The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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44 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW game), total defense (261.8 yards allowed per game), passing defense (142.5 yards allowed per game), sacks (3.5 per game), tackles for loss (9.3 per game), pass defense efficiency (94.2 rating), third down conversion percentage (21.0) and red-zone defense (71.4 percent). Nationally, the Wolverines finished second in tackles for loss and were tops in the land for total defense while ranking among the nation's elite in basically every other defensive category. The results landed Brown on the Broyles Award finalist list for the fourth straight year and had many wondering how it was possible he had yet to win it. Dr. Blitz "1-2-3 … We're all we need … We're all we've got!" "Stone COLD!'" That was Brown's rallying cry to his 2013 Boston College team before they took the field each game, and the approach was similar with the 2016 Wolverines. Former players were intrigued, but a bit skeptical, about the man folks in the Northeast called "Dr. Blitz," knowing it takes athletes and planning to run an effective, aggressive scheme. Ron Simpkins, a 1979 All-American linebacker, was part of defenses that took the fight to opponents under coordinator Bill McCartney. He was anxious to see what Brown brought to the table when he arrived last year, and he wasn't disappointed. "The attacking, the way he goes after offenses … a lot of defensive coordinators sit back and play a lot of zone, that kind of thing," he said. "I love what he does. He goes after you, makes you make adjustments, because what happens on defense, if you sit back, now you have to adjust to what they're doing. "The way he calls plays on defense, really the offensive coordinator has to make a decision … am I giving the opportunity for my quarterback to be blindsided and hit, or do I keep my guys in? That means less guys in routes and more in pass protection. It really makes defense a little easier for guys pressuring and covering because the guy has to make a decision right now." Most defenses come with a four-man rush, so when they're in pressure scenarios they bring five. Brown's defense employs a big five-man pressure approach, and he makes no secret of that fact. "We always have been," he said. "It's on tape. Everybody knows it. That's what we're going to do. But we're also going to do it with six, and in some cases seven. That's what I think you'd see on tape." What separates him is the preparation and experience. Everything sounds good in theory, but knowing when to use what package, and against whom, is the difference. Brown made the rounds on the speaking circuit this year, and one of his stops was the American Football Coaches Association convention in Nashville. His quote on slide one, not surprisingly: "Solve your problems with aggression." His next slides included goals for his teams, such as intercepting one of every 15 passes thrown, allowing no runs of more than 20 yards and knocking down the quarterback seven times. He's also big on drive-killing, negative-yardage plays, demanding four or more per game; wants to hold opponents to 3.3 yards per carry or 99 yards rushing and allow no rushing touchdowns in the red zone. They'll accomplish all that, he said, with constant pressure and by bringing the fight to the offense rather than reacting, never allowing the opponent to get comfortable. "One of the core values is attack, attack, attack. That's the mindset I want them to have," he said. That doesn't mean blitzing every down, Brown's 2016 unit led the Big Ten in eight defensive categories and all 11 starters earned some level of all-conference honors. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN