Michigan football head coach Kyle Whittingham has been very clear about what he thinks is the strength of the Wolverines' defense.
It's the defensive line. At least in the view of the head coach.
The Wolverines should be stellar on the defensive line. John Henry Daley should be an All-Big Ten performer. Trey Pierce could be in the mix for that, too.
Michigan also has really intriguing players like Enow Etta, Nate Marshall, Carter Meadows, Dominic Nichols, and others who should contribute this season.
There are still some unknowns, though. Etta needs to take his game to another level. Marshall doesn't have a single sack on his resume. Nichols has one. That should change quickly this season, but it feels like the strength of the Michigan defense is actually the secondary.
Secondary is the best position group on Michigan's defense
Michigan football has three cornerbacks in Jyaire Hill, Zeke Berry, and Smith Snowden, who earned some sort of postseason honor in 2025. The trio has 48 career pass breakups and nine interceptions.
Beyond those corners, who have all played the nickel, or can play nickel, the safeties should be elite, too, especially if Rod Moore is healthy. Against Wisconsin last season, Moore made three impactful plays in just 19 snaps, including one interception. Imagine if he plays 50 snaps per game this season?
Chris Bracy feels like a diamond in the rough after 81 tackles and nine pass breakups in his own right last season. When you add Jordan Young as a third safety and Shamari Earls as the fourth corner, you have players who are good enough to start for plenty of programs; Michigan's depth is apparent.
What makes that prospect of all that talent on the field is Jay Hill. The defensive coordinator compared to defense, what it will be running, to the 2023 Michigan football defense. There were times that season when opposing players talked about seeing coverages they had never seen before like after the Ohio State and Washington games.
Hill is great at confusing quarterbacks, too. It's how BYU intercepted 39 passes the past two seasons. Michigan's run defense will need to hold up. Trey Pierce will be essential in that role.
Hill said Michigan's defense will look like the 2023 defense. That's means different fronts and coverages. Hopefully, the results will remind us of 2023, too.
If the secondary is as good as think it is, it just might.
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