Michigan Football: 3 realistic expectations for Wolverines in 2020

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 4
Next
Michigan football
Michael Allio-USA TODAY Sports /

The defense will finish inside the top 20 nationally.

Don Brown’s group has several returnees who can make this a factual statement by December. Two defensive ends who can start for almost anybody in the country (plus a seasoned Carlo Kemp), to go with a fierce duo of linebackers who will get a lot of eyes on them as days pass and three guys who have enough experience combined on the back end as well.

The unit itself has been hovering around the top 20 for years now and that is another reason why this can certainly become true.

On paper the run defense has the potential to be stout, while the pass defense will depend on how the secondary gels with a new starter in the fold. That equation means more of the same from this current crop of defenders.

Next. 3 Reasons the defense will be elite. dark

Under Harbaugh the Michigan defense has finished within the top 25 every season according to sports-reference.com. Everyone knows that Brown’s defenders can dominate against the weaker competition, but the task remains to slow down Ohio State and better opponents when away from the Big House.