PFF: Does Michigan have the best defense in the country? (Video)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UUtgQaaI-i4
Great video and analysis. Defense is absolutely loaded.
August 19th, 2018 at 9:52 AM ^
I think we’re going to notice Mo Hursts departure. After watching some of last years defense highlights, he was the main disrupter. I’m not saying it’ll be much, but I think we’ll see a slight decrease in stuff rate, and that’s about it. We will be elite but I’m saying there will be a few times where we realize it’s not him in that spot.
August 19th, 2018 at 10:07 AM ^
The extra year of experience for the back 7, and the subsequent reduction of big plays, should more than offset the loss of Hurst. We’ll still be pretty strong against the run.
August 19th, 2018 at 10:34 AM ^
And Don Brown.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:14 PM ^
Jump on the Michael Dwumfour hype-train, while there’s still room.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:59 PM ^
PFF had Soloman rated as UM's #17th best player last year and played starter snaps the 4 games. Will he improve year 2? Have to think he will.
Dwumfour has got to be able to win his one on one battles. Hopefully all his hype is real. In his third year.
August 19th, 2018 at 10:04 AM ^
yes. This defense was third in the nation last year in total defense behind wisconsin and Alabama. 9 starters are returning. It's expected this year that our offense won't be subject to the sudden changes that forced the defense into difficult scenarios. Both of the starting corners are considered to be in the top 5 in the country thanks in no small part to Zordich. We have two defensive linemen who have the potential to be all americans who are coached by one of the best defensive line coaches in the country in Greg Mattison.
This is Don Brown's third year. Brian analyzed Don Brown's coaching history and noted that his defenses begin to run at their highest potential in year 3. Boston College had the number one defense when he was coordinator and they didn't have anywhere near the talent level that we have. Indeed, Don Brown said that this could be the fastest team he has ever coached. He expressed further that Devin Bush is the fastest linebacker he has ever had.
It's one of the most talented defenses and arguably the best staffed. There is no question as to whether this is the best defense in the country. I believe it is.
August 19th, 2018 at 11:44 AM ^
I'll gladly drink that Kool Aid, with a little Titos!
Speaking of Kool Aid, heres to seeing Kellys purple head explode!
Go Blue! 2 Weeks to go!
August 19th, 2018 at 11:45 AM ^
Love the optimism....all of the elements are there for a great year. Lets see it on the field in E Lansing and Cbus....those games will define how good of a defense this will and can be.....
August 19th, 2018 at 1:21 PM ^
Defense was fine both those games. People forget osu had 5 yards at the end of the 1st quarter and that wasn’t because we had long offensive possessions. Question this year is how good the offense will be.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:16 PM ^
"There is no question as to whether this is the best defense in the country."
There is also no question that there isn't a single shred of evidence—since this defense has yet to play a single game—to prove your assertion is unquestionable.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:40 PM ^
This is objectively true. Thank you.
Every year we Michigan fans get the hype train going in ways that are wildly unrealistic and then the bitter disappointment is equally extreme when we lose. We go from "we are the best!" to "we are the worst!" faster than any fan base I have ever seen. I have no advice or anything, just an observation.
August 20th, 2018 at 9:46 PM ^
are you excluding last year? almost the entire roster of starters is returning from last year. . .
Channel your sarcasm at the buckeye trolls who have creeped their way on the board.
August 19th, 2018 at 10:05 AM ^
DE, LB and DB will be great. DT and Safeties should improve through the season. If Mo was still here the DL would be a knock out but the DT should improve and do a good job. It will be interesting to see how the DL handles the bigger ND OL.
August 19th, 2018 at 10:25 AM ^
The good news for the ND game is that by all accounts they should be pretty one dimensional. Wimbush seems like a poor man's JT Barrett: good runner but not accurate enough in the passing game to take advantage when bad defenses aren't overcommitting to the run. I fully expect our secondary to shut down their passing game one on one, which allows everyone else to stack the box. Long story short, I don't think the ND offense will do anything all day.
The real question, and concern, is how our offense will do. A decent offensive showing, combined with our defense, should see us win handily. A bad offensive showing puts us in a close, low scoring game where a flukey play can decide it, and we haven't had good luck with those lately (or historically in South Bend).
August 19th, 2018 at 11:10 AM ^
Or historically in general. Think Colorado and Michigan State twice (right off the top of my head).
August 19th, 2018 at 10:05 AM ^
Not unless at least one of our starting DTs ends up being elite, as opposed to just very good. Solomon and Dwumfour have both gotten a lot of buzz, but both are unproven in starting roles. Gary needs to start living up to his hype as well. He needs to be playing at an undisputed All-American level this year, not just a very good all-conference level. We could also use a bump up in safety play. Our guys there are solid, but we have no great safeties.
August 19th, 2018 at 10:27 AM ^
Agree completely on Gary. I know this board will point out that he’s double teamed and that he’s so close but just getting unlucky. Bottom line is he has to make more plays this year. (Even PFF agrees. He was an 84 last year which is great, but not top 5 draft pick one in a generation talent)
August 19th, 2018 at 2:22 PM ^
He reminds me more than a little of Peppers..super hyped recruit, a freakish athlete who does make some eye-popping plays, but just not enough game-in, game-out production. He was touted as the best defensive line recruit in the last 10 years, and he has not looked like that so far. A guy like that should be wreaking constant havoc in enemy backfields. If he does not end up as first team AA this year, his college career will have to be considered somewhat of a disappointment, the opinion of scouts as to how well he will do at the next level notwithstanding.
August 19th, 2018 at 11:55 AM ^
Sparty Troll
August 19th, 2018 at 1:49 PM ^
So if you disagree with someone you right away think they are a Sparty Troll?
I’m just speaking my opinion.
August 19th, 2018 at 1:05 PM ^
I mean literally the only position we are going to maybe take at step back at is DT. Every other position is getting more experienced and should be better. So I tend to disagree that we need our DT rotation to be elite and that Gary needs to take a huge step up in order for our defense to be #1
August 19th, 2018 at 2:13 PM ^
The point is that you rarely see a #1 defense without at least one elite DT.
August 19th, 2018 at 10:14 AM ^
MSU thinks that they may have the best defense in the country. Should be a fun game.
August 19th, 2018 at 10:24 AM ^
They really think that? I'd take our second string over their first string any day of the week, especially with Brown as the playcaller.
August 19th, 2018 at 2:09 PM ^
Reasonable take...
August 19th, 2018 at 10:35 AM ^
Lol cant wait to see Herm Edwards upset MSU.
August 19th, 2018 at 10:15 AM ^
Let's revisit this question September 2nd.
August 19th, 2018 at 10:18 AM ^
Opening games are crapshoots. We won't know anything for sure after one outing. We'll know after we've played Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan State.
August 19th, 2018 at 10:30 AM ^
I mean for a developing offense I would agree. But for a defense with the same coordinator returning most starters, we should have a pretty good idea week 1.
August 19th, 2018 at 11:54 AM ^
Hi Maizen
August 19th, 2018 at 10:26 AM ^
This was posted a while ago, but still a great watch. Mo Hurst wasn't Mo Hurst until last year, and what I mean by that was, he didn't get all the snaps he got last year until Glasgow, Taco and Wormley graduated. He stepped up, like I expect Dwumfour, Mone, and Soloman to step up this year. Our LB's will be better. Our CB's will be better. Our DE's will be better. Not sure if our safeties will be and our interior guys will be, but if they are just as good, we will be dominant. If they aren't other players will step up, I'm sure of that.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:07 PM ^
Interesting that you expect DEs and CBs to be better. Same players, so presumably that is based off having more experience. Yet, you are hoping the safeties are just as good, even though they too are the returning players. Why don't you expect the additional experience will make the safeties better? Or, even worse, why might they even backslide
August 19th, 2018 at 12:26 PM ^
Gary, Bush, Hill, and Long were all Sophomores. Mettelus will only be better if they bring someone else in to cover speedy slots. Kinnel played great, even when getting beat, he had pretty good coverage. I think they have reached their ceilings. They won't get faster, so if they maintain, I'll be ecstatic.
August 19th, 2018 at 10:45 AM ^
It was hard to get past the greasy jheri curl and man bun to watch this.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:06 PM ^
Agreed- tough to watch.
Hearing man bun admit he was a ND grad at the end sealed it for me- I hate him now.
August 19th, 2018 at 11:42 AM ^
Embed for the board...
August 19th, 2018 at 12:12 PM ^
Videos are presumptuous... Just prove it and play. Hope we get back to a time where, for instance, we don't dump on a Gittleson to overly praise a Barwis who still hadn't done shit yet, and then also we stay humble. I truly hate this new Michigan fan style.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:28 PM ^
Wow, someone piss in your Cheerios this morning? I guess we should never speculate or look at video in anticipation of another season?
August 19th, 2018 at 12:56 PM ^
Wasn't Solomon the #1 rated DT coming out of high school or something? He was still pretty green this year and could be a force (especially under the defensive coaching staff we have). Players the caliber of Hurst will always be missed, but I don't think the drop off will be that severe.
We don't know for sure because we've yet to see them play this year, but it's entirely possible we have the best defense in the country. We return all but 2? players from a defense that was dominant the season before. If we have an offense that can keep the defense off the field for a while longer, then they're going to destroy.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:58 PM ^
It should be good, no question, I want to see it on the field. To be elite, it HAS to create turnovers. I want to see it stuff msu and osu. I want to see it stuff psu and Wisconsin. It has the potential, but I want to see it, not hear about hype.
August 19th, 2018 at 1:03 PM ^
Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done right now but talk. The offseason sucks.
Agreed on the turnovers. Our D was incredibly hard to score on last year, but it seemed like we couldn't get a turnover to save our lives.
August 19th, 2018 at 2:28 PM ^
Agree on the turnovers. Our defense does not generate a lot of short fields and points off of takeaways. Lack of INTs you can maybe put down to our coverage schemes, but the fact remains that we don't get very many. Our defense has also not been very effective at forcing fumbles, for whatever reason.
August 19th, 2018 at 1:29 PM ^
I wanna see 10 shutouts in a row
August 19th, 2018 at 1:38 PM ^
Best defense on paper, yes. Still gotta prove it. But I really like our chances.
I do think this will be Michigan's best defense since 1997.
August 19th, 2018 at 8:57 PM ^
Safeties were okay last year. They will need to dramatically improve for UM to be as good as 97. There's not a Woodson there, but Long and Hill are both really good.
August 19th, 2018 at 1:42 PM ^
Clemson's entire DL returned and they all could have been very high draft picks in this year's draft. They're terrifying. I dunno who would be better other than them or Alabama.
August 19th, 2018 at 2:23 PM ^
Posted August 9.
August 19th, 2018 at 8:54 PM ^
The best? Maybe not. Losing Hurst hurts, but I have confidence that Mattison will help Solomon and Dwumfor become excellent, if not serviceable interior linemen. Add a fantastic linebacker corp and top tier CB's, and I think Michigan will have a very good defense. I predict Winovich and Gary will create havoc in the backfield. I'm really excited about Michigan's desfense this season.
August 20th, 2018 at 12:02 PM ^
It should be stout. Now, let's get the O-Line in gear.