Mike Farrell debates which Big Ten team has the best defense in 2023
Michigan football lost a lot on the defensive side of the ball over the past few years. Yet, the Wolverines are expected to reload with little drop-off.
After losing star pass rushers Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo after 2021, as well as defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, the maize and blue had little trouble reloading in 2022. Jesse Minter took the helm after a couple of years at Vanderbilt, and players such as Mike Morris, Eyabi Okie, Mazi Smith, Gemon Green, and DJ Turner stepped up tremendously.
However, all of the aforementioned players are now gone, as well, leading some to believe that a team like Penn State could step into the pole position as the conference’s best defense.
Not so fast, Mike Farrell says.
In his latest ‘Fact or Fiction,’ Farrell opines on whether or not the Nittany Lions will be the one to have the best defense in the Big Ten. He says no, it will still be the team in Ann Arbor which has the best unit in the conference, especially given the emerging talent that the Wolverines have.
I like the Penn State defense — especially the secondary — but I love what Michigan has to offer. The secondary will be nasty, led by Will Johnson, and I love the LB group with Junior Colson leading the way. And they add a key player in Josiah Stewart, who will improve the outside pass rush. They need to replace some big guys up front, but this is the best defense in the Big Ten.
Penn State does have some talent, but it, too, has lost some key players, with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. being the key loss. But given what Michigan has returning — particularly on the defensive front — the Wolverines are in great shape to once again have an elite defensive attack.
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