What could Michigan’s defense improve this season?

After looking at where the offense and defense could step back and identifying some ways the offense can be a little more productive, we now need to figure out how the Michigan Wolverines could improve their defense. Considering no team had a better defense per SP+ in 2023, that’s a tall order. Even with the departure of Jesse Minter and some key contributors, the Wolverines are still absolutely in good shape on that side of the ball.

But considering this week is full of fireworks, why not shoot for the stars? We know the offense will be a little more rocky without JJ McCarthy, Blake Corum and friends, which means the defense will be under even more pressure to make the difference in some close games. Can the defense possibly get better this fall? There are a few ingredients that could make that cocktail.

Climb over the top of the mountain

Because of the defense’s incredible performance in 2023, I’m going to approach this topic a little differently. Last week, we talked about all the areas where Michigan was at or near the top, which ended up being virtually every statistical category of significance. There weren’t many holes in personnel either, so it’s not like the defense will see a huge boost by replacing deadweight with clear improvement.

Still, there are some reasons to believe the defense could look even stronger in some areas. First, there’s the maturity of its three biggest stars: Will Johnson, Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant. All three are entering their third season, and Graham and Grant in particular are expected to see more playing time after all the rotation last season.

There’s also continuity, with Josaiah Stewart and Derrick Moore playing larger roles and Makari Paige and Quinten Johnson bringing plenty of crucial experience. These players have big shoes to fill due to NFL gaps, transfer portals and injuries, but they’ve had the luxury of already being in the Michigan system and being part of a national championship culture. No one on this defense has ever entered the season without already having tasted that level of success, and in the college game, that can certainly mean something.

Finally, there’s the idea that defense will be the focus. As mentioned, this team will likely be carried by defense this year, and perhaps that added pressure will really allow that unit to shine. Also, unlike last year, the schedule is jam-packed from start to finish, forcing this defense to come out hot and be focused for four full quarters, something that wasn’t necessary last season. That kind of emphasis could help this defense get to the next level, even if there are a few bumps along the way.

What do you think? Is there a factor that could somehow make this defense even better? Let us know in the comments below!