96 days until Michigan football: The pass rush answered the bell in 2023
There are 96 days until the defending national champion Michigan Wolverines football team takes the field in the Aug. 31 opener against Fresno State. Each day until then, we’ll discuss current Michigan events, the upcoming season and/or take a look at a significant number that correlates with how many days remain until kickoff, whether it be a player’s jersey number, a year, a date, a score, etc.
Former Michigan defensive tackle Kris Jenkins said last spring that the Wolverines were obsessing over improving their pass rush. It was good, but not great, in 2022, and the Maize and Blue didn’t get to the quarterback enough in their biggest game, a CFP semifinal loss to TCU. They went to work and improved it big time, becoming an elite unit.
Michigan made 196 hurries, 276 pressures and 35 quarterback hits last season, per PFF. Its 39 sacks ranked tied for 11th in the country. Sports Info Solutions logged 214 pressures from Michigan, the third most in the nation. The Wolverines also checked in third with a 43.5-percent pressure rate, per SIS.
A big emphasis for the Wolverines was to get pass rush production from all angles — the edge rushers, the interior of the defensive line and from blitzers (both linebackers and defensive backs). That’s exactly what they got, too.
The defensive tackles especially stepped up, with Mason Graham (29), Kenneth Grant (23) and Jenkins (20) all registering 20 or more pressures and totaling a combined 8.5 sacks.
Michigan had 11 different defenders with double-digit pressures on the season, according to PFF.
PlayerPressuresSacksEDGE Jaylen Harrell317.5DT Mason Graham293EDGE Josaiah Stewart295.5EDGE Braiden McGregor284.5EDGE Derrick Moore265DT Kenneth Grant233.5DT Kris Jenkins202LB Michael Barrett193LB Junior Colson130DT Cam Goode132CB Mike Sainristil112
It showed up in the big moments this time, too, with the 27-20 Rose Bowl overtime victory over Alabama being the best example. The Wolverines recorded 6 sacks, including 5 in the first half, in the signature win to advance to the national championship game.
While Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was downed only once — on an incredible play by Grant — he was under pressure on 37.7 percent of his dropbacks, per PFF, and was visibly shaken up toward the end of the game. He even limped up the tunnel following the loss, holding his ribs.
Michigan’s pass rush lost some key pieces from last season but does return four of the top six leaders in pressures from a year ago. For years, the Wolverines would get good production from the EDGEs but not as much from the defensive tackles. This season, it should be balanced again (like 2023), with Grant and Graham making up one of the top defensive tackle duos in the nation.
Michigan football countdown to kickoff
97 days | 98 days | 99 days | 100 days
The post 96 days until Michigan football: The pass rush answered the bell in 2023 appeared first on On3.
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