January 15th, 2024 at 1:46 PM ^
Thanks Rod! The D will be just fine this year.
January 15th, 2024 at 1:47 PM ^
Love this. Keep the good news coming,
January 15th, 2024 at 1:47 PM ^
That's huge. We're essentially a CB2 and 1 LB away from another NFL-caliber defense.
January 15th, 2024 at 1:49 PM ^
we have Hausmann, Barham and Rolder at LB
plus good depth
January 15th, 2024 at 1:50 PM ^
Need coach Minter, too.
January 15th, 2024 at 8:07 PM ^
Or anyone from Ravens defense staff over age of 31 at this point. But prefer Jesse!
January 15th, 2024 at 1:51 PM ^
Maybe that was supposed to be one LB coach?
January 15th, 2024 at 1:53 PM ^
Hood was making noise too
January 15th, 2024 at 2:00 PM ^
I'm excited about Hausmann
Don't remember seeing much of Rolder except for the terrible bust against OSU
January 15th, 2024 at 2:04 PM ^
That's what I'm thinking. Hausmann is proven. Rolder and Barham certainly could step up, and I wouldn't be surprised if 1 or both of them do. But we're 1 LB away in terms of PROVEN production against high-level competition.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:20 PM ^
Barham is already a dude.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:33 PM ^
Jaden Hood as well.
January 15th, 2024 at 1:47 PM ^
This is great news. I've seen him in mock drafts in round 2-3
January 15th, 2024 at 2:31 PM ^
Same, I'm kind of surprised about this. I guess its like they say "those who stay will be repeat champions"
January 15th, 2024 at 8:09 PM ^
Two OSU defensive players marked for first round returned. (could be 3 as Sawyer and JTT are variable mock after mock and Burke every mock) Don't be surprised. There is a shitload of money going to these people.
January 15th, 2024 at 1:47 PM ^
Soooooo scoring 22pts gonna win any game next year
January 15th, 2024 at 1:47 PM ^
So excited for the defense next year!
January 15th, 2024 at 1:49 PM ^
LFG. Go Blue.
January 15th, 2024 at 1:49 PM ^
Rod saw OSU getting cocky about the people they were brining back and decided he wanted to crush their hopes and dreams again.
If he goes out 4-0 against OSU as a key contributor in all those games, he'll be an even bigger legend.
January 15th, 2024 at 1:49 PM ^
Hell Yes.
Michigan is beating Ohio State in 2024.
January 15th, 2024 at 3:40 PM ^
Could you imagine that meltdown with them bringing so many guys back...glorious! Lol
January 15th, 2024 at 1:50 PM ^
Huge. Defense going to be great.
January 15th, 2024 at 1:51 PM ^
Obviously the most important piece to return is Jesse Minter.
But this is big. There are always questions on any returning team; last year the Qs were edge rushing and CB2, and the result was a generationally good defense that played its best on the biggest stage.
Now we have some questions of depth and LB2 and CB2 again. Not massive holes, just, "how's it going to shape out." This looks like a top 5 defense, easily, with Jesse Minter directing it.
Qs to answer on offense, as always. I'm guessing the team will take a modest step back, because this past year is the best Michigan team of the modern era and it's hard to replicate that, but things look set up to be very, very good.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:06 PM ^
I think most of the offense will be fine. Edwards coming back is big, and there’s plenty of talent coming in at that position. OL has plenty of depth and guys ready to play. Loveland is back and TEs under Harbaugh are always filed under the category of “we ain’t got nothing to worry about.” WRs are a question mark, but a Harbaugh offense hasn’t placed a major emphasis on them so we’ll see how that pans out.
My only concern is QB. Maybe an unknown emerged in the transfer portal and it pans out, but my hope is that we don’t have a 2017 situation where the QB play drops off a cliff so much that it holds the rest of the team back. This is where whiffing on Dante Moore (twice) will really hurt.
I feel confident about Jadyn Davis for 2025 and beyond, as he’s got plenty of talent, but he should be a “break glass in case of emergency” kind of QB next year. You don’t throw a true freshman QB into the fire, with this kind of schedule, unless you have no other choice, or unless he’s Trevor Lawrence.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:39 PM ^
Or Chad Henne
January 15th, 2024 at 8:11 PM ^
"My only concern is the most important position in sports"
ok great
Davis shouldn't touch the field in 2024 - see how it broke Dante Moore who was rated much higher. He also is no guarantee in 25 or anytime - plenty of guys higher than him have been busts. We need to refill that room big time.
WR room also a concern sorry - we have 2 guys returning who were WR3/4 and now asked to fit big boy shoes - if either get hurt our WR2 is someone who did nothing this year. And our portal ability to bring WR here is low because of offense. Laughable to say we don't really need much there because of offense when OSU is going to stack 8-9 in a box with a running back at QB currently and 2 WRs who would be WR6 in their room.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:45 PM ^
Disagree on LB2 being much of a question. Hausmann and Barham is legit. And then Rolder and other young guys. I'm more concerned about how McBurrows or others play in the Sainristil role than anything at LB.
January 15th, 2024 at 8:14 PM ^
Imagine if the LB room gets injuries. You need depth. We have 2 proven and the next guy busted the moment he played OSU.
January 15th, 2024 at 1:52 PM ^
That's a big one.
January 15th, 2024 at 1:54 PM ^
Awesome - we are going to have a really strong D next year.
The one D player I thought would return who isnt right now - McGregor. Thought he could work himself into a 1st rounder next year. Is there any chance he could change his mind?
January 15th, 2024 at 1:59 PM ^
It would have been awesome to have him back, but he has his degree, going out on top, and has several teammates like Derrick Moore and Josaiah Stewart looking to step up.
January 15th, 2024 at 1:57 PM ^
Love it. Defense is going to be nasty next year
January 15th, 2024 at 1:57 PM ^
hurrah
January 15th, 2024 at 1:57 PM ^
Let’s gooo. Hell yeah
Oof, this D has potential to be an all timer
January 15th, 2024 at 1:58 PM ^
So when does DC1 tweet his return?
January 15th, 2024 at 1:59 PM ^
Now if we can get Minter back or another Ravens John Harbaugh protégé, this defense is going to be absolutely legit again.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:09 PM ^
Nice! Have we heard anything about Paige or Quintin Johnson yet?
January 15th, 2024 at 2:11 PM ^
The defense might be OK, folks. Just a feeling, no evidence, so of course the normal qualifiers about strength of conclusion apply.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:12 PM ^
My wife who is not a sports fan but is forced to listen to me talk about Michigan football non- stop over the past few weeks/ months heard me say I can't believe Rod Moore is coming back he's projected to be a 2nd or 3rd rounder. She replied" The NIL works in mysterious ways."
January 15th, 2024 at 2:13 PM ^
Now let's keep Minter.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:16 PM ^
Great to hear. This defense is going to be damn good again. Maybe not quite as deep as 2023, but we are going to see the value of all that developed depth from this season.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:16 PM ^
College football world is gonna be shocked when our 2024 defense surpasses even the 2023 group. It’s a wild prospect, but it isn’t the craziest idea given who all is returning. We probably do need to portal in an EDGE or two and a LB who fits more into the hybrid space player™️ mold.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:16 PM ^
Rod Moore's face was impassive behind his Cartier buff sunglasses during the afternoon's meeting with the team's academic advisor.
"OK, Rod, most of this looks good... You've met the foreign language requirements, and should be on track to graduate next spri... Wait, hold up.."
Moore glanced up. "'Sup?"
"Well, the CRISP software is giving me an error about one of your scheduled electives. Gimme a sec." The advisor scrunched up her face. "Ah ok, so Advanced Schematic Countermeasures 3024 is what's being flagged."
"Yeah," Moore shrugged. "It's the film study we put in to beating Ohio State's offense. Coach cleared it with the academic people so we got elective credit for it."
"Yeah, I see that, but according to this, you've already taken that course three times and gotten an A all three times, and university policy says you can't take it for additional credit."
Moore smirked. "That's why I'm teaching it this semester."
January 15th, 2024 at 2:17 PM ^
We're gonna be 2017 all over again
January 15th, 2024 at 2:24 PM ^
Go Blue!
January 15th, 2024 at 2:28 PM ^
The D is going to dominate, please bring Minter back as the HC if Harbaugh decides to go to the NFL.