Saturday, March 29, 2008

Mailbag question: What do you predict for the defense

Coach and Eroc,

With all the panic around the offense, what do you predict for the defense? My thought is that even if the offense starts struggling, the defense with a greater emphasis on speed and conditioning combined with more aggressiveness will be able to keep us in games. With the return of Graham, Taylor, Trent, Warren, and others along with (hopefully) Brown and Mouton emerging, I like the possibility of us having a very good defense.

Bart
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Thanks for the question. Defense definitely has more starters returning than offense. In addition, defense has some solid to very good players returning. However, the defense also has some large holes and some questions to answer. Unless our linebackers play and safety play improves it will be difficult for the defense to be a dominate defense. Defense also needs for either Tim Jamison or Brandon Graham, and hopefully both to step and provide consistent edge pressure. Need one of the defensive tackles to develop into solid inside pass rusher?

(IMO) the biggest thing in the upcoming season will be improving special teams. Our return game needs to improve to help the offense by providing more short fields. Our punting and kick off team need to play solid ball to help the defense by making offenses drive the field. Over last few years, with exception of Breaston's return skills, special teams have been a major “Achilles heal”. This needs to change, and quicker the better. Remember last year when it seemed like Michigan struggled to get to the twenty yard line on kick off returns while the other teams Michigan played seemed to always get to the thirty-five to forty yard line.

written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine

If you have any questions please e-mail erocwolverine@gmail.com

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