The Chippewas defense is centered upon their front seven, which is built to disrupt, disrupt and also... disrupt.
This is something they were excellent at doing in 2021, holding opponents to 34.4 percent conversion ratings on third down, good enough for ninth in the nation. This was thanks in part to one of the best rushing defenses in the country, as the Chippewas kept opponents down to 118.5 yards per game on the ground, best for 18th in the country. Their success in generating pressure and forcing punts resulted in a scoring defense of just 25.8 points per game, good enough for third-best in the MAC and placing them in the top half of programs.