Chicago — Perhaps lost in the shuffle of a disappointing 5-7 season last year for Michigan, which was marked mostly by a largely unproductive offense, one of the worst turnover margins in the country and a seemingly constant off-field sideshow, was the fact the defense was actually pretty good.
Statistically, the Wolverines were near the top in most categories. They ranked seventh nationally in total defense, allowing an average 311.3 yards a game, 15th in rushing defense and 27th in scoring defense.
What returns is a veteran group at linebacker, a line that has considerable experience by virtue of a good deal of planned shuffling in previous seasons at those positions, and a secondary that will feature safety Jabrill Peppers, one of the nation’s top recruits entering his freshman season last year before injuries held him out, and Stanford cornerback transfer Wayne Lyons.