Make no mistake, Michigan football has a special defense once again.
Pro Football Focus grades it as the 7th-best in college football, including top 10 grades in rush defense (4th), tackling (2nd), and coverage (10th). The pass rush (16th) is the only PFF defensive grade outside the top 10.
Still, like most teams, the Wolverine defense has its flaws -- namely, linebackers in pass coverage.
Michael Barrett, with a 62.7 coverage grade, is the highest-graded LB in coverage for U-M. That's 191st among qualifying linebackers. Junior Colson -- Michigan's most talented LB -- is 239th with a 59.1 grade, allowing 18 catches on 19 targets in coverage, albeit with a 3.7 ADOT (average depth of target).
When you're 7-0, and your defense is as feared as defensive coordinator Jesse Minter's, it's difficult to analyze what needs to be fixed. It's like taking a Ferrari to a mechanic.
Absent of complacency, this unit isn't ignoring what needs to be fixed.
"I thought they played well against Penn State," Minter told the media on Wednesday. "I think it's been a work in progress for them to improve in certain areas of coverage. Something they continue to work on & harp on."
Against in-state nemesis Michigan State on Saturday night, the linebacking core will get its best test schematically in the air this season.
On tape, the Wolverines expect the Spartans to target underneath & between the hashes in the air.
"This particular team runs some plays that will challenge our linebackers, and we look forward to showing progress and continuing to get better," Minter added. "Hopefully, we can defend those types of plays when they run them."
Mel Tucker's 69th-best scoring offense isn't great -- but it isn't Iowa (122nd) either, who threw for 246 yards against the Wolverines.
Of course, there's the "will this beat Ohio State?" conversation, and this season, it sure seems like these two teams are playing games as warmups for each other.
If Minter's defense has any chance to mitigate C.J. Stroud & his cast of weapons, then its linebackers will need to pick it up against the pass.
The players are addressing it. We'll see if the work translates to the big stage.
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