The Michigan defensive line unit, especially the interior, made the pass rush a point of emphasis during the offseason.

While the defense had a successful season last year, there were missed opportunities that the unit would like to see improved heading into the 2023 season.

For defensive lineman Rayshaun Benny, he took the call to improve the pass rush to heart, as he would say that was the biggest improvement in his game during a pivotal offseason for him.

"The biggest thing that the whole D-line did was that we progressed in the pass rush," Benny said. "We're looking to get after the quarterback in the interior this year. Offseason work, that was our main focus. I wouldn't say our main focus that was a big focus of ours, just keep getting better and better. The guys that want to work, we work."

It wasn't just Benny who improved, he says that the entire defensive line got better. After talking about it, the group identified that changes need to be made and the unit didn't waste any time pushing each other along.

"I wouldn't say we weren't satisfied," Benny said. "It was something we can improve in and if we make that improvement, it'll put us further in the game. One step closer. The whole D-line, the whole interior, we all got better. It's all about let's keep pushing each other, everybody tries to be better than the next person so we can create that camaraderie."

Another aspect of the pass rush was the communication between the interior and edge players.

Benny notes that a more in-sync defensive line unit can be mutually beneficial when it comes to improved pass rush.

"It helps a lot," Benny said. "We work with the EDGE guys, we push out the quarterback to those guys and they bring the quarterback back to us. It's a big unit."

---

Discuss this article with our community on our premium message boards

Not a subscriber to Maize & Blue Review? Sign up today to gain access to all the latest Michigan intel M&BR has to offer

Follow our staff on Twitter: @JoshHenschke, @Berry_Seth14, @TrevorMcCue, @DennisFithian, @BrockHeilig, @JimScarcelli, @lucasreimink

Subscribe to our podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify

Check out Maize & Blue Review's video content on YouTube

Follow Maize & Blue Review on social media: Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram