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Jim Harbaugh: Pass rush being addressed, and Eyabi Okie is likely part of the solution

Chris Balasby:Chris Balas•09/26/22•

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Eyabi Okie
Michigan Wolverines defensive end Eyabi Okie (18) celebrates a defensive stop with teammates linebacker Junior Colson (25) during the second quarter of a non-conference college football game between the Colorado State Rams and the Michigan Wolverines on September 3, 2022 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Michigan is off to a 4-0 start, but there’s certainly room for improvement, head coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday. The Wolverines were leaky on defense in a 34-27 win over Maryland, but Harbaugh is confident many of the issues are fixable.

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One area that needs work — the pass rush. Senior safety Mike Sainristil now leads the team in sacks with two, tied with senior edge Mike Morris. The Wolverines notched seven in the opener against Colorado State and now have 11 after four games.

“There’s an area of focus there,” Harbaugh admitted. “Things that we’ll be catching this week as we talk to players … that will be an area of emphasis, and is an area of emphasis.”

With his defense now on film, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter will have to adjust. Harbaugh noted it will come down to disguising — showing one defense and running another, perhaps — as well as better individual play.

The Wolverines got close several times against the Terps’ Taulia Tagovailoa and backup Billy Edwards, but let them get away. There were also a few big hits, too, including one from Morris that knocked Tagovailoa from the game for a spell.

But the rush looked best when either grad student Eyabi Okie (formerly Anoma) or Derrick Moore were on the field. They were getting plenty of pressure at the end of the game, and it’s a good bet both will be a bigger part of the game plan going forward, especially on third down.

“I do, and he has,” Harbaugh said when asked if he envisioned Okie being a bigger part of the pass rush package. “And he keeps progressing. He didn’t get here until the middle of August. There’s always learning the defense. There are calls; there are subtleties. I already talked about an Iowa defense that’s been in place for 25 years … a long time.

“But Eyabi is that talented that he can come in, and he’s that smart that he’s picked up almost all of the defense. Every week there are more and more calls he knows, and we can play him. It’s just down to a couple, a few really that he’s still mastering.”

But the players love him and the coaches do, too, Harbaugh said. He’s kept his head down and continues to work, making the most of his opportunity. The former Baltimore St. Frances standout has been at Alabama, Houston, and Tennessee-Martin before U-M, and the former five-star appears set to live up to his lofty potential.

“You’re going to see him in there more and more because of the time on task, understanding his position,” Harbaugh said. “His 1/11th in the system.”

As for the freshman Moore? Not much different. He, too, is showing signs, an explosive presence off the edge.

“Yeah,” Harbaugh said with a grin. “Same as.”

Giving Harbaugh and Michigan a potentially dynamic edge duo going forward, starting with Saturday’s game at Iowa.

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