But quarterback play hasn't been what Harbaugh has built his success upon at San Diego (FCS), Stanford or Michigan. Harbaugh has won with defense. He went 22-2 in his final two years at San Diego with a pair of top-10 scoring defenses. The coach then inherited a 1-11 Stanford team that was 108th in scoring defense, but by the time he left the Cardinal was 12-1 with the na- tion's 10th-best scoring defense. His three Michigan defenses have ranked from second to 13th in scoring defense, and his fourth might be the best one yet. The unit has many believing the Wolverines will bounce back from a disappointing season. "The defense is loaded," TheWolverine.com senior editor Chris Balas said. "It should carry this team while the offense finds its way. If the offense is above average this is at least a 10-win team. This might be the most talented defense U-M has ever fielded, and it's certainly the fastest." Lindy's Sports ranked Michigan's defensive line (No. 4), linebackers (No. 5) and second- ary (No. 2) among the nation's 10 best, which made the Wolverines the lone defense to be ranked on all three levels. Of course, the Michigan defense was out- standing in 2017 as well, ranking third nation- ally in total defense, fourth in pass efficiency defense, eighth in defensive efficiency and 13th in scoring defense … but the Maize and Blue still went 8-5. If the Wolverines are going to be as good as many think, the offense must improve, and it starts with Mississippi transfer Shea Patterson, a former five-star recruit, at quarterback. "He can make all the throws," Balas said. "He also had a very good finish to the spring session, and he got comfortable." Patterson brings a different skill set to the position than what Michigan had in recent seasons. "More than anything, he can escape and make plays that are there to be made," Balas continued. "That's something last year's quar- terbacks didn't do." If Patterson can live up to the immense hype surrounding him, the Wolverines could be a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten. ✦ 2018 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2017 Result Sept. 1 at Notre Dame — Sept. 8 Western Michigan — Sept. 15 SMU — Sept. 22 Nebraska — Sept. 29 at Northwestern — Oct. 6 Maryland W, 35-10 Oct. 13 Wisconsin L, 24-10 Oct. 20 at Michigan State L, 14-10 Nov. 3 Penn State L, 42-13 Nov. 10 at Rutgers W, 35-14 Nov. 17 Indiana W, 27-20 (OT) Nov. 24 at Ohio State L, 31-20 QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: Michigan leads 24-17-1 Last Meeting: Notre Dame 31, Michigan 0 (Sept. 6, 2014; South Bend) Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh, 28-11 at U-M (4th year) and 86-38 overall (11th year) 2017 Results: 8-5 overall, 5-4 Big Ten East (4th); lost to South Carolina 26-19 in the Out- back Bowl Returning Starters: 15 (6 offense, 9 defense) 2018 Preseason Rankings: No. 5 by Lindy's, No. 5 by Athlon, No. 9 by Street & Smith's, No. 11 by Phil Steele's and No. 11 by ESPN Football Power Index Did You Know?: Michigan offensive line coach Ed Warinner (2010-11) and defensive line coach Greg Mattison (1997-2004) are former Notre Dame assistants … Junior linebacker Devin Bush was named a preseason All-American by Phil Steele's and Lindy's Sports … Junior defensive end Rashan Gary was named a first-team preseason All-American by Lindy's, and a second-team pick by Phil Steele's and Athlon Sports … Michigan's secondary was named the best defensive back unit in the country by Phil Steele's. Prediction: Notre Dame 24, Michigan 21 STRENGTH: Defensive Line Michigan boasts the best defensive line on the Notre Dame schedule, and if its young interior players develop quickly it could end up having one of the premier lines in the nation. The Wolverines have one of the more lethal one-two bookend punches in the land with the return of junior Rashan Gary and fifth-year senior Chase Winovich, a duo that combined for 30 tack- les for loss and 14 sacks last fall. Winovich was the line's most productive player in 2017, tying for the team lead with eight sacks and ranking second with 18 tackles for loss. With offenses having to focus on Gary and former standout defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (now in the NFL), Winovich put up monster numbers. Gary's numbers won't blow you away, but now a year older and stronger, he is poised for an All- America season. On the inside, the Wolverines are counting on a pair of inexperienced big men to replace Hurst. Redshirt sophomore Michael Dwumfour and sophomore Aubrey Solomon have playmaking potential, but the pair combined for just 22 tackles and three tackles for loss last season. CONCERN: Offensive Line Back when Michigan was consistently a Big Ten powerhouse, it could rely on having a physical, experienced and productive offensive line. That wasn't the case in 2017. Along with quarterback play, it served as a primary reason for Michigan's subpar record. Harbaugh hired former Minnesota offensive line coach Ed Warinner to turn it around. Warinner inherits a line with talent up the middle, but also one that has major questions marks on the edge. Junior left guard Ben Bredeson was a second- team All-Big Ten selection last season. He's a good foundation piece to build around, as is sophomore Cesar Ruiz, the nation's No. 1-ranked center in the 2017 recruiting class. Finding answers at tackle will be priority No. 1 for Warinner if the line is going to improve on its 36 sacks allowed on 346 pass attempts from last season, and if the offense is going to become a more consistent rushing team. If fifth-year senior Juwann Bushell-Beatty strug- gles in fall camp like he did last season the Wol- verines will have to consider moving Bredeson outside or turn to an unproven player. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES SEPT. 1 • NOTRE DAME STADIUM • SOUTH BEND RETURNING LEADERS Rushing: RB Karan Higdon (994 yards, 11 TD) Passing: QB Brandon Peters (672 yards, 4 TD) Receiving: WR Grant Perry (307 yards, 1 TD) Tackles: LB Devin Bush (102) Sacks: DE Chase Winovich and LB Khaleke Hudson (8) Interceptions: Four players tied with 2 X-FACTOR: Entering his second year, former five-star wideout Donovan Peoples-Jones has an opportunity to dramatically improve upon his freshman produc- tion of 22 receptions and 277 yards. Peoples-Jones has home-run speed, and if he breaks out it will make the Wolverines much harder to defend. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN