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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — When you’re a cornerback, you have to have a short memory. If you give up a big play, you have to quickly forget it and move onto the next.
But what about year over year?
Last season, the Michigan defense was the worst it’s been since the RichRod era, when it was near the bottom in most categories. Thus far this season, a year after being the 90th-rated pass defense, through five games the Wolverines are sitting at No. 16. It’s a huge turnaround, and third-year cornerback DJ Turner says that the big change has been in the group’s confidence — in themselves and in each other.
“We have a lot,” Turner said. “This year, you know the guy next to you is going to do their job. That’s just belief and confidence. Once you know the guy next to you is going to do their job, it’s just the energy of it.”
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A big part of that is also the coaching changes.
Michigan moved on from Mike Zordich, despite him fielding multiple top-rated pass defenses in his tenure. Last year, the front seven wasn’t getting much push, but this year, it is. Turner credits the entirety of the coaching staff for making it easier for the players to cover, as well as knowing better the nuance that he and his compatriots in the defensive backfield need to have on any given play.
Though there was an intermittent switch, as spring ball defensive backs coach Mo Linguist quickly departed for the Buffalo coaching post, with Steve Clinkscale in the fold, it’s made the unit better, Turner says.
“A lot, a lot comes from it. Listening to what has to say, you just take the coaching, he knows what he’s talking about,” Turner said. “Do what he says and you’re in the right spot to make a play.”
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But was this a group that didn’t have confidence? Turner says the newfound energy resurgence is real, and the downtrodden attitude wasn’t specific to the defensive backs.
“To a certain extent, but I think this was a whole team thing,” Turner said. “This team is just different this year.
“It’s hard to describe. It’s just on the team — you just feel it. It’s a different energy, the environment of being in Schem, being around the team. It’s just a different environment. It’s hard to describe.”
Michigan will certainly be tested this week when it travels to Lincoln to face an up-and-coming Nebraska at night. The Huskers have the No. 11 offense and 40th-rated passing offense — the highest the Wolverines will have seen thus far.
“Good offense, we’re gonna have to come locked in this week,” Turner said. “Another Big Ten dual-threat quarterback. We gotta come locked in, big environment.”
When it comes to taking down Adrian Martinez, Turner says the group must be prepared to be fundamentally sound.
“Just make tackles,” Turner said. “That’s the main thing, getting the quarterback to the ground.”
All that said, this team is not looking back. If it starts to find itself in trouble, there won’t be a ‘here we go again’ mentality, because they’re taking everything as it comes — game-by-game, week-by-week, snap-by-snap.
What happened in the past remains in the past, and that’s where the defense is content leaving it.
“At this point, we don’t even look at last year,” Turner said. “We just go week-by-week. Try to go 1-0 every week.”
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