the enemy 2020
Previously: Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver & Tight End, Offensive Line, Defensive Line, Linebacker
I'm bringing back this preview feature from before my time off; the exercise is to rank Michigan's opponents, as well as the Wolverines themselves, in each position group. This is particularly useful to do in a year when roster turnover and late-offseason changes (laaaaaaaaaaaaaate-offseason changes) are so prevalent; I'll do my best in these posts to highlight significant opt-outs, opt-ins, and the like.
We've reached the end of this series, as I'm not going to attempt to squeeze in a special teams preview in a pandemic year. (Short version: college kickers.) Unfortunately, it looks a lot like the beginning of the series.
Tier I: The F****** Buckeyes, Again
sorry, this is the only shot we have of Shaun Wade [Eric Upchurch]
1. Ohio State. Yes, the Buckeyes lost two first-round cornerbacks—even if their fans were shocked to see Damon Arnette picked that high—and starting safety Jordan Fuller. Corner/slot Shaun Wade still ensured OSU's spot atop another position group when he opted back into the season his dad lobbied so hard to have. According to PFF's season preview magazine, Wade had more pass breakups (8) than first downs allowed (7) in 2019, a feat no other Big Ten player came close to matching.
Wade can move all around the defense. Cornerbacks Sevyn Banks and Cameron Brown are both 6'1" former four-stars; the former impressed in limited snaps last year, the latter got a lot of attention during OSU's abbreviated spring session. Safety Josh Proctor is expected to be a seamless replacement for Fuller as the single-high safety in their Cover 1/3-heavy scheme. If they utilize a second safety, it's likely to be Marcus Hooker, Malik's younger brother.
This is a defensive back factory until further notice.
Tier II: Good, Slightly Flawed
Wisconsin DBs benefited from a hellacious pass rush in 2019 [Patrick Barron]
2. Wisconsin. One of the top statistical pass defenses in the country returns almost every major contributor and even brings back former starting safety Scott Nelson, who went out for the year to injury in last season's opener. I don't see them in the same tier as OSU, however, because I'm skeptical they can replicate last year's success without last year's monster pass rush—sack leader Zack Baun leaves a big hole at outside linebacker.
When better opponents were able to hold down the pass rush, they feasted. From HTTV:
After an excellent first half of the season, the secondary struggled down the stretch in 2019. While the schedule got a lot tougher, the numbers from their mid-October upset loss at Illinois through the Big Ten title game were ugly: opponents threw for 9.2 yards per attempt with 15 touchdowns and three interceptions.
The overall numbers are still excellent and there's experience across the board what with losing only safety Reggie Pearson from last year's secondary. There's a chance UW does their usual reload up front and makes it just as tough to poke holes in the back. They'll be well-coached under defensive coordinator and longtime NFL safety Jim Leonhard. I'm not sure there's high-level NFL talent but if these guys show up in the right place it might not matter.
[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the rankings.]
Previously: Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver & Tight End, Offensive Line, Defensive Line
I'm bringing back this preview feature from before my time off; the exercise is to rank Michigan's opponents, as well as the Wolverines themselves, in each position group. This is particularly useful to do in a year when roster turnover and late-offseason changes (laaaaaaaaaaaaaate-offseason changes) are so prevalent; I'll do my best in these posts to highlight significant opt-outs, opt-ins, and the like.
Our long regional nightmare is over.
Tier I: You're Damn Right I'm Putting Another Michigan Picture Here
Josh Ross is back on the weak side, where he excelled in 2018 [Barron]
1. Michigan. Technically, Michigan replaces two of their three linebacker starters this year, but that's a bit misleading: Josh Ross returns from a year marred by injury, a move to middle linebacker that didn't take, and the emergence of Jordan Glasgow as a draftable weakside linebacker. He'll replace Glasgow at the WILL, where he started in 2018, tallying 61 tackles (five for loss) despite playing in a somewhat inexplicable platoon with Devin Gil—Ross was clearly the superior player. Back at his natural position, he could be an all-conference player.
The main attraction, of course, is MIKE Cam McGrone, who exploded onto the scene in his second year with impact and style reminiscent of Devin Bush. While McGrone can tighten up a few things, he was essentially a redshirt freshman last year, and he's already proven capable of swinging games by finishing plays in the backfield. If the defensive tackles can stand up to more double-teams—a big if, though one I'm cautiously optimistic about with Carlo Kemp moving to three-tech—then McGrone will be freed up even more, and he's got All-American potential if that happens.
There are a couple intriguing up-and-comers at VIPER, led by Michael Barrett, a former high school quarterback who's got the look of a versatile thumper; he may also be the primary long-term backup at either inside linebacker spot. If the defense needs more of a third safety, Anthony Solomon was praised as one of the best cover linebackers in his class, with the lack of a traditional positional projection holding back his rating—not a problem at Don Brown's hybrid spot. Ben VanSumeren is another former multi-position athlete who's received some offseason hype for his work at SAM, a position that could be of greater importance if DT is a worst-case scenario.
While there's not a ton of depth, I stress that less at linebacker than along the defensive line; there's far less rotation necessary at LB.
2. Ohio State. This wasn't a good unit in 2018. Freed of Greg Schiano's coaching in 2019, however, they were much better, and while WILL Malik Harrison is a major loss to the NFL, most everyone else is back. From my HTTV preview:
The linebacker level is the relative weakness on this defense. You already know the catch: they’re still plenty good and extremely talented. Redshirt senior Tuf Borland is being pushed by former top-50 recruit Teradja Mitchell in the middle; five-star senior Baron Browning gets to play the majority of snaps at his natural WILL position; senior Pete Werner displayed an impressive all-around game at their hybrid SAM position last year.
Browning*, a dangerous pass-rusher when playing on the edge instead of inside, and Mitchell are the two players who could take this unit from good to great. There's a healthy amount of depth. Michigan edges the Buckeyes out because McGrone looked like the best of the bench even though he got less help from his tackles.
*also the subject of one of the funnier high school highlights in recent memory
[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the rankings.]
Previously: Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver & Tight End, Offensive Line
I'm bringing back this preview feature from before my time off; the exercise is to rank Michigan's opponents, as well as the Wolverines themselves, in each position group. This is particularly useful to do in a year when roster turnover and late-offseason changes (laaaaaaaaaaaaaate-offseason changes) are so prevalent; I'll do my best in these posts to highlight significant opt-outs, opt-ins, and the like.
Maybe we'll start the defensive line with something fun and different ah fu--
Tier I: Not Something Fun and Different
Jonathon Cooper is still here, somehow [Barron]
1. Ohio State. So the good news is the Buckeyes lost a lot, including #2 overall pick Chase Young and pretty much all their DT production, from last year's stellar defensive line:
Returning production
- Linebacker: 75 percent of tackles; 63 percent of TFLs; 68 percent of sacks
- Defensive end: 54 percent of tackles; 43 percent of TFLs; 40 percent of sacks
- Defensive tackle: 39 percent of tackles; 28 percent of TFLs; 0 percent of sacks
The bad news, which you saw coming a mile away, is that the replacements are talented even by OSU standards:
Average rank as recruits, according to the 247Sports Composite
- Defensive tackle (0.9389)
- Defensive end (0.9326)
- Linebacker (0.9298)
- Cornerback (0.9282)
- Safety (0.9194)
DE Zach Harrison, the #12 overall recruit in the 2019 class, is the next edge terror in the Young/Bosa/Bosa lineage; he posted 3.5 sacks in limited, impressive time last year. Taron Vincent was the #1 DT in the 2018 class and should be healthy after a shoulder injury forced a sophomore-year redshirt. Both could break out in a huge way this year.
DE Jonathon Cooper was a serviceable starter and team captain before injuries derailed his 2019 season; he's back for a fifth year. DE Tyreke Smith was the #34 overall prospect in 2018. Two seniors and a junior fill out the two-deep at tackle. The only potential concern is if a couple DTs go down—and there's still plenty of young talent around to fill gaps. Blergh.
2. Penn State. While PSU finished 25th nationally in sack rate instead of first like the Buckeyes (sigh), they posted essentially the same line yards allowed, with both teams finishing in the top ten.
Like OSU, the Nittany Lions lose a top-flight pass-rusher: Yetur Gross-Matos, a second-round pick after recording a combined 35 TFLs and 17.5 sacks over the last two seasons. They also have a replacement who may be up to replacing much of that production right away: Jayson Oweh, the #76 prospect in 2018 who was billed as a higher-ranked version of Josh Uche. At the other end, Shaka Toney returns after nearly leaving for the NFL himself; he's a solid pass-rusher who plays better against the run than you'd expect of a lineman listed at 236 pounds.
There's also fifth-year DE Shane Simmons, a top-50 recruit who's yet to live up to expectations but has been behind some very good players. There's a lot of experience on the interior, with Robert Windsor—mostly a pass-rush specialist—the only significant loss from last year's group, which was fantastic against the run. While there may be some pass-rush dropoff, this will at least be a difficult line to move off the ball, and Oweh provides them with a potential edge-rushing nightmare.
[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the rankings.]
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