Defense: Chapter And Verse Wolverines Count On Each Other

It starts, strangely enough, with poetry.

Michigan’s defense meets two nights before every game. The lights are turned off and a reading of the poem “Law of the Jungle” follows. It’s a tradition head coach Lloyd Carr started years ago when he was the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator.

The next get-together will be Tuesday, two days prior to the Rose Bowl meeting with Washington State.

“We say the saying (‘The strength of the pack is the wolf; the strength of the wolf is the pack’), and all I know is I’m with a group of guys that I’m going to go out and do battle with,” senior defensive end Glen Steele said. “I know those other guys are going to be right there with me.”

Michigan’s phenomenal defensive season has been attributed to its depth, its surprising speed for a Big Ten team, its outstanding secondary led by the incomparable Charles Woodson and its penchant for standing firm in the biggest games.

Steele prefers a more mundane explanation: The pack mentality.

“We play together so well,” he said. “We have unity. If one group isn’t working well in a game, there’s always one other to step up and overcome.” Michigan is poised to take its place among the best defenses ever in the Big Ten. Ex-Wolverines coach Bo Schembechler has said it might be the best in school history. “Awesome,” was the description of Iowa’s Hayden Fry, whose team scored 24 points, the most allowed by Michigan this season.

Michigan State’s Nick Saban: “They possess in credible speed, which helps in coverage.”

Carr interrupts the flow of superlatives, mindful of the point-happy Cougars.

“I’ll answer that question after this game,” he said. “This is the biggest challenge we’ve had because of what they bring to the table. I think statistically our defense has been outstanding, but we’ll see how we face this test.”

Michigan faces this test with, well, a number of faces. The Wolverines shuffle in as many as 20 players on defense, including six on the defensive line and up to eight in the secondary.

The front four is active, sizable and symbolized by Steele, who is tied for second on Michigan’s all-time sack list. Sam Sword, who led Michigan in tackles in ‘96 and will probably do the same this season, leads the ball-hawking linebackers.

The secondary is swift and hard-hitting. The unit had three first-team All-Big Ten players, including Woodson, obviously, and his sidekick at corner, Andre Weathers. Safety Marcus Ray, another first-teamer, and safety Tommy Hendricks are fond of contact.

“We’re playing more as a unit (than in past years),” Ray said. “And also Charles has a lot to do with it. He cuts down half the field and the front seven stop the run. Then we start blitzing and that’s how we get turnovers.”

The defense has put up impeccable numbers. Equally impressive is the fact that opponents have passed 96 times on third down and earned only 17 first downs. Michigan forced 83 punts this season. WSU, by comparison, punted 50 times.

“We’re a defense that constantly gets 11 men to the ball, that’s going to attack them and probably be more physical than any team they’ve faced in the past,” Sword said.

Nonetheless, it appears Michigan might have to adjust more to WSU than vice versa. The Cougars often employ 3 to 5 receivers, which likely will force the Wolverines to add an extra defensive back or two.

Ray doesn’t expect slip-ups.

“We have to make sure we get all our calls right and our personnel checks together,” he said, “but that’s what this week is for.”

Carr’s focus is limiting big plays. That doesn’t necessarily mean long passes.

“The thing I’m impressed with is the number of times they’ve caught the ball and run for big gains,” he said. “We have to tackle well because they spread you out. If you miss tackles, the next guy isn’t as close as when you play a two-back team and everybody’s in close.”

The difference between WSU and Michigan was illustrated in their respective rivalry games.

Ryan Leaf threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown against Washington, but WSU coach Mike Price couldn’t wait to get the ball back into Leaf’s hands. The Wolverines happily punted to send Carr’s defense on the field for most of the second half against Ohio State.

It’s understandable why Carr plays to the defense. Against Notre Dame, his offense turned the ball over three times in the second half. The defense held each time. Michigan State threw six interceptions. Penn State was stonewalled. Ohio State couldn’t block Steele late in the game, and Weathers returned an interception for a TD.

Michigan’s secondary expects a busy day trying to defend Leaf’s darts.

“He loves his receivers; we love our defensive backs,” Ray said. “We want to shut down their main guy and they’re going to come after our main guy. Charles will make plays and everybody else will, too.”

QB Brian Griese has first-hand knowledge of Michigan’s defense.

“Besides Charles, there’s not one individual when you look at any position who can’t step in and do the job,” he said. “They just play team defense and every guy hustles to the ball. There are no weaknesses to the defense.”

Michigan might modify its schemes for WSU, but not its approach.

“We don’t play outside the team concept and we play for fun,” Sword said. “There’s no reason to go out and play if you’re not having fun.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: STRENGTH COMPARISON Michigan defense Category Rank nationally Scoring defense 1st (8.9 ppg) * Total defense 1st (206.9 ypg) ** Pass efficiency 1st (75.8) *** Interceptions 3rd, tie (22) Rushing defense 7th (91 ypg) *lowest total since Auburn allowed 7.2 ppg in 1988. **lowest total since Alabama allowed 194.2 in 1992. ***the lowest since Texas A&M finished with 75.0 points in 1993.

Michigan is holding opponents to 8.4 yards per reception. The NCAA record (minimum 100 completions) is 9.4 by Oklahoma in 1986.

WSU offense Category Rank nationally Scoring offense 2nd (42.5 ppg) Total offense 2nd (502.2 ypg) Passing offense 5th (344.5 ypg) Rushing offense 47th (157.7 ypg)