Camp Kickoff: Michigan's defensive scheme and rotations

Camp Kickoff Series:

Maize&BlueReview - Camp Kickoff: Michigan's defensive scheme and rotations (rivals.com)
Maize&BlueReview - Camp Kickoff: Top position battles to watch for Michigan (rivals.com)
Maize&BlueReview - Camp Kickoff: 5 Storylines to Watch (rivals.com)

Part three of the Camp Kickoff series and we are going to focus on the defensive line and secondary, and how Michigan's scheme impacts the depth chart and rotations.

There are position battles and players jockeying for position, we know that Michigan is going to play as many players at these positions as they can. As we have been discussing this throughout the offseason it is clear there is some confusion about exactly how and where players will be used.

The Wolverines love rotations for many reasons but there are three simple reasons.
1. Anyone who can help the team win will play.
2. Using versatile players that can move in and out of positions allows Michigan to change its scheme without taking players off the field. This combats up-tempo no-huddle offenses.
3. If you have the depth, rotations allow the team to be fresh in key moments in the fourth quarter and later in the season.

So with camp starting let's take a look at the depth of these positions, which players will be factors, and how I think Michigan will utilize the rotations in 2022.

The first thing I want to get out of the way is to clear up some confusion about Michigan's defense and help you understand the positions on the defensive line and the secondary.

The big misconception with the change to this defensive scheme last year under Mike Macdonald is that Michigan is now a 3-4 or even a 3-3-5. While Michigan can run those sets, that is not their base defense.

Possibly one of the best examples of how Michigan's scheme works was perfectly illustrated in the first three plays of the spring game.

On 1st and 10, the Blue team comes out in what you can consider Michigan's base defense. Michigan runs a lot of 5 man fronts, especially on early downs. Puts Michigan in the best position to stop the run, rush the passer, and defend the pass.

The 5 man front lines up like this (top-bottom);
EDGE Taylor Upshaw, DT George Rooks, DT Mason Graham, DE Mike Morris, EDGE Jaylen Harrell.
Now, this was the spring game so the teams were split, once the regular season begins Rooks will be replaced with Kris Jenkins and Graham with Mazi Smith.

You can see two edge players, Upshaw and Harrell standing, with Harrell on the same side as the DE Morris. The DTs can move all over the line, and in this case slide to the offense's heavy side. Rooks is lining up like a nose while Graham is in 3T.

The two LBs are Joey Velazquez and Nikhai Hill-Green. Velazquez would be Junior Colson if all starters were out. One area of confusion has been around MIKE and WILL in this defense. Both linebackers in this scenario are inside linebackers, but the WILL is just the player on the side of the most receivers.

The two safeties are RJ Moten and Caden Kolesar. Rod Moore would be in the Kolesar role which is up in the defense for coverage, while Moten is the deep FS.

The Maize team runs Donovan Edwards to the weak side at the top of the screen. Both linebackers react and blitz the play, Green the CB works to get off his block, while both Kolesar and Moten come forward to impact the play. Will Johnson remains in coverage while 10 defenders pursue the ball carrier. Loss of 1 yard.

Now in 2nd and long the Maize team reacts by going open backfield 5 wide. The Blue team defense doesn't have time to make any substitutions.

They go to a 4 man front of Upshaw, Rooks, Graham and Morris.
Graham is now lined up like a nose while Rooks is the 3T. Upshaw and Morris are both standing edge.

Harrell has no moved to linebacker with Hill-Green and Velazquez, all three are spread out in the middle in coverage along with each corner, Green and Johnson covering on the outside.

Kolesar has now dropped back with Moten with both safeties now in zone, each covering one-half of the field.

The Maize team gets the matchup they want with Donovan Edwards and Joey Velazquez. Edwards runs a slant to the wide open middle part of the field, but McNamara throws the ball a little behind instead of leading Edwards. Velazquez makes a great play to get in front of Edwards to break up the play. Incomplete pass.

Now it is 3rd and long. The Maize team once again comes out 5 wide in an obvious passing situation. This time the Blue team makes a change, and this is an important one in understanding how this defense works.

Jaylen Harrell is the SAM linebacker. On the first down play, he was lined up as an edge rusher. On the second down play, he was in coverage. Now he has been taken off the field for a third safety. On this play that third safety is Jordan Morant, who is no longer with the team. We will discuss who this player could be during the regular season further down.

Michigan's defensive front is the same as the second down play with Upshaw, Rooks, Graham, and Morris.

Because of the third safety, Joey Velazquez returns to MIKE while Nikhai Hill-Green is now covering Donovan Edwards, a much better matchup.

The three safeties are RJ Moten, once again the deep FS. Jordan Morant who is the SS in coverage in the middle of the field. Caden Kolesar is now playing true nickel on the receiver at the hash. Again, this is the likely role for Rod Moore who would be replacing Daxton Hill.

The Blue team defense blitzes Velazquez from the MIKE position. Something Michigan did often last season, especially in 3rd and long situations. Now with all OL in 1-on-1 situations, neither guard is able to double team the edge players with Velazquez taking on the center. The pocket collapses in the middle and both edge rushers are able to get to McNamara.

On this play, Edwards is now wide open across the middle 6 yards short of the first down. Cornelius Johnson at the top actually has a step on his defender Gemon Green, but under pressure McNamara overthrows him down the sidelines. Incomplete pass.

SUMMARY:
The absolute dream scenario for the defense. Stuffing the run on the first play forced a 2nd and long. Despite being caught in an up-tempo play, the defenders are able to adjust and cover all 5 receivers and get a pass break up forcing third and long. On 3rd and long, the defense brings in more secondary help and blitzes forcing pressure on the QB and an incomplete pass.

Now that we understand the scheme and positions in this defense, let's reexamine the position battles expected to take place during fall camp.

EDGE

The conversation around who replaces David Ojabo needs the context of what that position is. Taylor Upshaw in these first plays was in the Ojabo role as a standing edge. He stayed on the field on 3rd down as a DE. Jaylen Harrell is also an edge, but more of a SAM linebacker who left the field in a likely pass situation on third down.

Mike Morris is the clear Aidan Hutchinson role. On first down, he was a hand in the dirt DE. On second and third he was a standing edge pursuing the quarterback. While we did not see any three-man fronts in this series, Morris would stay on the field in that scenario with likely Jenkins and Mazi at DT. There has been talk that Julius Welschof could also fit into this role. Welschof is an underrated athlete who can play in multiple spots on the line.

What we will learn in fall camp is how the players competing for roles in two-deep will fit into these roles. Braiden McGregor and Derrick Moore seem most likely to back up Mike Morris here. TJ Guy and KeChaun Bennett are competing to back up Upshaw.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

The obvious starter here is the only returning starter, Mazi Smith. Smith is seen as the nose tackle but as we saw with Mason Graham in this series, Smith will play nose and 3T depending on the front. Graham is obviously competing for playing time at this spot. The player currently ahead of him is sophomore Rayshaun Benny. Graham will be competing with Ike Iwunnah and fellow freshman Kenneth Grant. Grant or Graham could be athletic enough to play the other spot as well.

At that other defensive tackle spot is Kris Jenkins. Jenkins is perfect for this spot because he is an athletic tweener. He can play the DT but also move to a DE spot in 3 man front. Along with Morris and Smith, he is least likely to leave the field. Competing for playing time here will be George Rooks who we saw in the series above. I also think this is a great spot for Welschof because of his ability to move on the line.

SAFETY

I mentioned the position battle between Rod Moore and Mike Sainristil in a previous Camp Kickoff and it generated a lot of questions. My hope in highlighting these schemes was to show how Michigan uses the nickel position with three safety looks.

As we saw, RJ Moten is the FS who can lineup in coverage, but will primarily play centerfield in Cover looks, and can come up into the box to impact a run play. The name I was asked about often was Makari Paige, and this is the spot where I think he makes the most sense. Keon Sabb is the name to watch as he could easily push Paige for the backup role.

The other safety spot is where Rod Moore and Mike Sainristil are reportedly competing. We saw in this series the three ways this position can be used.
A safety up the flat in coverage. A strong safety at the back of the defense in line with the other safety. A true nickel with a third safety taking over the SS spot.
This is the most important role in the secondary, manned last season by Daxton Hill. Also competing at this spot is obviously the player we saw in this series, Caden Kolesar. I expect him to make a big impact here. I also think freshman Will Johnson and Keon Sabb could make noise here.

Where things get interesting is what happens with the third safety. In this series, it was Jordan Morant, again no longer with the team. The obvious answer would be this player will be whoever doesn't earn the role between Moore and Sainristil, but both players may be good enough to stay on the field more often. Does that mean Sainristil pushes Gemon Green for CB2? Does Michigan run more 5 DB looks and Jaylen Harrell only spells Upshaw in run situations? Quentin Johnson and Damani Dent will also be competing for time here, as the third safety.

This is the battle I am most interested to watch because it could give clues to subtle differences that new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter may employ compared to his predecessor Mike Macdonald.

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