It was one of the biggest plays of the season for Michigan's defense. But Brandent Englemon wanted more.

Down 10-0 late in the first half of last Saturday's game, Penn State drove to the Michigan five-yard line. On third-and-goal, Nittany Lion quarterback Anthony Morelli saw Jordan Norwood in the left flat near the goal line. But Englemon flew in, stepping in front of Norwood and breaking up Morelli's wobbly would-be touchdown pass.

Englemon's pass break-up forced Penn State to settle for a field goal, but he was frustrated he didn't come up with the interception.

"(Defensive coordinator Ron English) made an adjustment, and I was able to pick up on it," Englemon said. "I was just in the right spot at the right time. I made the play, but I didn't make the play. I should have caught the ball."

A redshirt junior, Englemon has already made more than his fair share of plays. In two-plus years as an on-and-off starting safety and special teams player, he's racked up 71 tackles, including two sacks.

It's not just the number of tackles Englemon records, but their quality that sets Englemon apart. Despite his relatively compact frame - 5 foot 11, 205 pounds - Englemon packs a big wallop from his safety position. He has developed a reputation for being one of the Wolverines' biggest hitters in the secondary. Opposing receivers know that, if given the opportunity, No. 31 won't hesitate to lay them out.

"I just go out there and try to play with great intensity," Englemon said. "And a lot of times, I'm in a position to make a big hit. It's just fun making the big hit and getting the crowd going."

A few years ago, it seemed unlikely that Englemon would ever be dropping into coverage and popping receivers for the Maize and Blue. He was a lightly regarded two-star prospect, according to Rivals100.com, from Covington, Ky. - hardly the typical Wolverine profile.

But Lloyd Carr and the Michigan coaching staff saw something in Englemon and offered him one of the Wolverines' last scholarships in 2002. For Englemon, who also considered playing for his home-state Kentucky Wildcats, the opportunity to play for Michigan was just too much to refuse.

"When I came up here, my high school coach was a big Michigan fan, and he helped me get visits and stuff up here," Englemon said. "When I came up here, I loved the atmosphere. (Michigan safety) Willis (Barringer) was my host, and we just connected, so I just decided to come up here instead of Kentucky."

It didn't take long for Englemon to prove his coaches' intuitions right. In his redshirt freshman year, 2004, Englemon played every game and made eight special-teams tackles, the second-best total on the team.

Last season, Englemon took another step up, when he filled in for injured safety Ryan Mundy and didn't miss a beat as the starter.

Now, Mundy's back. And while Englemon hasn't relinquished his role without a fight, he says that he enjoys competing with Mundy for playing time in the Wolverine secondary.

"It's a friendly competition," Englemon said. "Of course, me and Ryan compete in a lot of things. It just helps both of us get better. It helps the position in itself. The competition helps bring out the best in everybody."

Although Mundy has started more games, defensive coordinator Ron English has found it difficult to keep Englemon off the field. As a backup, Englemon has already collected 16 tackles.

And when he does get in, Englemon's fresh legs increase his already substantial playmaking ability, as Penn State found out the hard way Saturday.