Defense Notes: Michigan Defense Dominates Rutgers

Coming into the game against Rutgers Saturday, the Michigan defense ranked first or second in the Big Ten in eight defensive categories. As good as all the numbers were, no one expected the level of domination that would be on display from the Wolverines.

The defense was first in the country for opponent third-down conversions and second in the country in pass defense, allowing just 135.4 yards per game through the air. Against the Scarlett Knights the defense allowed 39 yards of offense, period. The Wolverines also held Rutgers to 0 of 17 on third downs.

The Michigan defense began the game by forcing five three-and-outs. Rutgers' sixth drive of the game ended on its third play with a fumble. In the first half Michigan’s defense held the Rutgers offense to one yard on 30 plays and no first downs.

“We were playing on half the field all night,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said. “The guys up front — [Chris] Wormley, [Ryan] Glasgow, Taco Charlton had a great game, Mo Hurst, and eventually Michael Onwenu — who was playing both ways, offensive and defensive line. The constant pressure … Ben Gedeon had a momentum, game-changing tackle in the backfield.”

Michigan has held its first three Big Ten opponents to less than 200 yard of total offense, and the Wolverines have allowed fewer than 10 first downs in each of their last two games.

Rutgers did not gain a first down until over five minutes into the fourth quarter. For the game the Scarlett Knights moved the chains just twice.

“At this point we just try to improve even more,” said senior defensive end Taco Charlton, who tallied a pair of sacks. “It set the bar, but now we keep trying to improve and go out there and be the best defense in the country. It can’t just stop with Rutgers. The bye week into Illinois — we’ve got to keep improving and show the country what we’re made of.”

The shutout was Michigan’s first since their 38-0 win over Northwestern on October 10, 2015. That shutout was the team’s third in a row that season.

Rutgers' O-line Struggles

Much of what troubled the Rutgers offense during this game was the fact that Michigan was in their backfield with an alarming frequency. Coming into the game the Wolverine defense had complied 49 tackles for loss and 20 sacks. Saturday they added 13 tackles for loss and four sacks.

Charlton doubled his sack count this year with two in the game, bringing his season total to four, 1.5 behind his total from last year.

“We had a plan, said it to each other all summer and with how hard we trained all summer,” Charlton said. “And the goal was to be the best defensive line in the country. We wanted to prove that. Where that starts is being able to rush four, and that’s what Coach [Greg] Mattison has said since I’ve been here.”

Senior linebacker Ben Gedeon shared the team lead in tackles for loss in the game with two of his own, and he now has eight on the season. He entered the game six tackles away from 50 on the season. Just four players tallied 50 or more tackles last season for the Wolverines. Gedeon finished the day one short of that number, though he — along with many of the starters — left the game early because the contest was so lopsided.

“It’s exciting to see how well we travel,” Gedeon said. “That’s been going on since I’ve been here. We travel really well. That gets us real excited.”

In addition to Gedeon (one sack) and Charlton's pair of tackles behind the line of scrimmage , Glasgow added 1.5 TFLs, while rookie safeties Josh Metellus and Khaleke Hudson, Hurst, redshirt sophomore Chase Winovich and redshirt senior defensive tackle Matt Godin each chipped in one tackle for loss. Metellus actually finished as the leading tackler, with six stops, and his TFL was one of the Wolverines' four sacks.

Adding half a tackle for loss were redshirt sophomore linebacker Jabrill Peppers, rookie defensive end Rashan Gary and redshirt junior linebacker Mike McCray.

Miscellaneous Notes

· Senior cornerback Jourdan Lewis added a pass breakup in the game, bringing his season total to three in just two games.

· Rutgers punter Michael Cintron punted the ball 16 times for 603 yards. Peppers (see below) had an electric 44-yard punt return in his home state that was called back due to a block in the back. Officially, he ended up with just three yards on a pair of punt runbacks while making his biggest impact on offense (three carries for 74 yards and two scores).

· Michigan scored a two-point conversion in the second quarter after their fourth touchdown of the game. Michigan’s holder, senior quarterback Garett Moores took the snap and ran up the middle on the fake. Moores was awarded a scholarship earlier this season, and the conversion was the first score of his Michigan career.