Michigan’s defense has shown enough through three games to make Jay Hill optimistic. It has also shown enough mistakes to keep the defensive coordinator busy before Big Ten play starts.
Hill said Thursday that the No. 18 Wolverines have been dominant in stretches, especially up front, but the group still has some loose ends to tighten. The biggest issue, in his view, is simple and painful: all three touchdowns Michigan has allowed have come on blown coverages.
“We do have some things to clean up right now,” Hill said. “We’ve given up three touchdowns in three games, but all three of them are off blown coverages.”
That kind of bust is not what Hill wants from this unit, and he said the defense also has to sharpen its gap integrity against the run. The goal, he said, is to keep mistakes from turning into back-breaking plays.
“We’ve done a good job for the most part of getting out of drives,” Hill said. “I think we’ve been very dominant at times, like swarming at times.”
One of the clearest bright spots has been Michigan’s linebackers. Hill said that group has moved faster than expected and is already carrying more of the defense than he thought it would at this point.
“I think they’re playing beyond what anyone really expected at this point,” Hill said.
Troy Bowles drew a particular mention from Hill, who called him a “little missile” because of the way he plays with force and smarts. Hill also pointed to the growth of Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, Nathaniel Staehling, Chase Taylor, Aisea Moa and Max Alford. The next test, he said, is a physical one against Iowa’s run game.
Michigan’s secondary has given Hill the confidence to lean on man coverage about half the time through three games. He said that’s a heavier man approach than he used at BYU, though it lines up with what he did at Utah and Weber State. Still, the plan changes week to week depending on the opponent.
“We change every week,” Hill said. “It’s just going to change from week to week based on what we feel we need to do to put the players in position to be successful.”
He pointed to the Oklahoma game as an example, saying the Wolverines mixed in combination coverages and zone looks even when it appeared they were playing a lot of man.
Now the focus turns to Iowa quarterback Hank Brown, who has given the Hawkeyes a steadier presence. Hill said Brown has thrown on time, shown good pocket presence and benefited from solid protection.
“He throws a good ball. He throws the ball on time,” Hill said.
Through Iowa’s first three games, Brown has not been sacked or intercepted, according to Hill. Michigan’s answer, Hill said, is to get him off his spot, rush his decisions and vary the picture behind the front.
The matchup itself, Hill believes, will be as physical as it gets.
“The most physical, most prepared team will win,” Hill said.
That means Michigan has to handle Iowa on the ground and also avoid giving up explosive throws. Hill said he likes that part of the challenge, and as a former defensive back, he admitted he enjoys games where the other side wants to throw it around.
“But you better stop the pass, too, because you can’t give up a couple cheap ones down the field,” Hill said.
Turnovers remain another point of emphasis. Hill said Michigan has not been generating them at the rate he’s used to, and he pointed back to his BYU defenses, which piled up interceptions over the past two seasons. He expects that to change eventually.
“Sometimes you don’t have very many and then all of a sudden you have four or five games where you get three or four in each game,” Hill said.
Against Iowa, he said, the turnover battle and field position could end up being decisive.
Hill also likes the depth Michigan has along the defensive line, especially at end. He said the Wolverines have several players they trust and credited Lewis Powell with developing the group. More opportunities, he said, are coming for the younger players.
“We’re going to need all those guys,” Hill said.
The standard inside the building remains the 2023 national championship defense, which Hill has used as a benchmark. He said this year’s unit has borrowed some of the same pressure and coverage ideas, but the real goal is consistency.
Michigan has already flashed it. Hill pointed to the Oklahoma game, where the Wolverines held the Sooners to 10 points, and to a stretch last week in which Michigan forced five straight three-and-outs while allowing minus-10 yards across five drives.
“There’s been glimpses of what we’re trying to become,” Hill said. “We just got to keep progressing to where we want to be.”
Veteran safety Rod Moore is part of that connection to the championship defense. Hill called him one of the team’s best leaders and said his experience as a national champion matters in the room.
As Big Ten play begins, Hill said the defense has handled adversity well - but the job is far from finished.
“We’ve had stretches where we look exactly the way we want to look,” Hill said. “We’ve got things we got to work on.”
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