Michigan football's defense outscores Minnesota by itself in latest example of dominance
Will Johnson was one of the few players on Michigan football’s defense who had yet to hit his stride as the Wolverines entered the sixth week of the season. There was reason for that; the talented sophomore cornerback from Grosse Pointe had a knee procedure in the offseason and the coaching staff didn’t want to rush his recovery. They instead took a patient approach, deploying Johnson for only eight snaps during the nonconference portion of the schedule with the expectation that he would eventually find his form during Big Ten play.
Heading into the team’s conference road opener against Nebraska, Johnson was confident enough then to say, “I think I’m back.”
By the second play of the Wolverines’ 52-10 victory over Minnesota on Saturday, he left zero doubt he was. The sophomore swooped in and intercepted Athan Kaliakmanis’ pass, racing 36 yards to the end zone to give Michigan a seven-point lead 12 seconds into the game.
GAME RECAP: Michigan football returns two interceptions for touchdowns in 52-10 beatdown of Minnesota
Johnson’s touchdown stunned the home crowd at Huntington Bank Stadium and signaled to the rest of the nation that the Wolverines’ top-ranked defense might be on the verge of getting even better. It’s a scary thought for the next three opponents on their schedule. Indiana, Purdue and Michigan State are all deeply flawed teams that may run into the same wall that has already obstructed East Carolina, UNLV, Bowling Green, Rutgers and Nebraska.
Before the Wolverines held Minnesota's one-pronged attack to 169 total yards and forced seven punts, they already resembled a python that wraps around its prey and suffocates it. Michigan, which has now surrendered 40 points in six games, entered Saturday leading the nation in scoring defense by playing the same brand of disciplined, unrelenting football that has been its hallmark since implementing its current scheme in 2021. That versatile system, which came straight from the Baltimore Ravens, mixes fronts and coverages. Over time, Michigan has grown into it. By rote repetition, the players have come to master it, knowing exactly where to be and how to react once they're there. For them, it’s become instinctual in Year 3 and the second season under coordinator Jesse Minter’s command.
The growth can be seen in a defense that can now ruin opponents in the blink of an eye with a back-breaking turnover or drive-killing stop.
“At every level, somebody’s affecting the ball,” co-defensive coordinator Steve Clinkscale said.
In the Wolverines’ first Big Ten game against Rutgers., it was the smart, savvy fifth-year stalwart Mike Sainristil.
His 71-yard interception return for a touchdown devastated the Scarlet Knights, extinguishing their last hopes for an upset.
Against Nebraska last week, it was the gargantuan, but nimble defensive tackle Kenneth Grant. He plucked a tipped pass out of the air on the Cornhuskers’ second play from scrimmage, setting up Michigan’s second touchdown within the first eight minutes of a 38-point rout.
HOW ABOUT THAT OFFENSE: How Michigan football star WR Roman Wilson is 'still winning' as he draws more attention
On Saturday, it was both Johnson and backup safety Keon Sabb.
Together, they staggered Minnesota. Johnson struck early with his pick-six. Sabb pierced the Gophers much later, returning another Kaliakmanis interception 28 yards for Michigan's penultimate touchdown late in the third quarter. When it was all said and done, the defense had scored more points (14) than Minnesota's offense. Both of the scores originated from a zone concept, which has become the Wolverines' preferred coverage base.
Before Saturday, the Wolverines played some version of it on at least 75% of their snaps. It’s a departure from the man-heavy scheme of Don Brown, whose last year coincided with the nadir of Jim Harbaugh’s tenure in 2020.
Ever since Brown was pushed out, Michigan has been on the rise. The Wolverines have won 31 of their last 34 games and have now positioned themselves to win their third straight conference title. It’s no coincidence that their current scheme has been a common denominator throughout their remarkable run.
It’s solid as a rock.
So too is their defense, which may be on the verge of getting even better with Johnson, a rising star, at the top of his game. That is bad news for the rest of the Big Ten. But what else is new in this golden age of Michigan football?
Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him @RainerSabin.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: This Michigan football defense has more bite and is fun to watch
