Without Josh Uche, moving back to a four-man fronts?
“To answer that question, I’ve gotta kill you, but you’re on the right track there. What I’ll say to you is I do feel very strongly about (Taylor) Upshaw, I do feel strongly about Luiji Vilain. David Ojabo, I think has a lot of similar traits that Josh Uche has. It’s like if we had already gotten through spring, we’d already have those answers. So when we’re done preseason, we need to have those answers. But I’m very excited about – when you can say multiple guys have a chance to impact you in a pass rush scenario that’s a good thing. As you know, I feel very strongly about third down. Second and longs. Those are the downs that get you off the field and those are the areas I feel we’ve done a good job in the last four years. Obviously, that’s gonna be an important piece again.
“But as you mentioned, with Uche, he had a 26% pass rush rating with pressuring the quarterback. But think about that: that means one of every four snaps that he plays he’s pressuring the quarterback. With that also being said, we’re putting him in the game when those kinds of scenarios come to fruition that we try to get him in as fresh as we can in as many of those scenarios. With Aidan Hutchinson and Kwity Paye and now you’re asking Upshaw, Luiji, Ojabo to be a functional sub-package players, I’m kind of excited about that. We just gotta figure it out and see who the guys who are best-suited and who are the guys that are most ready. But really, the nice thing is players determine it, the coaches don’t. All you do is see with your eyes and then make a decision on who you’re putting in specific roles.
“Now, unlike a year ago where Uche was an internal blitzer, he’s an external blitzer, he’s a straight-line blitzer – he could do all those things as a stand-up, two-point stance defensive end, you may have to divide that work between one or two guys because one guy may be great on the edge, another guy may be great in short-area quickness and change of direction scenario might be better. Those are the things we’re waiting just to find out and see how that plays out. But you were onto something when you mentioned the four down guys.”
On Brad Hawkins’ emergence last year and how he fits this year?
“Well, obviously, that was a big loss to us at the end of the year. And it took Daxton Hill, who’s an excellent player to put him into a role where we had to change his role. Obviously, that was a very good experience for Daxton, but the overall play of our defense gets impacted because you lose a player of Brad Hawkins’ stature. The nice thing about Brad is that he’s learned the defense. There were times in his career where he was going through the growing pains of getting, executing at an elite level. It took him some time to learn that. Plus, also believe on the back end, you develop confidence as you play well, play and play well and you cover guys and have the ability to cover. This guy, everything’s on the upswing. It really is. He’s taken a leadership role. I’m meeting with the defensive leaders tomorrow and he’s one of the guys that I’m meeting with.
“Obviously, I feel very strongly about him having a strong year and then we’ll be wishing him good thoughts as he heads to the NFL.”
Assessing defensive recruiting in 2021
“First off, I really can’t talk about anything specifically in the recruiting piece, because nobody’s signed. I can tell you our new safeties coach Bob Shoop is working diligently with the safeties that are on the board. I think we’re in great shape in that position. BJ (Brian Jean-Mary) and I are working together with the linebackers. I’m involved in all levels: safeties, corners, D-linemen, linebackers. Coach Nua is doing a great job with the guys up front. I think we’re right on schedule. In terms of we’re talking to the right guys, they’re the right fits for Michigan. Now we just gotta let it play out. I feel we’re in tremendous shape, speaking in general terms, and we’re talking to the right players that are elite players but are also first-class individuals as well as good students.”
On Ben VanSumeren’s transition to linebacker
“Yeah, we’re excited. Again, we had the one winter workout when the coaches are engaged. And in the drill work that I put him through and Coach BJ put him through, I was kinda excited. He’s a big guy, now. He comes downhill in the 3-3 stuff. Anxious to see how fast we can get him acclimated to being a pass rusher. All the things that are required of the linebackers – playing off blocks, tackling, all those things that are just so, so important. But I love his enthusiasm. We think he’s a really talented guy. I think he’ll be an excellent internal blitzer. I think he’ll be a good run-stopper.
“Obviously some of the pieces are gonna be new to him, but it’s not like he’s a rookie. He’s been in Michigan football and we hope he makes that transition and makes it quickly.”
On the NCAA lifting the voluntary activity restrictions and adapting to the ‘new normal’
“I’m looking at just meeting as a defensive staff, I’m not sure we’re gonna be able to walk in Schembechler Hall and walk into our defensive staff room and think we’re gonna practice social distancing. But we can go to the team room and spread out and do that. It’s gonna require small group meetings. Positionally, that will be an important piece. Might have to wear a mask going into the building. I really don’t know what’s ahead of me, but I can tell you this: I’m looking forward to it! I’m excited about it! That I can tell you. I can’t wait to coach football.”