ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh gave his cornerbacks props earlier this year for wearing the “big sombrero” in Don Brown’s defense. That usually means man coverage against an outstanding receiver, and that entails full focus at all times.
Teams with athletes, however, have exploited rub routes and crossing patterns in which the corners have to navigate traffic as a way of getting their receivers free. In response, Brown has mixed in more zone this season, and with great results. Iowa and Notre Dame especially were shut down, to the tune of three and 14 points, respectively, in losses in Ann Arbor.
“We have been playing a lot more zone, and I think it’s helped in a lot of aspect,” cornerbacks coach Mike Zordich said. “Especially in the pass game, because they’re not expecting it. But within all that zone defense, we’re still pressuring, so that is a big plus for us and a big part of the success in the run and the pass game.”
There’s no different teaching involved, he added.
“It’s all the same,” he continued. “We basically have two coverages, single high stuff, man stuff, then the eagle concepts, so we’ve been doing it, been teaching it. This is my fourth year doing it. It’s been there; just probably not as visible (in the past).”
It’s not necessarily the zone that’s working all the time, but the threat of it. Quarterbacks often think they’re facing man defense on the snap, only to find corners dropping back at the snap and leaving their receivers to a safety or a linebacker, for example. We’ve seen a lot of it in the last two weeks, and it’s been confusing to opposing quarterbacks.
They’ll continue to employ it, and Zordich explained why.
“Because it’s working,” he said with a grin. “Not being a smart ass, but because it’s working, and it’s working in the pass game, too. It just gives a little flavor, if you will.
“Every week Don does that, he adds a little diff flavor into it, a little change in the patterns here and there. You have to make changes weekly, but the core of it pretty much stays the same, and that’s how you get better.”
NOTES
• Maryland started the season extremely well, blowing out its first two opponents and putting 63 points up against Syracuse. The Terrapins have faltered since, having beaten only hapless Rutgers before being blown out by Penn State, Purdue and Minnesota.
Zordich still fears the turtle.
“I think they’re scary, because I think there’s a lot of talent there,” he said. “I watched the Howard game, just got done watching the Syracuse game … theyr’e just missing a click somewhere. We can’t be the opponent they come and get better on.
“They have talent. They have really good running backs, the tight ends are good and the receiving corps is pretty good, and No. 7 (Dontay Demus) has 31 catches. That’s a lot of production. We certainly can’t fall asleep. Underneath, whatever happened to them, there’s a good football team underneath that. We just have to come out of the locker room swinging and get ready to play a good game.”
Beating Notre Dame the way they did (45-14) was a big confidence booster, he added.
“A great team effort all around, fun game to be involved in,” he said. “Guys played extremely hard throughout the whole game. That’s the key, to come out of the tunnel swinging and finish that way.
“I was very pleased with them. Thomas gave up a couple throws to the big guy, a couple things we talked about obviously. If he did a couple things a little differently, it didn’t happen, but our position with all the man we play, we talk about it all the time. They’re going to catch footballs. It’s how you handle it after that that matters. I’d say the outcome was favorable.”
Not to mention the catches Chase Claypool made were NFL quality.
"Very high quality. That’s a good receiver,” Zordich said. “A big, strong guy. Lots of kudos … special player. Very good.”
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