Jim Harbaugh discusses Michigan DT who 'just keeps getting better and better,' position group that's 'really improved,' which OL graded out best

The Michigan Wolverines football defense was dominant in a 30-3 win over East Carolina to kick off the 2023 season. The Wolverines allowed just 235 yards, gave up only 3 points, which came on a field goal as time expired and allowed only 4.3 yards per play.

On the ‘Inside Michigan Football’ radio show, head coach Jim Harbaugh discussed the positives from the defense, starting with a short-handed defensive backfield that was without junior safety Rod Moore and sophomore cornerback Will Johnson.

“[Graduate defensive back] Mike Sainristil‘s interception. I thought the linebackers played really well. Great to see [graduate cornerbacks] Keshaun Harris, Josh Wallace have really good games. [Sophomore safety] Keon Sabb — felt like he was really coming on strong.”

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And then Harbaugh’s attention turned to the Michigan defensive line, which was impressive, especially against the run. The Wolverines gave up only 103 yards, with ECU’s running backs totaling only 54 yards on 14 carries. Two sophomore defensive tackles caught his eye — Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant. Graham led Michigan with 4 pressures, adding 3 tackles. Grant, meanwhile, had a pair of pressures, including one on Sainristil’s interception, forcing the quarterback to get rid of the ball quicker than he wanted to.

“Mason Graham had a heck of a ball game,” Harbaugh noted. “KG, really, was the guy — Kenneth Grant. His ascension as a football player — he’s a gift from the football gods and he showed up. He just keeps getting better and better. Some of the moves, the athleticism that he showed — all things that we see every single day.

“He got that pressure, really caused that interception to be thrown just a little bit short and a little bit right there where Mike could make a great play on the ball. Had another really good pressure and hurry and hit on the quarterback. And they were throwing the ball quick, but he KG was getting there. His presence was really felt.”

ECU’s quarterbacks got the ball out quickly and used many short passes. That played a big part in Michigan not notching a sack for just the third time since the start of last season. However, Harbaugh was pleased with some of the pass rushes.

“Well, we were able to do [get pressure], actually, a couple of times — one led to an interception,” Harbaugh reiterated. “Mason Graham had a heck of a ball game, too. The physicality of the linebackers really jumped out to me. [Junior linebacker] Junior [Colson], [graduate] Mike Barrett — first two plays of the game, he’s hitting people, linemen, and making tackles — [sophomore] Ernest Hausmann got to show that he can run and hit. I think we’re really improved at the inside ‘backer position.”

Hausmann led Michigan with 6 tackles and had some big hits, including on a half-stop for loss. Barrett and Colson had 5 stops a piece.

Michigan rotated four EDGEs for most of the game in seniors Braiden McGregor and Jaylen Harrell, junior Josaiah Stewart and sophomore Derrick Moore. Junior TJ Guy, too, had a half-tackle for loss and a pair of pressures.

“Outside ‘backer position was solid, too — really good,” the Michigan head coach continued. “We were setting the edge, had a nice rotation there. Derrick Moore played really hard, good, tough, played good on special teams. So did Braiden and Josaiah and Jay Harrell. We’re really in good shape.”

During fall camp, Harbaugh talked about potentially having two edge players start the opener and another two opening the next game — the ‘Michigan Method.’ McGregor and Harrell were the first men up against ECU, but Harbaugh thinks they may be again versus UNLV this Saturday. Either way, the rotation will continue.

“That’s not so much the ‘Michigan Method’ as it is just, hey, rotate ‘em, get ‘em all in there,” Harbaugh noted. “Get them in there fresh. They all do a little something, bring some real good talent to the table. A very good changeup. Imagine being a left tackle and you’ve got four different type of guys that you could be facing on any one down.”

Drake Nugent leads the way for Michigan offensive line

Michigan graduate center Drake Nugent, a Stanford transfer, was the Wolverines’ best offensive lineman Saturday, per Harbaugh and the program’s internal grading system.

“[Graduate left tackle] Karsen Barnhart played really good, [senior right tackle] Myles Hinton played really good,” the Michigan coach said. “[Senior right guard Zak] Zinter and [graduate left guard Trevor] Keegan both played really good. Drake Nugent, I think he might’ve graded out the highest, with Zak Zinter grading out the second highest.

“No sacks — you’ve gotta give a lot of credit to the center, too, and everybody on the line. But the center, especially, because he’s making adjustments, he’s making calls, getting us in the right protection, orchestrating things. That really played out much like I thought.”

PFF agrees that Michigan’s best starting offensive lineman was Nugent (65.3 grade), followed by Zinter (62.8). Nugent gave up 1 pressure in pass protection, while Zinter did not yield any.