Makari Paige previews 'totally different' Michigan defense
Makari Paige met with the media on Monday afternoon to discuss the Michigan football defense through the first week of spring practice. The Wolverines lose plenty of talent on the defensive side of the ball — players like Mike Sainristil, Braiden McGregor, Jaylen Harrell, Junior Colson, Michael Barrett and others will all head off to the NFL.
Paige, who will be a fifth-year senior in the fall, will inevitably step into more of a leadership role in 2024, along with some of his teammates.
"Rod Moore's stepped up big-time," Paige said. "Donovan Edwards, Colston Loveland, [Kenneth Grant], Mason [Graham], Josaiah Stewart, Derrick Moore — a lot of guys, honestly. I feel like this team is going to be a lot of player leaders. That's what we need, honestly."
"As players, it's our job to hold everybody accountable," Paige said. "You can't have a player not do something and not have accountability with it."
Paige, Rod Moore, Grant, Graham, Stewart and Derrick Moore are all expected to be leaders on the defensive side of the ball, but it will certainly be hard for the Wolverines to replace one of the greatest leaders in program history in Mike Sainristil.
While the aforementioned six defensive players will lead by committee, a younger Wolverine will need to step up and take over the vacated nickelback position.
"Ja'Den McBurrows, Kody Jones... They're definitely competing for that right now. They could step up and do that job very well, I believe."
As far as the defense as a whole, Paige surprisingly said Wink Martindale's defense and coaching style are "totally different" than what he's experienced the last three seasons.
"Everything's different," Paige said. "The plays, [Martindale's] mindset — not mindset, but philosophy, I guess."
When asked to clarify if Martindale's defense is as different from Mike Macdonald's and Jesse Minter's as Paige is suggesting, he doubled down and said it is.
Paige admitted that it's only day four of spring practice and that it's unknown whether the defense will be as aggressive as it was last year, but he has a good idea that the defense will not be the same.
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