Defense/ST Notes: Michigan Front Extremely Disruptive In Washington Win

Michigan Wolverines football's defense was in the Washington Husky backfield all night long, notching seven tackles for loss and four sacks while allowing just 10 points in a smashing victory Saturday night at The Big House.

The Maize and Blue's four sacks were the most since they posted five in a season-opening win over Minnesota Oct. 24, 2020, and the seven stops for loss marked the highest number since a victory over Rutgers Nov. 21, 2020.

All told, first-year coordinator Mike Macdonald's crew yielded just 50 yards on the ground and allowed the Huskies to convert on just seven of their 17 third-down tries.

Junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was the primary disruptor for the Wolverines, posting a career-high 2.5 sacks and elevating his career total to eight quarterback takedowns. The last Michigan defender to register multiple sacks in a game was Hutchinson's former teammate Kwity Paye, who did so against Minnesota last season.

Out of Hutchinson's eight tackles on the season, 3.5 — or, 43.8 percent of them — have come behind the line of scrimmage.

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"They were throwing quickly, because Aidan was … they couldn’t block Aidan," head coach Jim Harbaugh said following his team's 31-10 win over Washington. "We’ve been watching Aidan in fall camp, and we couldn’t block him, either.

"To watch him go through the chip with the back, the chip with the tight end, delay the tight end from getting out and it's just, 'Hey, go block 97.'"

Redshirt freshman linebacker David Ojabo also recorded a sack, and redshirt junior defensive end Taylor Upshaw was credited with a half-sack.

"We've got a lot of talent in our outside linebacker room, and I felt we were flying around tonight," Hutchinson said postgame.

Second-year freshman defensive tackle Kris Jenkins got in on the action, notching his first career half-tackle for loss, which accounted for one-half of his five stops on the night.

One U-M defender on the second level of the unit – redshirt junior linebacker Josh Ross, who notched a team-high 11 sacks — and even a pair on the back end — fifth-year senior safety Brad Hawkins and sophomore safety Daxton Hill — made takedowns in the backfield. Ross compiled one tackle for loss, while Hawkins added one and Hill contributed a half-TFL.

The Michigan offense took some time to get rolling, but that didn't mean the Wolverines got behind in the game, thanks to some stellar defense early on.

The Maize and Blue forced three straight three-and-outs to begin the game, quickly giving the ball back to the offense. At the end of the first quarter, Washington had picked up just one first down and gained an abysmal 1.5 yards per play, completely stymied by the Wolverines.

Michigan didn't allow a first-half point for the first time since pitching a first-half shutout against Rutgers Sept. 28, 2019.

In fact, Washington didn't even get on the board until the 5:54 mark of the third quarter, when UW junior Peyton Henry hit a 28-yard field goal. The Huskies' lone touchdown of the game — a 22-yard pitch and catch from redshirt freshman quarterback Dylan Morris to junior wide receiver Terrell Bynum — came with 12:04 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Getting a lead allowed the Wolverines' to run the ball early and often, and with much success ... and hang onto that edge.

Michigan broke the scoring open with 7:18 to go in the first quarter, when junior kicker Jake Moody sailed his 52-yard attempt through the uprights, and then some. The made kick was the longest of Moody's career, surpassing his previous long of 48 yards, which he set against Florida Dec. 28, 2018. It was also U-M's first made field goal of more than 50 yards since Quinn Nordin's 57-yarder against Alabama Jan. 1, 2020.

"Tremendous kick," Harbaugh said. "52-yarder, but that looked like it would be good from 60-plus. I thought he struck it well, great, great snap, great hold."

But Michigan's success on special teams didn't end there.

Redshirt sophomore linebacker Michael Barrett has been relegated to playing a reserve role on defense, but he shined by taking a fake punt direct snap and rushing it for two yards, enough for the first down, with a few ticks under 10 minutes to go in the half. That extended the Wolverines' drive, and one play later, second-year freshman running back Blake Corum took a 67-yard rush the distance to give them a 10-0 lead.

"That was huge," Harbaugh said of the fake punt. "Picked up that fourth down, kept the drive alive. They stopped us once on fourth down, but the other two ended up in touchdowns.

"Felt great about it. Mike B. and Ross, they both as soon as we called it — they actually might have called it off with the personnel they had out there, but they said they weren’t going to call it off. They set the mindset to get it. They got it.

"They weren’t going to be denied. That was big, pivotal."

• Washington's 10 points were the fewest scored by a Michigan opponent since Nov. 16, 2019, when Michigan State mustered just 10 points in a 44-10 drubbing at The Big House. The Wolverines have allowed 24 points through two games, after yielding at least 24 points to every opponent during the 2020 campaign.

• Morris completed 20 of his 37 throws for 293 yards and one touchdown against the Wolverines' pass defense.

• Hawkins' forced fumble and subsequent recovery by Ojabo marked the Wolverines' first caused turnover of the season. Heading into Saturday, Michigan hadn't forced a takeaway since the Rutgers game Nov. 21, 2020, when it caused two (one interception and one forced fumble).

• Hawkins' two pass breakups mark a new career high. He now has seven passes defended during his career.

• Washington advanced the ball into the red zone only one time.

• Redshirt freshman defensive end Mike Morris made his first career start.

• Seven different Michigan players recorded at least a share of a tackle for loss.

• Redshirt junior punter Brad Robbins recorded a season-high 56-yard punt, and accumulated 184 yards on four boots (46.0 average) with one pinning the opponent inside its 20-yard line.

• Redshirt freshman Caden Kolesar was back deep on a few punt returns last week, replacing the injured Ronnie Bell, but he didn't field any. Against Washington, however, he returned two punts for 24 yards.

• Michigan is 19-5 in non-conference games under Harbaugh, 8-5 all time against Washington and 8-2 in night games at The Big House.

• The Wolverines wore blue jerseys with blue pants for just the second time in history (2014 against Penn State was the only other time) and is 2-0 with the combination.

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