Michigan Wolverines football defensive coordinator Don Brown has long based his defensive philosophy around a five-word mantra: "Solve your problems with aggression."
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For the most part, that mantra's been effectively implemented, with the Wolverines posting top-three finishes in total defense during Brown's first three seasons in Ann Arbor and a No. 11 ranking in the category in 2019. The Maize and Blue have averaged more than 2.5 sacks per game in each season Brown's called the defense, including marks that ranked in the top 10 nationally in 2017 and 2018.
U-M hasn't just succeeded in bringing the quarterback down, but it was the best in the land last season at pressuring the quarterback, according to PFF. In fact, U-M posted a 45.1 percent pressure rate, and was one of only two teams to be above 40 percent.
PFF measures pressures by combining sacks, hurries and hits (knockdowns) on the quarterback.
Last season, the U-M pass rush was led by linebacker Josh Uche, who is now a New England Patriot after being drafted by the club in the second round. Uche had 8.5 sacks, and sat atop the team in sacks for the second straight year. He also was efficient when it came to affecting the pocket, with 46 pressures on 206 pass-rush snaps.
Now that Uche has departed, the Wolverines will look for increased production out of its returning defensive end duo of junior Aidan Hutchinson and Kwity Paye, and will need one or two more to emerge, potentially a freshman or another underclassman.
Hutchinson had 4.5 sacks and 46 pressures in 376 pass-rush snaps in 2019, while Paye notched 6.5 sacks and 37 pressures in 316 snaps rushing the passer.
Below, we've provided the pressure rates for U-M's top returning pass-rushers in 2020.
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