Michigan Wolverines Football Defense Needs These Two Things At Wisconsin

Michigan football’s defense has played relatively well through four games, though the second half against Rutgers was a bit of a nightmare. The Wolverines lost momentum and nearly lost the game before stiffening late and keeping the Scarlet Knights out of the end zone.

New coordinator Mike Macdonald’s group is 58th nationally in run defense — just okay, allowing 133.5 yards per game — and 24th in pass defense (174.5). It ranks fourth in scoring defense, though, allowing only 11.8 points per contest.

The interior line has been better than expected, one of the reasons for the improved numbers.

“It’s really been good. Donovan Jeter, Chris Hinton are stacking really good games on top of each other,” head coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday. “Jess Speight’s coming in giving some good time; Mazi Smith. Those guys are holding in there well, and they’ll be really challenged this week.”

The entire defense looked lost at times in the second half at Rutgers, for one reason in particular. Redshirt junior linebacker Josh Ross went down with an injury after a dominant first half, and the young linebackers struggled at times without his leadership.

They made a few plays, but the read options and fits were a bit off without No. 12 in the game.

“I thought that was a real challenge, but they acquitted themselves pretty darn good, really all three — Junior Colson, Nikhai Hill-Green and Kalel Mullings,” Harbaugh said. “But the other factor is not having Ross out there helping them making calls, helping them align, giving reminders and tips.

“There was quite a bit that was lost without Josh being out there from a physical standpoint, but also coaching that other inside linebacker up on the field.”

Colson has been dominant at times, and Hill-Green made some big plays late. Mullings, playing with a cast after offseason surgery on his arm, has been decent, but Ross is the catalyst there. He’s probable for the game at Wisconsin after suffering a stinger and wanted to go back in last week.

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“It was a good learning experience for those young linebackers. They were stressed in that quarterback read option game, and they’ll learn from it and grow,” Harbaugh continued. When Josh ross went out particularly, we were affected there. The eye discipline of the linebackers, responsibilities on the option and the read option game was really stressed.

“It’s a good learning experience for us. For the most part, I thought our guys, those three young linebackers played extremely well. We’ll get Michael Barrett going again. This week he’ll be more in the mix.”

In addition to Ross’ return, the Wolverines need better play from the defensive ends/outside ‘backers. They were annihilated last season by the Badgers’ running game, gashed for 343 yards.

If that’s the case Saturday — and that would be three years in a row — Michigan won’t win.

“We’ve got to be stouter against the run, set a better edge,” Harbaugh said.: “Specifically talking about our game last year, we got hurt not setting an edge enough.

“It’s a point of emphasis — stouter run defense and setting edges.”

Do that and they’ll have a much better chance to emerge from Wisconsin with the first win in Madison since 2001.

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