Kirk Herbstreit praises Michigan DC Jesse Minter's gameplan, performance vs. Washington, Michael Penix Jr.
Kirk Herbstreit had nothing but praise for the Michigan defense led by coordinator Jesse Minter following their performance against Washington.
The Wolverines unit made the life of Michael Penix Jr. more difficult under center than ever since he’s taken his talents to the Huskies during the national title game. It directly led to Michigan’s win, and their first national title in what felt like forever in Ann Arbor.
During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, Herbstreit, who called the game, gushed about Minter’s defense, and their ability to make Penix uncomfortable all night long.
“I wondered if Michigan would be able to get to Michael Penix. Keep in mind, the style that Jesse Minter used against Alabama and Jalen Milroe, who’s a very different quarterback with his run threat, they did a lot of pressure. They squeezed the pocket. They brought five, sometimes six, and overwhelmed Bama with confusing them upfront,” Herbstreit said. “This time, they got it done with four. It was such a different look, because of Penix and the receivers. They played a lot more zone. But they disguised. They got in different looks.
“They really had Michael Penix, for the first time in his career at Washington, uncomfortable and almost to the point where I think he was hurrying his thought-process up, and it was affecting his decision-making and his accuracy, which is his greatest asset. (It) was completely taken away from him.”
Don’t mistake that as Herbstreit panning Penix and the Washington offense. The ESPN analyst simply believes Minter’s perfect game-plan was the reason the Huskies couldn’t get anything going.
“So instead of me saying, ‘What’s wrong with Penix? What’s wrong with Odunze?’ I walked out of there saying, ‘Damn, this defense is legit, and they play old-school, fundamental, tackle in space, do your assignment football, rally to the football. It’s effective.’ So Jesse Minter to me, after all they went through with all that noise, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, ‘Well, the only reason they stop anybody is Connor Stalions. They knew the play,’ and then at the back-end of that, they didn’t have any of that, and they still went out and played great defense,” Herbstreit added. “So congrats to Michigan. Congrats to those players, that were really on a mission, since they lost to TCU last year and walked off that field.”
Alas, it remains to be seen what the future is for Michigan, but Wolverines faithful are hoping Jesse Minter is a part of it. For now, they’re going to bask in the glory of winning a national title a bit though.