Since the start of spring ball, the No. 2 Michigan football team has preached its depth to the four corners of the globe. Transfer pickups, returning veterans and the “Michigan method” at countless positions — the Wolverines made their abundant talent known to anyone who was willing to listen.
Three games into the season, it’s clear Michigan wasn’t overhyping its talent — at least on defense. The Wolverines have shown that depth at multiple positions, from edge rushers to the secondary. As a result, they currently rank as the nation’s best scoring defense at 5.33 points per game.
With a talent surplus on defense comes a clearly defined identity for this iteration of Michigan football:
“The recipe for winning around here has been, you got to play great defense,” offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore recognized after beating Bowling Green. “And for us to be where we want to be, we gotta continue to do that. Those guys do an outstanding job and the other phases gotta keep building to get to their level.”
The obvious caveat is that the Wolverines haven’t played any world breakers in their non-conference schedule — just three Group of Five gimme games. But the sheer level of defensive execution in their 3-0 start might translate against tougher opponents.
For example, look at the way their depth has smothered opponents’ run games. Its defensive line can work in shifts with sophomore Mason Graham and senior Kris Jenkins constituting one unit, while sophomore Kenneth Grant and graduate student Cam Goode create another. All four have contributed to a run defense that ranks 19th in the country by only allowing 2.61 yards per carry. That stat doesn’t paint a complete picture, either. Many opponent rushing yards have come in the fourth quarter when those starters have rested and deeper backups have taken the reins.
But as much as collective groups like the defensive line have shown their prowess, individual players have also stood tall in other positions. For the edge rush unit, senior edge rusher Jaylen Harrell has gotten off to a blistering start after spending much of last season in the shadow of now NFLer Mike Morris. Harrell set a career high in tackles against UNLV, and his lone quarterback hurry against Bowling Green led to a highlight reel interception by Jenkins.
It’s inaccurate to call Harrell a true depth piece as a returning starter. Rather, his assertive start shows the long-term talent that has filled what seemed to be a vacancy after Morris went pro. In an edge room where other starters might have overshined Harrell’s own abilities, he has gotten a chance to step up in a sizable manner. Whereas last season he showed flashes in big moments, this year his play has brought consistency — at least as much as can be shown in three games.
“(I) always stayed the course,” Harrell said Tuesday. “I was never questioning nothing. Just put in the work and it’s gonna pay off. So I just gotta keep stacking days — a lot more work to do.”
Others haven’t had to wait so long. In what is perhaps the most notable display of Michigan’s defensive depth, sophomore safety Keon Sabb has stepped in to become its most utilized player at nearly 80% of defensive snaps.
Compared to last season when he only got limited reps in the non-conference slate, Sabb’s unexpected performance has come at a critical time, as a multi-year starter in junior safety Rod Moore is still injured. Sabb could be in the starting lineup for significant time, but his recent play suggests that isn’t a concern for the Wolverines.
As much as Michigan’s star-studded offense takes the spotlight, its defensive depth has shown that it forms the heartbeat of the team — the “shining light” as Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh called it.
And Harbaugh called them that for good reason. In the Bowling Green game, the Wolverines offense and special teams made numerous mistakes that put the defense in vulnerable positions. Nonetheless, the defense held the Falcons to just two field goals. Between positions that play in shifts, breakout starts for veterans and impressive sophomore leaps, the defense is enjoying contributions that can’t help but make coaches smile.
With an abundance of talent, Michigan has also bought itself time to further improve. Not only can players like Moore and preseason All-American corner Will Johnson heal up, but its offense can also work out the kinks, something especially prescient after the worst performance of junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s college career.
“The offense helps the defense; defense helps the offense; special teams helps everybody,” Goode said Saturday. “I will feel like we haven’t even touched the crest of excellence yet on either side. So just expect more.”
The concept that the Michigan’s identity comes from defense isn’t entirely new. However, the makeup of that identity is. Whereas key contributors like Morris or defensive tackle Mazi Smith carried the defense last season, this year has come by committee. That might shift now that non-conference games are finished, but the performance of Michigan’s depth could make lineup decisions difficult.
While at first it seemed as though the Wolverines’ talk of extreme depth might’ve been dramatized, the proof is in the figurative pudding. No matter the caliber of opponent, it takes a talented team to limit opponents as successfully as the Michigan defense has these past three weeks.
And as the end of the non-conference schedule means nothing but stronger opponents from here on out, that deep defensive identity is a foundation for Michigan to build from.