Michigan Football: 5 things we learned from Peach Bowl loss to Florida
Don Brown’s “elite” defense comes up small again
So much of the focus has been on the poor play of the offense in the last few weeks, yet people seemed to forget about the 62-point disaster from the defense in Columbus.
Don Brown, for whatever reason, keeps getting a pass. Fans called for Harbaugh and Pep Hamilton to go, but Brown might be the most overrated of them all.
In 11 games against top-20 teams during Brown’s tenure, Michigan is allowing 29 points per game. If you take Wisconsin out of that mix, a team that generally doesn’t have athlete equal to Michigan, and the Wolverines allow 34 points a game — that’s to Florida (2x), Ohio State (3x), Penn State (2x) and Florida State.
Florida DB Chauncey Gardner-Johnson.
— Football Recruit. (@FootballRecruit) December 29, 2018
Underclassman.
Declared for NFL Draft.
Didn't skip the Peach Bowl.
Has 2 INT (including a pick six).
Florida Gators just beat the brakes off Michigan.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T. pic.twitter.com/6FlTCoUtkG
The truth is that Brown’s defense has never played a great game against an elite team. Ohio State has scored 30, 31 and 62. Florida State scored 33 points with a freshman QB in the 2016 Orange Bowl and Penn State hung 42 with Trace McSorley and Saquan Barkley. Then, Florida racked up over 400 yards and scored 41.
Against an offense that few considered explosive coming in, the Wolverines allowed eight plays of 30 yards or more. Four on the ground and four through the air. Florida used draws to beat the blitz and when Michigan failed to get pressure, the corners, safeties and linebackers forced to cover man-to-man were overmatched.
Bottom line: Don Brown’s seat should be as hot as any in Ann Arbor and unless he makes major changes, next season will be his last as defensive coordinator and if it was up to me, he wouldn’t even get that chance.