ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Pundits across the country are skeptical that Michigan football will be able to field a defense nearly as good as last year’s, despite the 2021 defense being the second-worst statistically in Jim Harbaugh’s tenure in Ann Arbor.
Not only did the Wolverines lose Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo, Dax Hill, Brad Hawkins, and Josh Ross, but they lost the architect of the new-look defense in Mike Macdonald.
Though there are some narratives about new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter — who oversaw the 119th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores last year — like Macdonald, he comes from the Baltimore Ravens coaching tree, where he coached defensive backs. Now he’s had a full spring and is knee-deep into fall camp with his defensive unit — one that Harbaugh recently said is ahead of where last year’s defense was.
Here’s everything he’s seeing from his side of the ball just over a week into fall camp.