Jesse Minter evaluates advantage of continuity when building defensive scheme

Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is entering his second season with the Wolverines, as he heads into this season with a new level of comfort and familiarity in that role. The Wolverines bringing back some key members of the defense back for another season also surely helps, as Minter spoke on the ‘In the Trenches with Jon Jansen’ about the advantages of retaining starters.

“Yeah it’s a huge advantage, the biggest thing going into last season was a little bit of unknown,” Minter admitted. “Had been through spring and fall with the guys but we had really, especially some key positions, some new faces in there and so now I know how Kris (Jenkins) and those guys are going to react to big-time environments.”

Jenkins joins linebacker Michael Barrett as two of the key members of Michigan’s defense that returned to Ann Arbor this season. Jenkins led all Wolverine defensive lineman with 54 tackles, along with 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and two quarterback hurries. Barrett finished second on the team 72 tackles, as Minter will be leaning into the skillsets of those two all-conference players and other Michigan defenders this upcoming season.

“I know what their strengths are, I know some things that maybe they need to continue to work on. I know what our strengths are as a whole now a little bit,” Minter said. “And then I think it’s always like trying to take anything that might be perceived as a weakness and turn it into a strength so to speak.”

Michigan’s defense didn’t seem to have many weaknesses last season, as they ranked top five in the nation in yards and points allowed in 2022. The Wolverines were stingy, allowing just 13.4 points and 277.1 yards per game a season ago. They boasted one of the best rush defenses in the country, allowing just 85.2 yards on the ground per game, which ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten and No. 3 in the nation.

“So very very nice to be somewhere second year, have a really good relationship with all the players, and a really good understanding of what they can do well and certainly tailor the defense to that,” Minter said.

Minter having even more confidence in his defense than he had last year is a scary sign for Big Ten offenses, as the Wolverines will look to not only three-peat as Big Ten champions, but get over the hump and secure a win in the College Football Playoffs.