The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 21 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL Expectations are high for Michigan football this fall — that's no secret. Head coach Jim Harbaugh returns all but two starters on defense and finally has a highly touted starting quarterback to go with a strong running game and talented receiving corps. "My expectations are to the moon," Pro Football Focus analyst Josh Liskiewitz said of U-M. "I know they're missing their big dog up front from last year [defensive tackle Maurice Hurst], but pretty much everyone else of consequence is back on that defense. "With all those young guys [from last year], I think most will be better. I think the defense will be even better than last year." U-M's defense finished last season No. 3 in the country, which means there is only so much room for improvement — at least sta- tistically. Each level of the defense is strong, with future pros on the de- fensive line, at linebacker and in the secondary, but one position in particular stands out to Liskiewitz as the ultimate strength — cor- nerback. Juniors David Long and Lavert Hill hold down the starting two spots, with fifth-year senior Brandon Watson and sophomore Ambry Thomas backing them up. Last season, Michigan had the No. 1-ranked pass defense in the country, allowing just 150.1 yards per game through the air — 10 full yards better than No. 2 University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), which allowed 160.1 passing yards per contest. Long graded out as the best cornerback in the entire nation in 2017 according to Pro Football Focus, allowing an opposing passer rating of 11.9 when targeted. That's 78.5 points lower than the national average. Hill allowed an opposing passer rating of 38.4 when targeted, 52 points less than the national average, giving U-M a dynamite combo at the position. A quarterback receives a passer rating of 39.6 when he throws a basic incompletion. That means it is better for opposing teams to sim- ply throw the ball away than to target either Long or Hill with a pass. "Those guys are outstanding, and I think they're going to get bet- ter," Liskiewitz said. — Andrew Vailliencourt When junior quarterback Shea Patterson transferred to Michigan and was subse- quently ruled eligible for the 2018 season, he gave the Wolverines something they hadn't yet had in the Jim Harbaugh era — a potential star quarterback. Patterson brings mobility, accuracy and play-making ability to the U-M offense, which was one of the worst in all of college football last season, ranking No. 105 in the country (348.9 yards per game). "There's a lot to like about Patterson," Pro Football Focus analyst Josh Liskiewitz said. "There are certainly some things you'd like to see cleaned up, but as a whole, you have to feel pretty good about where he is compared to what Michigan has had the last two years. "I think they're in much better shape." Two areas Liskiewitz says Patterson will specifically improve the offense will be on deep throws and his ability to scramble for first downs or extend the play. His accuracy over the middle of the field, especially in the pocket, is high, he added. "Michigan has some big weapons on the outside that I think are going to be better and help him more on those 50/50 balls," Liskiewitz said. "They love to use their tight ends on crosses over the middle, I think that suits what he's capable of doing at a high level." Patterson doesn't try to make scrambling his entire game or even his first option, Liskiewitz said, but it's something opposing teams will need to account for. Paired with Michigan's elite defense that returns nine starters from a unit that finished No. 3 nationally in total defense, Liskiewitz thinks this could finally be Harbaugh's year. "I think you put all those together and they have a real chance to compete for not just a Big Ten championship, but a national championship," Liskiewitz said. "People forget that two years ago, Michi- gan was one play away in either the Iowa or Ohio State game from being in the play- off. They're not as far away as people as- sume they are. "I really think that with just mediocre quarterback play, they're going to be there, and I think they'll get better than that from Shea Patterson." One counter to the playoff talk is the difficulty of Michigan's schedule. The Wol- verines play six teams that won 10 or more games last season and four of those meet- ings are on the road (Notre Dame, Michi- gan State, Northwestern and Ohio State). However, Liskiewitz isn't any more concerned than normal. "It's one of those things where you look at it on paper based on last season, but this season is a dif- ferent year," Liskiewitz said. "I don't think anyone else is more talented than they are." — Andrew Vailliencourt Pro Football Focus: It's Better To Throw The Ball Away Than To Target U-M Corners Pro Football Focus graded U-M junior David Long as the best corner- back in the country in 2017, with opposing quarterbacks managing a measly passer rating of 11.9 when targeting him. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Pro Football Focus: Shea Patterson Makes Michigan A National Title Contender Patterson is expected to provide an immediate boost to an offense that ranked 105th nationally last year. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN