If you could sum up the Michigan Wolverines defense against the Nebraska Cornhuskers this past Saturday with a single phrase, that phrase would be: “A tale of two halves.” Mike Macdonald’s unit held Adrian Martinez and the relatively efficient Nebraska offense to zero points in the first half, making most Michigan fans extremely pleased about the defense overall heading into the third quarter. Then...some stuff happened.
The Cornhuskers punished Michigan’s linebacker unit, finding creative ways to spring huge plays through misdirection and well-timed leaks of tight ends or backside wheel routes to the running back. In a game that Michigan’s defensive line held up pretty well, it was clear Nebraska made proper adjustments to bypass that unt completely.
Thankfully the offense was able to put more points on the board, and with just a single touchdown conceded by the Michigan defense in the fourth quarter, the Wolverines escaped with a victory. But what happened on those plays? Who’s to blame, and what could’ve done to mitigate those plays? Let’s dive into the film.