Michigan experimented a bit with its secondary against Oregon, sliding Zeke Berry to corner and Makari Paige to the slot. It just could be an approach that serves Michigan well as it prepares to face another elite offense in Indiana:
The 38 points Michigan surrendered against Oregon marked its highest points against total in a game since its Fiesta Bowl loss to TCU at the end of the 2022 season. This game was the latest in a long line of frustrating defensive performances from Michigan this season.
That might not inspire much positivity about the prospects of the defense as it gears up to take on another great offense like Indiana’s, but the Wolverines were able to find some success still, even without two big contributors.
As he’s proven over the previous seasons and in limited action this year, Will Johnson is arguably the best corner in the country and is Michigan’s most valuable asset on defense. Furthermore, Jyaire Hill has been something of a revelation by serving as an adequate starter in just his sophomore season.
The fact that both were slated to miss the Oregon game meant the Wolverines would face an uphill battle against a high-flying passing attack. The Ducks had their success, totaling 294 passing yards, but Michigan’s secondary didn’t exactly get carved up in the manner one might have predicted with Johnson and Hill being sidelined.
With Johnson and Hill out, Wink Martindale and LaMar Morgan shuffled some guys into different roles to fill the void. Aamir Hall started on he outside for the second consecutive week, but we also saw Zeke Berry get his first career start outside.
Berry has been spotty at times this year in the nickel spot, as he’s been susceptible to surrendering yards after the catch. However, by moving outside, he was able to showcase his coverage skills and held up pretty well, especially considering he’s yet to play outside in his college career.
“I feel like I did decent out there for not having those reps I needed throughout the week,” Berry said Tuesday evening. Berry added that he’s continuing to get reps on the outside and at his traditional nickel spot, as Hill could potentially return to the lineup this weekend, as head coach Sherrone Moore alluded to in his radio appearance on Monday .
Morgan and the coaching staff did an admirable job of preparing Berry to play outside corner, especially given the short amount of time they had to do so. However, Berry mentioned he’s had an additional mentor helping him in Johnson.
Injured safety Rod Moore has often been referred to as an additional “coach” on the field this fall, but it appears Johnson is serving a similar role as he works his way back from injury.
“When I was told I was gonna play corner, after every rep I went to the sideline to talk to Will, see what he had to say and try to get some tips from him,” Berry said. “I’m constantly bugging him all the time.”
Last week, Berry wasn’t the only guy adjusting to a new role. With Berry kicking to the outside, safety Makari Paige moved into the nickel role and held his own as well. The fifth-year senior was credited with four tackles and a pass breakup in the game.
“I feel like he did good,” Berry said of Paige’s performance. “He slowed down the receivers, stuck with them, especially them being fast.”
The ability of not one, but two players to adjust to new roles and be relatively successful on such short notice is encouraging given the opponent Michigan will face next week. Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke has been one of the nation’s best all year, and he’s throwing to a talented group of receivers led by Elijah Sarratt, Omar Cooper Jr. and Myles Price.
The Wolverines will definitely have their work cut out for them, but the versatility shown against Oregon gives Michigan a chance to use guys in roles that best fit their respective skillsets. Adding Hill back to the fold can only help matters, while the emergence of Wesley Walker and Mason Curtis at safety allows Paige to continue playing the nickel spot as long as it’s working.
Michigan has been picked apart by some solid passing attacks this season. While Oregon was successful through the air, much of its production came on screens and short passes rather than downfield attempts. It’s possible that using guys in different positions could be an adjustment that helps Michigan, but we’ll have to see if Michigan utilizes the approach once again against the Hoosiers.