Michigan football's secondary scarred by penalties: 'It affected us a lot'
The flash of yellow from the corner of his eye had Michigan football cornerback Vincent Gray seeing red and turning blue.
Flags thrown for pass interference and holding during a dispiriting loss to Michigan State last month weighed on him and his teammates in the secondary as they struggled to hold up in coverage. Nothing then seemed to go their way. The aftereffects of that experience against the Spartans rippled into the following game as Indiana shredded the Wolverines during a 17-point victory.
“It affected us a lot,” Gray acknowledged Tuesday.
By then, Gray had been penalized four times — the most on the team. But he hasn’t been whistled for an infraction in the two weeks since.
“We’re just trying to work around it and play through it and just work on not using our hands at all,” he said. “It’s an offensive game. We know that. So, we’re just trying to work harder and play through that.”
Aside from a personal foul for roughing the passer, Michigan’s defense didn’t commit any penalties during a 48-42 triple-overtime victory over Rutgers last Saturday, a sign of progress for a unit that has been maligned since the defeat to the Spartans.
Avoiding the wrath of the officials has been a point of emphasis in practice. Coaches have homed in on the technique the defensive backs have applied when guarding receivers, stressing it both in film sessions and on the field.
“We’ve worked really, really hard (in) individual (drills) and even when we’re in team situations of not having those type of penalties,” cornerbacks coach Mike Zordich said last week. “Shoot, man, I think we’ve already maxed out from last year’s (defensive pass interference penalties) and/or holdings. In the past we might have had one a game. Certainly, that hasn’t been the case this year. It’s something we’re focused on.”
The question is whether Michigan’s defensive backs have overcompensated by becoming too tentative for fear of being flagged.
Gray conceded five completions on the seven passes thrown his way against the Scarlet Knights. Gemon Green, the team’s other starter at outside cornerback, was targeted 13 times and allowed six receptions.
“At the end of the day, we have to compete,” Gray said. “We still feel like we’re entitled to the ball as much as they are. We’ve just got to lock in and do what we’re told to do technique-wise. If they end up calling it, we still know we have to step back up next play and try to defend them again.”
He then sighed, as a look of resignation washed over him.
“But it’s hard,” Gray said. “For real.”
Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @RainerSabin. Read more on the Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Big Ten newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football's secondary scarred by penalties: 'It affected us'
