Michigan DTs

Ed Note: This is Pat projecting it, I am just posting it. Hopefully this will mean ill get my butt in gear to have MSU DT up tonight or tomorrow.


DT

Let's get the previews started!  Last season saw Michigan and MSU both enjoy great seasons defensively.  Michigan's defense had a miraculous turnaround from being one of the worst in the country to a top 20 squad.  MSU had a dominant defense that led to their appearance in the conference title game and bowl victory over the SEC's Georgia Bulldogs.  Both defenses were led up front by their defensive line and especially their defensive tackles. 

The 2011 Michigan team (team 132) had an interesting lineup at DT.  It looked something like this:

NT (the 1-tech): Sr Mike Martin with backup Will Campbell
DT (the 3-tech):  Walk-on Sr Will Henninger with Sr Ryan Van Bergen rotating into this spot. 

Depth was provided by Sophomore Quinton Washington who saw occasional snaps.  The Wolverines just saw Mike Martin drafted in the third round (the highest Wolverine drafted) and will need to replace both his production and leadership. 

The depth chart above shows just why defensive tackle is a huge question mark for Michigan entering the season.  Luckily, Brady Hoke and Greg Mattison are both defensive line coaches and there are some talented big men ready to step in and produce up front.

The contenders for playing time:

NT (the 1-tech): Will Campbell (Sr) Richard Ash (So) Ondre Pipkins (Fr)
DT (the 3-tech): Jibreel Black (Jr) Quinton Washington (Jr) Nathan Brink (Walk-on Jr)

The big question that needs to be answered is can Will Campbell finally live up to his massive hype?  Can he at least be a productive Big Ten player?  He has shown flashes in the past and has the size and athleticism to be a standout but his technique and effort are concerns.  Like many tall DT's, Campbell has shown a great tendency to stand up at the snap of the ball.  If he can keep his pad level down he could turn himself into an NFL player.  How often does a guy enter his senior year and you aren't sure if he's going to end up being drafted or if he's going to lose his starting spot and never pan out?  A rare case indeed. 

Michigan does have bodies at these positions.  Richard Ash has gotten some positive reviews out of spring practice and likely will contribute and get regular snaps.  JIbreel Black moving inside from the 5-tech to the 3-tech makes Michigan a little smaller up front but gives them great speed, athleticism and versatility.  Washington and Ash could both end up playing the nose or the 3-tech. 

Pat's prediction:

At the nose, Campbell starts the year and while he has some growing pains he is a solid Big Ten starter.  He won't put up big numbers but will eat up space and blockers allowing other defenders to be more effective.  Ondre Pipkins proves to simply be too good to keep on the bench and gets 10-15 snaps per game by the end of the year.  The other DT position sees a rotation of guys coming in and out and has some issues in run defense but is productive in rushing the passer.

Overall I think this unit will cause some frustration if they cannot hold the line of scrimmage against big offensive lines that run downhill but I think they'll be quite effective against spread teams.   This is the greatest concern for Michigan's defense heading into 2012 and while it is unlikely to be a great strength, the potential for production is there.