Michigan may have found a difference-maker in Jay Hill.
The Wolverines came into the season with more obvious star power on offense, while the defense was expected to lean on an elite pass rusher and a secondary that could stack up with the best in the country. The question marks were elsewhere: linebacker and the interior of the defensive line looked like the softer spots on paper.
Two games in, those concerns have flipped into one of the early stories of Michigan’s season. Hill has gotten a lot out of a defense that has allowed just one touchdown so far, and that matters even more when you look at what UTEP, Oklahoma and Western Michigan have done away from Michigan - they’ve combined to score 151 points in their three wins outside of Ann Arbor.
His work in the upset of Oklahoma drew plenty of attention. Multiple sources named him coach of the week, and Brent Venables went as far as calling him one of the best coordinators in the country.
That’s no throwaway compliment coming from a coach with Venables’ defensive background. Kyle Whittingham also pointed out after the opener how few missed tackles Michigan had in the win.
Hill’s impact has shown up all over the field. Troy Bowles and the linebackers have taken a clear step forward, with Bowles leading the team in tackles through two victories.
In the secondary, Michigan smothered Isaiah Sategna, limiting him to two catches and keeping him out of the end zone for the first time since November. Up front, the defensive line has yet to allow a running back to break off a rush longer than 25 yards.
The numbers only sharpen the picture. No team in the country has given up fewer points against two teams that won at least 10 games last season. And for Michigan, Hill’s start is putting him in a conversation that already includes some big names - maybe even ahead of the opening stretches from Mike Macdonald or Jesse Minter.
In Other News...
Michigan Win Now Comes With An Official Controversy
Michigans latest win has taken on an awkward afterlife, with the NCAAs FBS oversight committee concluding that Western Michigan should have been credited with the victory because the officiating crew did not properly follow instant replay protocols. Even so, the result on the field will stay put in the record book, leaving Michigan with a win that now comes with a formal asterisk of sorts, even if not an official one.
The committee said it does not have the authority to overturn the game, but it also acknowledged the outcome would have been different had the replay procedures been handled correctly. For Michigan, that means the discussion around this game is no longer about how it was won, but whether the final outcome can be separated from a clear officiating failure that changed the way the finish is being viewed. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Hail Mary Controversy Now Has An NCAA Admission
The final minutes of Michigans win over Western Michigan have taken on a life of their own, and now the NCAA has officially weighed in on the controversy. The FBS Oversight Committee acknowledged that instant replay protocols were not followed correctly on the decisive sequence, a rare admission that the game was handled improperly in a way that affected the outcome. Still, the ruling stops short of rewriting the record, because NCAA bylaws do not allow the result to be changed after the fact.
For Michigan, that means the victory remains on the books even as the debate around the final play lingers. The Mid-American Conference had pushed for Western Michigan to be recognized as the winner for ranking purposes, but there will be no official switch in the standings or the history books. Whats left is an awkward ending for everyone involved, with the governing body confirming the mistake while also making clear that the score, however controversial, is not going anywhere. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Gets An Injury Lift But One Roster Concern Still Lingers
Michigan should get a little healthier heading into its upcoming game against UTEP, with offensive lineman Evan Link and edge rusher Carter Meadows both expected back after sitting out the previous game because of injuries. Running back Jordan Marshall is also expected to be available despite some minor issues, giving the Wolverines a better chance to restore some of the depth they were missing.
Hogan Hansen still remains questionable, though, and that keeps at least one spot on the roster in flux as Michigan continues to sort through its injury situation. The longer-term concern is Andrew Babalola, who will not be available in the near future after a setback in his recovery from an ACL injury, leaving the Wolverines to keep adjusting even as a few key pieces trend in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]