2023 Starters: OLB Jaylen Harrell, DT Mason Graham, DT Kris Jenkins, DE Braiden McGregor
Losses: Reece Atteberry (transfer), Cam Goode (NFL), Harrell (NFL), McGregor (NFL)
Returning players: Josaiah Stewart (Sr.), Kechaun Bennett (RS Jr.), Rayshaun Benny (RS Jr.), T.J. Guy (RS Jr.), Ike Iwunnah (RS Jr.), Tyler McLaurin (RS Jr.), Graham (Jr.), Grant (Jr.), Derrick Moore (Jr.), Alessandro Lorenzetti (RS So.), Breeon Ishmail (So.), Cameron Brandt (So.), Roderick Pierce (So.), Brooks Bahr (RS Fr.), Enow Etta (RS Fr.), Aymeric Koumba (RS Fr.)
Newcomer: DE Dominic Nichols (Fr.)
Projected starters: OLB Stewart, DT Graham, DT Grant, DE Moore
Michigan had an excellent defensive line in 2023, and it might have been the best position group on the national championship squad. The biggest differential in the national championship game against Washington was Michigan's defensive line against the offensive line of the Huskies. Washington had a couple potential high draft picks in that group, and the Wolverines tossed them around like rag dolls.
Whereas Michigan had dynamic edge rushers in 2021 with David Ojabo and Aidan Hutchinson, the interior of the defensive line has been the strength the past two years. That should be the case once again in 2024, though I'm expecting a little more pass rush from the edge guys this season. Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant are entrenched as the starters at defensive tackle, and they should be the #1 defensive tackle combo in the nation. Grant is 6'3" and 340 pounds but is fast enough to chase down Penn State running backs from behind. Graham is 6'4", 310 and plays with both explosion and technique.
Michigan needs someone to emerge from the backup ranks, as starter Kris Jenkins, Jr. and frequently used backup Cam Goode have both moved on. Rayshaun Benny broke his foot late in the season, too, and will probably not be full strength until the fall. This spring look for Roderick Pierce to get some heavy rotation after playing a decent amount as the fourth nose tackle a year ago. Ike Iwunnah is a fourth-year player who has yet to see the field, so it's tough to see him breaking out at this point, and Alessandro Lorenzetti is another player with decent size (6'5", 301) who has yet to see the field. Michigan will either have to play one of those inexperienced older guys or give a shot to some young guys who really needed to bulk up from "strongside defensive end" vibes to playing tackle, such as Cameron Brandt or Brooks Bahr.
On the edges, Josaiah Stewart - who spent his first two seasons at Coastal Carolina - and Derrick Moore seem like very good bets to start. Stewart should step in capably for Harrell, and Moore should slide in smoothly for McGregor. They both rotated heavily last year and received a ton of playing time, and Stewart in particular showed a lot of growth throughout the year as he adjusted to playing in the Big Ten.
Once again, the big questions come from the backup ranks. Who will step up to rotate into the game frequently? And will anyone turn into an elite pass rusher? T.J. Guy is a fourth-year player with a good bit of experience, and he could be a solid backup option. He's probably not a game-changer at this point, so the guys fans really want to see are the likes of Breeon Ishmail and Enow Etta. Both had excellent potential coming out of high school, and Etta was a highly valued recruit who was absolutely dominant in high school (20+ sacks in each of his final two seasons) but played against inferior competition.
Aymeric Koumba is a second-year Frenchman, and Dominic Nichols is an early enrollee freshman. Both have potential but it seems a little early for them to make much of an impact.
Good preview.
ReplyDeleteFor the upcoming season - the best position group on the best team in the country projects....to get better? Stewart and Moore were already getting more snaps than the starters by the end of the year and project as upgrades.
For spring the interesting thing will be to see if development can support depth. I think Guy is probably capable of being a rotational player at a level like Taylor Upshaw. Pierce is maybe the biggest guy to watch in the spring. Hopefully some others pop up as well.
As long as people stay healthy we are in GREAT shape.
To clarify - I think Guy's floor is probably around Upshaw. He could be better. The list of guys who make a leap after their junior year is long. Particularly when aided by opportunity from departing starters - Morris and McGregor being 2 recent examples.
DeleteCertainly our best unit, though I am surprised top ranked Edge & DTs aren't lining up to play in Ann Arbor. The last three seasons & a NC should have led to more depth, which is the only thing keeping this from being one of those A++ ranked groups in the old preseason magazines
ReplyDeleteAny chance that we will have to get a new defensive line coach after Scruggs was arrested for OWI?
ReplyDeleteI think there's a chance depending on what happens, but as of right now, it doesn't seem like it. To be honest, I'm a little surprised he wasn't immediately fired. Moore had a chance to set the standard right off the bat and get rid of the new guy who didn't live up to expectations. We'll see what happens...
DeleteFrankly, having known a few drunk drivers in my life...if Scruggs got caught within a couple weeks of getting to Ann Arbor, it's not his first time getting behind the wheel while drunk. That's a complete guess on my part, but you don't get a dream-level DL coaching job and then suddenly turn into a drunk driver. He's either been caught before and let off the hook, or he's done it numerous times and finally got caught.
This is the second time he has been caught. Perhaps in NFL, you can gloss over it. But as a college coach? Nah Likewise, I thought Moore should have fired him. The reason I brought it up is because I am wondering if Michigan is waiting for the due process to take place before firing him.
DeleteWell, apparently Scruggs resigned. Which is probably best. That's a terrible way to start off a new job.
DeleteYou make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Get an Uber or Lyft. It's not that difficult.
It's really not. Thunder is 100% right about the Lyft.
DeleteThat said I think most people our age are not yet wired to think this way and even if you have a lot more money than you had growing up you don't necessarily start changing how you spend money on some things.