Defense/ST Notes: Michigan 'played their tails off' in non-conference finale

The Michigan Wolverines didn’t have their fastball on offense on Saturday night, but the defense did its part to suffocate Bowling Green in a 31-6 win.

Some turnovers and blown coverages early led to Bowling Green keeping things competitive, but Michigan took over as the game evened out. At the end of the night, U-M allowed 205 total yards on 57 plays, averaging 3.6 yards per play.

The Wolverines also had a pair of takeaways on the night in the first-career interceptions for safety Quinten Johnson and defensive lineman Kris Jenkins. Stealing those possessions back was critical on a night where Michigan coughed the ball up four times on offense and special teams.

“Those guys just played their tails off,” interim head coach Sherrone Moore said after the game. “I think this is the third straight game under 250 yards and 10 tackles for loss again. Extremely important because the recipe for winning around here is you gotta play great defense. For us to be where we want to be, we have to continue to do that and those guys are doing an outstanding job. The other phases have to keep building to get to their level.”

Moore’s head coaching debut was pretty darn good on defense, but the other two phases of the game struggled a bit with kickoff returns. BGSU made it a habit to kick short pop-ups to the Wolverines. One of them led to a fumble lost by Max Bredeson and one that was nearly lost by Braiden McGregor.

Like everything else, that needs to be ironed out.

“It’s something we’ve worked all week, had a plan for and we just gotta stick to the plan as coach says,” Moore said. “It’s something we gotta continue to work on, continue to fix and I know coach Jay Harbaugh and staff will continue to attack that this week.”

Jenkins the turning point for U-M

Michigan was fighting itself and a non-conference malaise on Saturday night. In those types of games, you need your stars to be stars and your seniors to lead. Jenkins was both of those things against Bowling Green.

Jenkins played a screen pass perfectly early on in the third quarter and came down with an interception, returned down to BGSU’s two-yard line. Michigan saw the screen on film and practiced defending it plenty this week.

“We’ve been practicing that play all week,” Jenkins said. “We knew they would get after us on those screens when they have the opportunity. When the opportunity presented itself and the offensive line got out quick, I saw the movement, I saw the back, so I backed up, did my read, did my 1/11th — and fortunately, I was able to get a Madden opportunity, but unfortunately, I was too fat to finish the play strong.”

One play later, running back Blake Corum punched the ball in to help U-M take a 21-6 lead.

Kris Jenkins on his interception and near-touchdown: "Unfortunately, I was too fat to finish the play strong."

Blake Corum, who scored a touchdown right after, chimes in: "I appreciate it." pic.twitter.com/HYglE10tiE

— Clayton Sayfie (@CSayf23) September 17, 2023

During the Jenkins interception, Michigan senior EDGE Jaylen Harrell, who also had a sack in the game, applied the pressure that caused a rushed throw. It was another highlight of his strong start to the season.

“Jaylen is an absolute freak; we all know this,” Jenkins said. “He’s a heck of an athlete, a heck of a player. On those two plays, you just saw him fly around, get after the quarterback. He’s been the type of guy who’s been working on his pass-rushing mechanic and finishing on the QB. … He was able to make big-time plays.”

Secondary has rough start

Michigan was without senior safety Makari Paige, junior safety Rod Moore, sophomore cornerback Will Johnson and junior corner Ja’Den McBurrows on Saturday, leaving Michigan thin again in the secondary. That led to a few shots from the Bowling Green offense early in the game.

BGSU QB Camden Orth, who started in place of former Indiana signal-caller Connor Bazelak, went 8-for-11 for 91 yards before leaving the game due to injury. That was just about the end of the Falcons’ competitiveness in the game.

Despite some struggles from BGSU after the fact, Michigan’s defense settled in nicely.

“Those guys have played outstanding,” Moore said after the game. “The one deep ball was questionable in the beginning of the game, it was six points they gave up. The defense, as a whole, secondary, upfront, are just playing outstanding and continue to progress and get even better. You see stars aren’t even in the game so the depth we’re building for the future is really good. Super excited for what they’ve done and how Coach Clink, Coach Jay and Jesse have really prepared that group.”

Michigan defensive/special teams odds and ends

• Saturday was the first time this season that Michigan allowed points prior to the fourth quarter. BGSU pounced on a pair of turnovers to kick field goals in the first half, narrowing the U-M lead to 7-6 with 11:39 left in the first half. The Falcons would not score again.
• Graduate defensive back Mike Sainristil registered his first sack of the season in the first quarter as part of a three-tackle, two-tackle-for-loss night for the Wolverines.
• Michigan graduate defensive back Quinten Johnson recorded the first pick of his career in the second quarter and returned it two yards.
• Senior defensive lineman Kris Jenkins’ third-quarter interception was the first since Taylor Upshaw intercepted a pass gainst Ohio State on Nov. 26, 2022. The pick was the first of his collegiate career.
• Junior punter Tommy Doman recorded a career-long 53-yard punt in the third quarter. His previous best went for 49 yards.
• Graduate kicker James Turner was perfect for the second week in a row, making all four extra points and hitting a 42-yard field goal in the third quarter.