Much has been made of Michigan Wolverines football's new defensive scheme under first-year coordinator Mike Macdonald and how it may help the Maize and Blue improve its dismal numbers from a year ago, when they finished 84th nationally in total defense and 95th in scoring defense.

But don't overlook the impact the new scheme will have on Michigan's offense, redshirt junior offensive lineman Andrew Stueber said while meeting with the media Wednesday, U-M's sixth day of fall camp.

Under coordinator Don Brown, who led the Wolverines' defense from 2016-20, Michigan ran mostly man-to-man coverage and brought a lot of pressure in the form of blitzes. Brown's style was distinct. While Macdonald's unit will certainly have its own flavor, different than that of other defenses across the country — some say it's an NFL-style scheme — in many different ways, it's similar to what Michigan's offense will see throughout the coming season.

That's an added advantage in and of itself.

"This defense is different from the defense we had before. It’s really refreshing to see a new defense," Stueber said. "It’s kind of nice, because all of spring ball, it was learning a new defense, different calls and it was kind of refreshing hearing different calls — it makes it more game-like, trying to game plan a defense that they’re really still installing.

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"I like the way they’re playing around — they’re playing really fast, they’re playing to the ball, they’re playing physical and it pushes us as an offense to come together and work harder. Iron sharpens iron, so I can’t wait for them to put in tougher schemes, tougher stunts, trying to decode that, figure it out. But so far, it’s been really good to see, and I can’t wait to see how they do in the season.

"I definitely think it helps us, because Don Brown’s defense — and it was great in so many ways — was a very unique defense in a lot of ways. What Coach Macdonald is doing right now is very impressive in that they’re showing us a lot of different fronts and different stunts, but a lot of those stunts are ones we’re going to see throughout the season.

"We’re already starting to game plan four-down fronts, some Okie fronts — and obviously a lot of teams play that and have those fronts in. Being able to, with every install, game plan our defense and the looks they’ve shown so far and the ones we think they might put in too, it’s been really cool to try to game plan our defense like a whole new team."

What's also refreshing is the way new offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore — who transitioned over from tight ends coach this offseason, replacing Ed Warinner — is leading the men in the trenches, with Stueber having raved about his new position coach.

"I just love Coach Moore. I love his enthusiasm; I love his mindset in the game," Stueber said.

"He’s really big in being an interactive, communicative coach. Being able to let a freshman, whatever year, come in and talk and just really learn the game — it makes it a lot more fun for a lot of guys coming in. I love that approach.

"And he’s all about playing fast and physical. Obviously, we’ve had coaches like that in the past, but he knows from personal experience — he obviously played offensive line at Oklahoma — so he knows the position, how to get the job done, how to push us. Him talking from experience is a very different kind of mindset that we had in the past with some of our other coaches. Still great coaches — I’m not going to talk bad about any of them; they’re great coaches — but I think his way is a bit different in that aspect.

"He’s had personal experience from it, so for him to be able to come out and give that perspective is something that a lot of young guys like, and I like as well."

The leadership on the team is better, too, and out of all five of the years Stueber has been on campus, there's been more positive energy and motivation in the program than ever before.

"That energy going into spring ball was something I’ve never seen before, and something I’ve never seen carried all the way through spring ball into the spring game," Stueber said. "It’s something that is unheard of for me. Especially now, going into the season, going into fall camp, the senior leadership is something that’s really good, and the bond that the seniors class.

"That leadership and that bond has trickled down to the whole team. The whole team, right now, is very close. From a teammate bond, from a brotherhood bond, I think that we’re really close and we’re growing that. We’re getting the freshmen involved, we’re bringing them along. I think that the bond we have right now is something that I haven’t really felt as close in past years, maybe because I was an underclassman or something and now I’m a fifth year. Right now, the bond we have as a team is something that’s special, and I can’t wait to see it happen come fall."

Last week, Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis said that second-year freshman offensive lineman Zak Zinter might just be the best offensive player on the entire squad, high praise for a guy who has only started four career games.

"Zak is really impressive. He came in last year, and a lot was asked of him to step in and play right guard for us throughout the whole season — that’s tough for a freshman to do, especially in the offensive line room," Stueber said.

"I think what’s so impressive about him is the way he can transfer the game to the college-level speed is something that’s really impressive to me. Coming from high school to college is a big difference, and speed of play, knowledge of play, recognition of fronts and stuff … the way he can transfer the stuff from the meeting room to the field, and then execute it at a high speed and high level, is something that’s really impressive.

"It’s great playing beside him right now, and I can’t wait to continue that coming into the fall."

One way or another, it's likely that Stueber, as he said, will play next to Zinter. However, it has yet to be determined where exactly that will be.

Zinter will start at either center or guard, and Stueber will be the man at either right tackle, where he's primarily playing right now, or right guard, another position he has experience at. Stueber has seen more snaps at tackle throughout his career, but said he has no preference on where he plays.

"It just comes down to being able to be ready for whatever position they put you in," Stueber said, noting he'll do whatever is best for the team to win. "Me and [Zinter] are both trying to play two positions, just to try to know the calls, know the feel, everything. So wherever they need us to play, we'll play [and be] ready to play wherever they want to put us."

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