Olusegun Oluwatimi discusses Jesse Minter's Michigan defense that 'keeps us on our toes,' battles with Mazi Smith
Michigan Wolverines football is in the second year of its defensive system even while having a first-year coordinator in Jesse Minter. Coming from one season at Vanderbilt, Minter has picked up where Mike Macdonald left off with the U-M defense, running a scheme similar to what they both did with the Baltimore Ravens, where the former worked from 2017-20.
Not only does the Michigan defense change up its look from week to week, but it tries to keep opposing offenses guessing on a play-to-play basis. The Wolverines mix fronts and coverages, and also disguise their looks pre-snap.
“It was a really good disguise, really good packages that we made them doubt what they were seeing,” Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said after his team beat Ohio State, 42-27, last November. “[The Buckeyes] were seeing one thing, but they weren’t really seeing that. It was really effective.”
Michigan’s offense has to go up against that every day in practice, and it’s making the unit better.
After being asked about going up against Minter’s group, Michigan graduate center Olusegun Oluwatimi smiled.
“Oh, man,” he said.
“Coach Minter and his defense, they’re very good at disguising coverages, disguising blitzes and things of that nature. So, it puts a stress on us when I’m trying to point out who’s coming when we’re in protection and those sorts of things. During the spring, I’d say I was flying a lot faster, just because I’m learning new players playing in front of me, too.
“Now, I’ve got hundreds of reps going against [senior defensive tackle] Mazi [Smith], [junior D-tackle] Kris [Jenkins] and all that. It’s been slower now, so now I can worry more about what that whole defense is doing. Coach Minter does a great job of keeping us on our toes.”
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Smith and Jenkins — Michigan’s two projected starters on the interior of the defensive line — were the two Oluwatimi singled out as the toughest to block. But he also mentioned that the depth at defensive tackle is strong.
“It’s a challenge. Mazi’s a big, strong individual. He’s quick, also — very athletic,” Oluwatimi said. “But it’s not just him. We’ve got Jenkins — he’s a dog — Cam Goode, a grad transfer, [freshman] Mason Graham is a young dude, [sophomore] George Rooks … the list goes on and on. Every day is a battle in there, so I have to bring it otherwise I’m going to get my butt kicked.”
Oluwatimi has gone against other standout defensive linemen, he said, but Smith and Jenkins are two of the best he’s seen, which bodes well for Michigan’s front-seven.
“I’ve gone against great players in the ACC,” Oluwatimi explained. “I had some great D-linemen at the University of Virginia when I went there.
“Mazi is definitely at the top of the list, Jenkins is definitely at the top of the list. Those guys present a great problem. But there are great D-linemen across the country, so to say that I haven’t faced any D-linemen until I got here would be a lie.”
