TCU sees no drop off in Michigan’s defense despite loss of its stars
Usually when you lose players like Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo, you’d expect the Michigan Wolverines’ defense to take a step back.
Hutchinson was the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft while Ojabo went in the second round. Surely TCU has seen some type of drop-off with the Wolverines’ defensive front, right?
“Not really,” team captain Steve Avila said. “I feel like a lot of that has to do with just how they’re coached. They’re coached hard. They play together. So I feel like it’ll be a good matchup for us.”
Hutchinson and Ojabo combined for 25 sacks for the Wolverines last year, but this year’s team doesn’t have an edge rusher with double digit sacks. Mike Morris leads Michigan with 7.5. While there are no big name stars, Avila said the front is still going to be tough.
“They have a good front, a good defense,” Avila said.
The Wolverines’ defensive numbers are actually better this year than in 2021.
Michigan went from No. 8 in scoring defense to No. 5 this season. The Wolverines are allowing almost 50 fewer rushing yards per game and are holding opponents to under 300 yards per game.
A lot of that has to do with the continued play of their defensive line despite the loss of their stars.
“They can get pressure with just their four man rush,” TCU quarterback Max Duggan said. “When we get into third-and-long and they bring in their third down package, it’s all pass rushers. Those dudes are athletes, they can fly around and make our jobs difficult.”
While Morris and Mazi Smith are the anchors of the defensive line, linebacker Junior Colson is the heart of the Wolverines defense with 95 tackles. Colson needed to be reminded of what conference TCU plays when discussing the Horned Frogs’ surging offense.
“It’s not too much of a surprise when you look at the type of defenses they play in the Big 12; they’re in the Big 12 right?” Colson said on Wednesday.
After Colson received a kind reminder, he wondered how TCU would be able to handle the Michigan front.
“A lot of teams they played were three-down linemen,” Colson said. “I don’t know what their plan is against us, but we have a great run defense, so it’s going to be a tough battle to run against us.”
It may sound cocky, but there’s a reason for it. Only one rusher has rushed for 100 yards against the Michigan defense and it was Illinois star Chase Brown. Brown piled up 140 yards, but needed 29 carries.
It’s also no coincidence that was Michigan’s toughest game of the year as the Wolverines needed a late field goal to escape an upset. So how can TCU be the next team to have a 100-yard rusher against Michigan?
By leaning on the lessons they learned in the conference Colson wasn’t sure they were even in.
“We played NFL talent,” running back Kendre Miller said. “Like the guy from Texas Tech (Tyree Wilson) I feel like it’s prepared us because we’ve seen some of the best. Wilson’s projected to go high in the draft. Just playing guys like that, I don’t think it will be anything we haven’t faced.”
What about the secondary? The Wolverines are led by veteran D.J. Turner and rising five-star Will Johnson at corner. Michigan will use a variety of different looks to try to take away Quentin Johnston and others.
“You will get some variations,” offensive coordinator Garrett Riley said. “They will put some pressure on the quarterback in terms of reading and making him uncomfortable from a coverage standpoint. I think they do a great job of disguising and mixing it up. It’s helped them all year long.”
Johnson in particular could be the next budding star for the Wolverines after picking off two passes in Michigan’s Big 10 championship win over Purdue.
So while there’s no Hutchinson or Ojabo, the Wolverines aren’t lacking for talent in each unit. Of course there’s also the question about the physicality aspect and whether or not TCU can hang with the Wolverines up front on both sides of the ball.
Avila has his owns thoughts about TCU’s chances.
“I’m gonna pick my guys every time,” Avila said. “I have trust in everybody to do their job and get everything done up front. They’re a good front, but I feel like the Big 12 has prepared us for this game.”
