A Vikings Fan’s Viewing Guide to CFB: Michigan’s Big 10 Title Defense
Josh Frey
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Just like the NFL season is fast approaching, we are nearing the day where college football teams will arrive on campus and begin their own preseason work. As a self-proclaimed NFL Draft nerd, I get almost as excited for the college football season as I do for the NFL season. Because of that, I am putting together guides for many of the notable college football programs ahead of the 2022 season. Whether you’re a seasoned college football viewer, or just getting into it for the first time, there is something here for everyone.
We’ve already gone through many of the major contenders in the AAC, and we are now finished up in the ACC. With that, it’s time to head back to familiar territory for a bit. That’s right, it’s time to start breaking down the Big 10 conference, and what better way to start, than with the reigning champions, the Michigan Wolverines.
Overview
2021 was a dream season for Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines program. They finally got over the hump by defeating Ohio State, winning the Big 10 title, and making a CFP appearance for the first time. Their season may have ended on a sour note with a 34-11 loss to Georgia in the Orange Bowl, but that shouldn’t take away from everything that this program accomplished in 2021. The question now is, can they repeat that success in 2022?
2022 NFL Draft Prospects
- EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Round 1, No. 2, Detroit Lions
- S Daxton Hill, Round 1, No. 31, Cincinnati Bengals
- EDGE David Ojabo, Round 2, No. 45, Baltimore Ravens
- RB Hassan Haskins, Round 4, No. 131, Tennessee Titans
- OT Andrew Stueber, Round 7, No. 245, New England Patriots
Notable Transfers In
- IOL Victor Oluwatimi (Virginia)
- DL Cam Goode (UCF)
Notable Transfers Out
- S Jordan Morant (Mississippi State)
- IOL Chuck Filiaga (Minnesota)
- CB Darion Green-Warren (Nevada)
2022 Schedule
- 9/3 vs. Colorado State
- 9/10 vs. Hawaii
- 9/17 vs. Connecticut
- 9/24 vs. Maryland
- 10/1 @ Iowa
- 10/8 @ Indiana
- 10/15 vs. Penn State
- 10/29 vs. Michigan State
- 11/5 @ Rutgers
- 11/12 vs. Nebraska
- 11/19 vs. Illinois
- 11/26 @ Ohio State
Keys to 2022
Replacing NFL Pass Rushers
Of course, the biggest piece of the puzzle for Michigan to solve is replacing the production of their now NFL pass-rush talents, Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo. The duo recorded a ridiculous 25 sacks in 2021 and were a constant threat against either the pass or the run.
Incoming transfer Cam Goode looks to be an immediate presence in the middle of the defensive line from UCF. He’s recorded three sacks in each of the last two seasons for the Knights. Michigan will turn to a trio of players at EDGE: Mike Morris, Taylor Upshaw, and Jaylen Harrell. It will certainly be a project for new defensive coordinator Jesse Mintor to figure out along with replacing defensive back Daxton Hill in the secondary.
Maintaining Production on Offense
The ability to run the ball proved to be the main factor towards Michigan’s offensive success in 2021. They averaged 214.4 rushing yards per game en route to 35.8 points per game, the 16th best scoring offense in the country. Their main workhorse out of the backfield, Hassan Haskins, is now a Tennessee Titan. He racked up 270 rushes, 1327 yards, and 20 TDs in 2021.
Luckily, Michigan has another star back in the program that may actually be better than Haskins. Blake Corum also rushed for nearly 1000 yards and had 11 TDs of his own, with an average of 6.6 yards per carry. On top of that, he also recorded 24 receptions in the passing game.
Speaking of the passing game, the Wolverines also have a solid 1-2 punch at QB as well. Cade McNamara started in 2021, but sophomore J.J. McCarthy is more than capable if he ends up winning the job. It’s also very possible that we see both QBs at different points in the season. No matter what, Michigan’s offense remains in terrific shape going into 2022.
My “Purple Player to Watch”
Amidst all the NFL talent from last year’s roster and now into 2022, one player that has been slightly overlooked from the Michigan program is cornerback DJ Turner. Turner finished 2021 with the highest coverage grade on the roster, per PFF after being thrust into the starting role midseason. The Minnesota Vikings could look to move on from veterans like Patrick Peterson or Chandon Sullivan after 2022, and depending on how he plays, Cam Dantzler may command too much money to keep around longer than 2023.
Turner is a very physical corner with terrific tackling abiility, and the senior is currently the No. 13 corner on PFF‘s 2023 draft board. There’s reason to believe he could end up even higher with another productive season and becoming a late-first or early second-round pick is not out of the question. If the Vikings want to continue to bolster their young group of defensive backs, Turner could make for an excellent choice.