Jesse Minter: No opponent this year was similar to Alabama

Michigan fans have been looking for comparisons on their schedule to Rose Bowl opponent Alabama, also playing the “look how they played against so-and-so” game in looking for U-M advantages … and there will be some. But Wolverines defensive coordinator Jesse Minter doesn’t see a team on the schedule that’s comparable to this Crimson Tide, unlike some of his players.

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Defensive tackle Kenneth Grant insisted the ‘Bama offensive line is better than Ohio State’s on film, and Minter seemed to agree. Fellow sophomore DT Mason Graham said Alabama might be closest to PSU and what they brought.

“I really don’t [see a comparison] for this year, but I think what Mason said is probably true,” Minter said. “I think there are elements of different teams for each position. You obviously look at a receiving corps with speed, you think about Ohio State and their talent level back there. But you look at a quarterback – we haven’t played a quarterback like Jalen Milroe.

“We haven’t played an offensive line this big and physical. Penn State had a good O-line. Ohio State played well at times on the O-line. But we haven’t played an O-line like this. I don’t think there’s anybody we’ve played [similar]. I think you trust that the long course of preparation that began last January has you prepared to play a team like this, and the most comparable team is probably our own team and a team that we get to practice against all the time.”

In other words, the Wolverines were head and shoulders above just about anyone on their schedule minus the Buckeyes. Both OSU and PSU were shells of themselves in their bowl game losses, with opt outs changing the look. Regardless, they were both run over by SEC teams, and Alabama is the best of the SEC best after beating Georgia, Minter noted.

“A physical, downhill running game, offensive line that has the ability to move people, various, various schemes in the run game,” Minter said. “At some times, the ability to run the quarterbacks, particularly all the different quarterbacks we have on our roster [reminds me of us]. I think in certain elements, it’s our own offense and the quarterbacks’ ability to extend and make plays and scramble and do those certain things.

“Once again, you hope all those spring practices, all those training camp practices, all the times we do good-on-good, you do it for these moments right here when you’re playing against an elite team like Alabama.”

Nick Saban agrees with Minter, others — Auburn game wasn’t vintage Alabama

As for the “Alabama barely won a lot of games this year and didn’t play well against Auburn and should have lost” crowd … don’t be fooled, Minter said. They played to their competition after clinching their division and securing a spot in the SEC title game, Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said.

“That game was a difficult game for us,” Saban said. “We had already clinched the SEC (West), and I think everybody was looking a little bit ahead of what might be in store playing for the SEC Championship Game. I don’t think we respected the Auburn team like we should. I don’t think we played one of our best games.

“I think we were very fortunate at the end of the game to be able to execute and come out with the win. Hopefully, the players learn that it doesn’t matter who you play. When they play us, we’re going to get their best game, and we need to be prepared to play our best game every time we go out on the field.”

Their players were extremely confident this week, and quarterback Jalen Milroe was one of them. He did his best to give Michigan credit, but the way he’s playing — he finished top 10 in Heisman voting — has made him more comfortable.

That’s been a trend throughout the year, Minter said.

“Coach [Tommy] Rees as has gotten to Alabama, got a new school, got all his new pieces, gotten really comfortable with what he has,” Minter said. “Earlier in the year, he might have turned the ball over a few more times. I know it’s like 28 to 1, his touchdown to interception ratio recently. So, e’s done a great job taking care of the ball.

“They’ve run the ball well. They’ve helped their O-line a little bit more in certain situations. They’ve just done a great job getting better as an offense, which is what you want to do. You want to get better as the year goes.”

Slowing Milroe will be objective 1, 2, and 3, Minter added, crediting Saban for having his team in the playoff yet again.

“It’s 11 on 1. We’ve got to do a great job up front with our rush lanes and integrity of that, but at the same time, our guys have to go play fast,” Minter said. “I think there are times where you can over-coach those guys, sitting there waiting to see what he’s going to do, and then there are times where you’ve got to let those guys roll, maybe have somebody else there if they screw it up.

“But I’m looking forward to our guys facing that challenge. And I’m confident in our players’ ability to go out there and have some success.”