Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown continues to install new pieces to his defense, and he’s thrilled with what he’s seen from his group this year. While there will be some changes, one thing will be constant …
They won’t ever be a zone first team.
Everyone knows Brown is about press man and making quarterbacks unfcomfortable, and Brown insists he has the personnel to do it, even with many losses to the NFL at each position.
“We’re playing a hair more zone … we’ll never be a true zone team, but we’re playing some things that we feel really good about,” Brown said. “We’ve got nine different ways to come get you now in coverage. I’m excited where we’re at.
“I just want to say this — I don’t remember a secondary and back seven integrated in coverage playing as solid as this group, as physical, as mistake free as this group in a spring.”
Part of it, he noted, is that most of the guys in the rotation have been with him for three years now, including safety Josh Metellus, corners Ambry Thomas and Jaylen Kelly-Powell and others, including most of the linebackers.
Consistency gives everyone a chance to be on the same page. I think that helps you,” he said. “We’re constantly changing … that piece, plus this group is as connected defensively as a group I’ve been around in trying to help each other out. Older guys are not, ‘get away from me. You’re not taking my job.' They’re, ‘just remember now, do this, that.’
“A Lot of that is going on amongst their peers, which is the best form of leadership comes from within. It’s not coach driven.”
They’ve got the personnel at each level, he noted, to be successful. There are eight or nine guys up front, including incoming grad transfer Mike Danna (CMU), that the line should be verhy good, he insists, led by tackle Carlo Kemp.
The linebackers have been “unbelievable” even in Josh Ross’ absence (injury), and they have more than enough talent.
They also have an identity, Brown said, and it’s one from which they won’t stray.
“We had this big discussion about what about this, that … whoa. We don’t react to anybody, now,” he said. “You live in the reaction world, it means you’re not acting. What’s your identity? You don’t have one. You’re just reacting to the offense. I’m not saying we’re perfect, but we’re going to have an identity. We’re going to stand for something.
“I make that clear to the players, and think the players understand we need that. I think if you went into the room and asked them, they’d be fairly strong on a couple things, for sure. You’ve got to be careful about being reactionary.”
There’s a method to the madness, he noted. Adding they have different defenses for each and every running play they’re going to face. If they get away from what they do best, he said, teams will run the ball up and down the field on them.
That doesn’t mean fans won’t see different looks. They have so many talented linebackers that they need to expand and find ways to get them on the field, for one. As Harbaugh told Brown, ‘more is more ... make sure you have enough answers,’ and he’s hell bent on making sure he does.
Ohio State was better than them last year for a number of reasons, Brown said, and not just scheme. And if he were to go zone against new offensive coordinator Josh Gattis’ offense?
“You know what people will say to you about RPOs? It’s very difficult to defend RPOs and play a lot of true zone coverage,” Brown said of run/pass option football. “Do you think I’m worried about that? I’m not being a jerk. I’m being honest as a heart attack. Defensive zones against what Josh Gattis does? Hang on to your hat.
“You at least haave to have enough guys that can cover your run scheme gaps and cover the guys. That’s not the only way to defend it. There are other ways to defend those RPOs, bBut the true point of it is, an element of that is account for those guys and still have numbers to affect the run, because they read the box. If you don’t have the numbers effective enough to manage the run, they’re going to run the ball up and down the field on you.”
He's heard the criticism and says it doesn’t affect him as long as it’s directed at him and not his players. He’s also ready to prove his defense can be successful against anyone and everyone.
“But know something … if you live in that wolrd of negativity, how are you ever going to get yourself out of it?” he said. “You’re not.
We’ll be ready to go. Every day part of the day is to get ready to get better as a professional. Trust me. That’s the approach I take.”
---
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @BSB_Wolverine, @JB_ Wolverine, @AustinFox42, @Balas_Wolverine, @DrewCHallett and @Qb9Adam.
• Like us on Facebook
