The 2015 Michigan Wolverines defense has the experience to improve upon its impressive finish last season, and coordinator D.J. Durkin's coaching history provides a clear outlook on what to expect from the unit this year.
In addition to eight returning starters, the unit will include two clear-cut replacements in the trenches, a three-year starting linebacker who missed last season due to injury, a transfer and a super sophomore.
Under Greg Mattison, who is now the defensive line coach, the Wolverines finished the 2014 campaign ranked No. 7 in the country, holding opponents to 311.3 yards per outing.
Michigan possesses the talent to excel defensively, and with Durkin calling the shots, a less efficient season—not necessarily worsened raw numbers—than 2014 would be a failure.
Versatility
Durkin will utilize both the 4-3 (one-gap) and 3-4 (two-gap) defenses, and he's been moving pieces around throughout the offseason to find where the athletes are best suited to play.
According to Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press, Durkin said:
It's really a matter of who haven't we moved. We like to play multiple packages on defense and we're trying to find out who can do what right now. This is the time you find it. You go through a season and get a guy banged up and you don't know if a guy playing corner can play safety or vice versa. We bounce them all around, shuffling and getting closer to who is playing where.
One of the biggest changes to Michigan's defense is the insertion of the "Buck" position, a hybrid role that Dante Fowler Jr., the third overall pick of the 2015 NFL draft, occupied for Durkin at Florida.
The Wolverines don't have a lineman of Fowler's caliber, but Mario Ojemudia is penciled in for the important position. He'll be tasked with helping the defense shift from a 3-4 to a 4-3—sometimes in the middle of drives—by changing roles on the fly.
Taco Charlton and Chris Wormley can both contribute on the opposite side, while Willie Henry and Maurice Hurst can shuffle between tackle and end if necessary. Now that Bryan Mone is sidelined for 2015, the trio will likely see action all over the line next to Ryan Glasgow.
Additionally, when Durkin sends in the nickel defense, Jabrill Peppers will shift down from free safety to "Star," and Delano Hill is the probable replacement for Peppers.
Michigan will have lots of moving pieces, and although the early portion of the season will include trial and error, there's assuredly a method behind Durkin's possible madness.
Reliance on 3- and 4-Man Pressure
From the typical straightforward blitzes to long sticks and stunts coupled with linebacker pressure, Durkin employs a variety of ways to get after the quarterback.
However, the Wolverines will rely on the defensive line's pure talent and technique to disrupt the backfield instead of regularly bringing linebackers. Durkin often avoids selling out on blitzes that leave the secondary at risk.
Durkin relies on two-deep man coverage, though he certainly mixes in Cover 1 and Cover 3. Nevertheless, when linebackers are intended to track an eligible receiver, it limits what the defense can actually send at the quarterback anyway.
Consequently, "bend but don't break" is a description that's bound to be heard when discussing the Michigan defense. Opponents who don't force big plays will earn a couple of hard-fought first downs.
But when the Wolverines stand tall without sending extra pressure, it makes sustaining drives much more difficult.
Stout Run Defense
It wasn't easy to run on Michigan in 2014, and there's no reason to suggest that will change this season.
Yes, Jake Ryan is gone, but Desmond Morgan—who only appeared in one game last year before a hand injury sidelined him—returns to a tremendously experienced position. Between Morgan, Joe Bolden and James Ross, the linebackers boast 569 tackles, 112 games played and 65 starts.
The similarity between Durkin's defense at Florida last season and Michigan's is striking. The Wolverines tallied 82 tackles for loss and ceded just 3.2 yards per carry last season, while Florida recorded 87 and 3.2, respectively. It can hardly get more even than that.
What Michigan hopes changes because of Durkin, though, is the potential for turnovers. Florida forced 17 fumbles, but the Wolverines managed just five. Improving their takeaway numbers would greatly benefit an offense that needs plenty of help.
But no matter if Michigan is pouncing on loose footballs, it's safe to expect a strong presence in the trenches that affects an opponent's running game.
All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats courtesy of cfbstats.com. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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