Inside the chess match: Jesse Minter on match-up with Washington passing offense

Washington running back Dillon Johnson probably won’t be 100 percent tonight when the Huskies take on Michigan, which could make it a bit easier for U-M defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and the Wolverines’ defense. But there will be nothing easy about stopping quarterback Michael Penix and the explosive Washington passing game. 

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Almost everyone has read or heard the statistic by now — Penix has only been sacked 11 times in 500-plus drop-backs this year. Some of that is the result of his ability to escape pressure, of course, or get rid of the ball when he’s being pressured. Most of it, though, is the result of an offensive line that’s extremely cohesive and communicates extremely well, which is what’s needed against a U-M front that has been outstanding at confusing opponents up front this year.

“They’re really athletic,” Minter told TheWolverine.com Saturday of Washignton’s O-line. “They’re really good passing off games and twists, which has obviously been a strength of ours. It’s a strength-on-strength battle. I think they’re a lot more athletic than the last group [Alabama], where the last group kind of played on size, mass, and power. This group is a little bit lighter but move their feet really well. They’re more new age spread offense linemen where they’re really athletic, can run, get out in space on screens. It will be a great challenge.”

But it’s going to be the same for the Huskies. Michigan’s interior line will be the best they’ve faced this year, and the edge guys are much better than many believe. Josaiah Stewart proved it with his brute strength in putting an Alabama tackle with 100 pounds on him on his butt on the last play of the game to help secure the win.

“At times, we’ve got to try to use our power and see if we can’t go through these guys, too,” Minter acknowledged. 

But when they get there, they have to be in control. Texas, for example, had a few defensive linemen running unabated to the quarterback, but Penix simply sidestepped or made a move to get away. Often, he was able to complete a pass even after the pressure. 

That can’t happen Monday night, Minter said. They’ll need to get the elite quarterback out of rhythm and force him to make some bad throws or get rid of the ball before he wants to. 

“Our ability to affect him, that’s going to be really important,” Minter continued. “With these guys it’s a timing, rhythm offense, so affecting the quarterback can be various ways. It can be pressure, rushes, coverage, batting a ball down. So, any way that we can affect their passing game is going to be really important. We really hope to carry over some of our success from last week into this one.”

But the one area in which some defenses have had success slowing the Huskies offense this year is by disguising coverages. Arizona State and Washington State, especially, seemed to have success there. 

The good news here — neither does it as well as Minter. He’s one of the best in the game when it comes to that, and he’s been working tirelessly to prepare for his biggest passing challenge this year. Some have compared it to Ohio State and its plethora of receivers, especially when CJ Stroud was throwing to them last year. He got his yardage, but the Wolverines forced some turnovers and kept them out of the end zone.

Washington will do a good job trying to counter, Minter said. This is where the ultimate chess match will play out Monday night, and it might well determine the outcome.

“It’s a big part of the game,” Minter said of disguising looks. “An experienced quarterback like this, they do a really good job pre-snap of trying to create information for him. They try to undress you a little bit, try to either give him or somebody on their sideline that’s looking at the shells and tries to get the information to the play caller. 

“So, we’ve got to do a good job trying to hide that … disguise that, show certain things, play other things, really try to mix up the looks and cause as much post-snap confusion as we can try to.”

If they do it well enough, they’ll likely be on their way to the program’s first national title since 1997.