RETURNING PLAYERS: Kechaun Bennett (RS Sr.), Rayshaun Benny (RS Sr.), T.J. Guy (RS Sr.), Ike Iwunnah (RS Sr.), Tyler McLaurin (RS Sr.), Derrick Moore (Sr.), Chibi Anwunah (RS Jr.), Joey Klunder (RS Jr.), Alessandro Lorenzetti (RS Jr.), Trey Pierce (Jr.), Enow Etta (RS So.), Aymeric Koumba (RS So.), Devon Baxter (RS Fr.), Edgard Lugopayi (RS Fr.), Dominic Nichols (RS Fr.)
NEWCOMERS: Damon Payne (RS Sr.), Tre Williams (RS Sr.), Julius Holly (Fr.), Travis Moten (Fr.)
DEPARTURES: Mason Graham (NFL Draft), Kenneth Grant (NFL Draft), Josaiah Stewart (NFL Draft)
OUTLOOK: Ahhhhh . . . defensive line. This is the place where Michigan fans can all take a deep breath of the happy, fresh air, where things are all fine and dandy. Michigan has had a long line of quality defensive linemen who have been fun to watch, going back years, including Chase Winovich, Maurice Hurst Jr., Ryan Glasgow, Kwity Paye, etc. More recently, we've seen Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo, Kenneth Grant, Josaiah Stewart, and Mason Graham star on the defensive line. Last year it was Graham and Grant - both of whom are projected to be 1st rounders - who really held down the middle of the line, stymying Ohio State's rushing attack and helping Michigan preserve that sweet, sweet, 13-10 victory.
This year Michigan might have to hold its breath a little bit.
With Graham and Grant off to the NFL, Michigan has to hope someone will develop at defensive tackle who doesn't have a great track record yet. Rayshaun Benny has already played great at times, and barring injury, he should once again be a force. Otherwise, it will be up to fifth year senior Ike Iwunnah (7 tackles, 1 tackle for loss in 2024), junior Trey Pierce (7 tackles), redshirt sophomore Enow Etta (4 tackles, 0.5 sacks), and a couple transfers to get it done inside. Luckily, the transfers were pretty good recruits. On the not-so-great side, they weren't super productive at their previous stops. Alabama transfer Damon Payne (14 tackles, 0.5 sacks) and Clemson transfer Tre Williams (14 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks) are not stars like Graham and Grant, but they're veteran additions.
The most impressive aspect and the biggest sign for hope is that this is a veteran-heavy position group. Altogether, the defensive line room boasts seven (7!!!) fifth-year seniors and four fourth-year players, the latter group including a couple former walk-ons in Joey Klunder and Chibi Anwunah. At a position in the trenches where physical maturity is at a premium, if you can't win with pure talent, it's at least good to have size, strength, and mental maturity.
On the edges, Michigan will miss Josaiah Stewart, an undersized player who won a ton of his matchups and played tougher than his 6'1", 245 lb. frame would indicate. But rising senior Derrick Moore (23 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 2 sacks) and fifth year senior T.J. Guy (32 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks) both played well in the bowl game against Alabama; Moore came on in that game after being pretty quiet throughout the regular season, but Guy was solid for most of the year. Those two players should lead the way, but Michigan did not land any reinforcements in the transfer portal and will need to count on some young players to rotate in and find some success.
Redshirt sophomore Aymeric Koumba looks the part, and Michigan brought in a really talented trio in 2024 with Lugard Edokpayi, Devon Baxter, and Dominic Nichols. Nichols looked like he belonged, making 3 tackles in five games (one was the bowl game, so he preserved his redshirt). But there's plenty of opportunity here for help at the edge positions to step up in the spring and stake a claim for playing time this fall.
Overall, this is a veteran group that should be solid and deep. In fact, I can't think of a Michigan team that has had this much experience. The real question is the top-end talent and whether someone who will step up who can make consistent big plays in crunch time, something guys like Mason Graham, Josaiah Stewart, Aidan Hutchinson, and others have been able to do.
No way to replace The Gifts individually
ReplyDeleteInstead, their production can be spread across all that depth. We got burned (pretty badly) when the two were rested early last year, but later these guys did their job
I'm hoping for 2o22ish "No Name" Part II
Good run-down highlighting the strength of the defense and specifically calling out the age and experience and depth all along the DL. That sets the floor very very high. But yeah, after the last few seasons it doesn't seem like the talent level will be quite as high. I could see some fan frustration here, even if the unit is still firmly in the A- territory there will be some drop-off felt from an A+.
ReplyDeleteA couple guys not mentioned above that I think could elevate things beyond expectations:
1. Cameron Brandt. Appears on a star track after playing freshman year and then emerging towards the end of last season. He ended up with a similar number of snaps as Rayshaun Benny.
2. Jaishawn Barham. Obviously he's going to play a role at LB as well but he's EDGE-sized and so the NFL wants him to play there. With excellent depth at LB as well, I think he'll play a role here. Perhaps he'll thrive in what seems like physically a more natural fit.
I would also underline Nichols as a potential star. The fact he was out there as a true freshman was promising.
Finally I would not put it past some of the vets to make big leaps. We tend to assume a guy is what he is late in his career but with new positional coaches (for the transfers from down south) and urgency for guys in their last years of eligibility, sometimes you get unexpected career years. Jon Runyan jr is one example that comes to mind - pretty unexceptional and low expectations through 3 years and then bam -- 1st team all conference as a senior and on his way to the NFL.
Also like Pierce as a bust-out candidate inside. Even though he is probably the 4th guy heading into the fall, having a healthy and deep rotation should help all these guys be their best selves.
DeleteMy draft list of importance (TTB countdown style) by position group:
DeleteInterior:
1. Benny
2. Williams
3. Payne
4. Pierce
5. Etta
6. Iwunnah
Outside:
1. Moore
2. Guy
3. Brandt
4. Barham
5. Nichols
6. Bennett
If/when someone else (presumably a younger player) emerges into the rotation, that's gravy. Barring injury, it'll be based on merit.
The depth is very encouraging. Guys #5 and #6 at both spots have already played some and demonstrated some baseline ability and/or potential.
Agreed that 2022 might be a nice comparison, Je.
ReplyDeleteBenny ~= r. jr. Kris Jenkins
Williams/Payne < sr. Mazi
Pierce < fr. MG
Etta ~= fr. KG
Moore ~= sr. Mike Morris (B1G DLotY)
Guy > r. jr. Harrell
Brandt ~= r. jr. McGregor/Okie
The Mason Graham / Kenneth Grant combo in the middle was lightning in a bottle, and probably never replicated again. It's a little like Ojabo/Hutchinson on the outside. An offensive line, if they're pretty good, can scheme to one of them, but both is a real challenge.
ReplyDeleteWhich makes me wonder, if you had to pick between:
1) 2 great DL and the rest merely average, or
2) A better than average total line, but no standout stars
Which would you pick? User 'je93' seems to go for #2, but I'm not clear if he is backing into that given the departure of MG/KG, or if he would give up a MG/KG pair to have a better overall line.
If the choice is only ONE standout star, or an above average total line, I'd go for the latter: an above average total line. When the choice is TWO standout stars and a merely average rest of the line, I hesitate a bit. Obviously it depends on how 'average' average is.
Thoughts?
I would MUCH rather have the two Gifts ... no question
DeleteBut we don't have that for 2o25, hence my hope for a 2o22 No Name Defense
Two gifts *and* a merely average rest of the line?
DeleteThat's the important distinction. Obviously having two great stars like Graham and Grant *and* a handful of really good other players is preferable, but then we're just getting greedy. :-)
I'm searching for that fine trade-off line between standout stars and balance of quality talent. Just a trade-off does exist ... if we took the hypothetical to two stars and the rest were really inferior players, we'd say that was sub-optimal.
(The offensive line is a different discussion: there I think having a balance of "good across the board" is preferable to "great at LT, but the right side of the line struggles." Stars at LT and RT ... well, then we talk. Stars at LT, LG, C, RG, RT and we're talking championship.)
Does it count if I say better 2 DT superstars with average rest of line, than better overall average DLine than least good 2 great DE and average line overall? I just can’t help remembering those Don Brown lines with average DTs that got destroyed by OSU
DeleteYeah, the late Brown era sucked at DTs
DeleteThe biggest impact to the defense is Martindale. It took awhile for him to get his sea legs, like most of the year, but he did a fine job down the stretch.
ReplyDeletethe beginning of the year he was tying to over engineer the defense with all this Whiley E Coyote contraptions that were easily exploited.