Defense/ST notes: Quiet, but dominant, performance in Michigan's 56-10 win over Hawai'i

Michigan Wolverines football head coach Jim Harbaugh called sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy‘s performance in a 56-10 win over Hawai’i “near-flawless” — and rightfully so — but the defense was just as outstanding in the blowout victory.

First-year coordinator Jesse Minter‘s unit started fast, forcing three-and-outs on its first 2 possessions and 6 of the Rainbow Warriors’ first 8.

“Started out the game [with] two three-and-outs in a row,” Harbaugh said postgame. “Lot of guys that were playing well.

“Started with the run wall … that’s what it looked like to me. That’s what we’re trying to have it look like. Great run wall there, [senior defensive tackle] Mazi Smith, [junior defensive tackle] Kris Jenkins, [senior EDGE] Mike Morris, [graduate EDGE] Taylor Upshaw, a whole bunch of guys.”

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The pass defense was stellar as well. Despite throwing plenty of short passes with its run-and-shoot offense, Hawai’i completed only 35 percent of its throws (13-of-37). That 35 percent completion mark is the lowest Michigan has given up since Michigan State connected on just 25 percent of its passes (7-of-28) Oct. 20, 2018, a 21-7 U-M triumph in East Lansing.

Rainbow Warriors signal-caller Joey Yellen threw for just 113 yards and no scores. Michigan had 7 pass breakups from that same amount of players.

“Once they threw, they challenged [graduate cornerback] Gemon Green two or three times early in the game, he was breaking on the ball, in tight coverage. Looking back at the right time. Really playing the techniques great.

“Thought [senior cornerback] DJ Turner was great, as well. Great to see the safety play. [Junior] Makari Paige, I thought he had a heck of a good ball game, along with [junior] R.J. Moten. [Sophomore] Rod Moore again. And [senior] Mike Sainrisitil, he’s an animal out there. He’s everywhere. Once again, it just reminds me so much of what Dax Hill was able to do from that nickel position. 

“Just really happy with the way he’s playing, and the ‘backers are playing really good. It was fun to watch our defense tonight. They were putting the pressure on and stopping the run about as well as you can do it.”

Hawai’i totaled just 47 yards, 1.5 yards per play, and 2 first downs in the first half, when Michigan mostly played its starters and key rotational pieces.

Michigan emptied the bench a bit starting midway through the third quarter. For the stanza, Hawai’i recorded just 68 yards, but did drive down for a field goal, the Rainbow Warriors’ first points of the game.

All told, the Michigan defense yielded 253 yards — 140 rushing and 113 passing — 13 first downs, 7 third-down conversions on 19 attempts. Hawai’i’s 3.7 yards per play average was the lowest Michigan has given up in a game since last year’s 29-7 win over Indiana Nov. 6 (3.1).

The Wolverines yielded just over 3.7 yards per play in last week’s 51-7 win over Colorado State. Through 2 games, the Wolverines have allowed just 472 total yards. That’s the lowest combined total Michigan has given up in the first two outings of a campaign since 2017, when Florida amassed 192 yards and Cincinnati recorded just 200.

Michigan gives bench players significant playing time

Harbaugh said days before the game that, if all goes according to plan this season, he hopes to have a roster of roughly 130 players who have all seen game action during their career, noting that more than 100 had done so entering the week.

Michigan got closer to achieving that goal Saturday night, with a plethora of Wolverine reserves seeing the field. To show just how much the Wolverines spread the wealth, 34 Michigan players combined for the team’s 59 tackles (some sharing a stop with a teammate).

Relatively speaking, Hawai’i had a bit of success in the fourth quarter, with a 54-yard touchdown run around the right end by running back Tylan Hines being the highlight. The Rainbow Warriors recorded 138 yards, including 86 on the ground, with 7 first downs in the stanza.

The Michigan freshman class was featured prominently. Nine freshman defenders made their career debuts last week, and linebacker Deuce Spurlock joined them this week. Just two Michigan freshman players on defense — safeties Damani Dent and Zeke Berry — have yet to play.

“I was excited to see everybody play,” Moten said. “Coming in this was a big recruiting class. Being able to see the safeties and younger DBs and see what they got, they are the future. Being able to get to them early on was definitely good.”

Michigan junior walk-on wide receiver Jake Thaw also got some run on in the return game during his collegiate debut, bringing a punt back 20 yards before it was negated by a penalty. Junior walk-on long snapper Greg Tarr also played for the first time.

Miscellaneous Michigan defense / special teams notes

• Michigan and Hawai’i kicked off at 9:01 p.m. ET after multiple lightning delays, marking the latest kickoff in The Big House history. It surpassed the 2017 contest against Minnesota that began at 8:31 p.m. ET (also delayed).

• Michigan is now 4-0 all-time in matchups with Hawai’i, and 2-0 under head coach Jim Harbaugh (2016). U-M also improved to 18-0 in non-conference home games under Harbaugh.

• Michigan is now 10-2 in night games at The Big House, 10-1 with fans in the stands.

• Michigan sophomore kicker Tommy Doman nailed his first career extra point in the fourth quarter, scoring the final point of the contest.

• U-M has now held its opponent to 10 or fewer points in seven of its last 16 games.

• The following primarily defensive players or specialists made their Michigan debuts: kicker/punter Rhett Anderson, defensive back Nico Andrighetto, defensive back Joshua Luther, linebacker Jerome Nichols, Spurlock and Tarr.

• In addition to playing offense, freshman wide receiver Amorion Walker saw time at defensive back. On the flip side, sophomore defensive tackle Dominick Giudice played right guard.

• Michigan hasn’t allowed a single first-half point through two games. Before this season, the last time the Wolverines didn’t give up at least 1 point before halftime was an Oct. 9, 2021 win at Nebraska (32-29).

• Michigan led the nation with 7 sacks in Week 1, but notched just 1 versus the Rainbow Warriors — Morris’ first career solo sack.

• Sophomore linebacker Jaydon Hood, graduate cornerback German Green, freshman defensive tackle Mason Graham, junior EDGE Jaylen Harrell and Paige all made their first career pass breakups (1 apiece). Graduate defensive tackle Cam Goode, who transferred from UCF, registered his first pass breakup as a Wolverine.

• Michigan junior linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green (soft-tissue injury) dressed but did not play for a second straight week. Hill-Green did not dress last week and appears to be progressing.

• Junior EDGE Braiden McGregor notched his first career sack last week and had another tackle for loss Saturday.