U-M DB preview: Depth an issue, but pieces may work out
Michigan is scheduled to report for preseason camp Aug. 6, four weeks before the Sept. 3 opener at Utah. This is the ninth in a series of breakdowns of each position group before camp begins for U-M, which is coming off a 5-7 season but has a new coach, Jim Harbaugh.
Today: Defensive backs
■ Last season: Aside from the Rutgers game, U-M's pass defense was strong. Michigan finished 19th in the country, allowing 193.7 passing yards per game. Much like the defensive line, there were no standouts, with Jarrod Wilson remaining steady at one safety spot and a combination of Delano Hill (until injured), Jeremy Clark and Dymonte Thomas rotating through as well. Wilson was steady but, along with the rest of the secondary, failed to make many impact plays. Once freshman corner Jabrill Peppers was injured and lost for the season after the fourth game, Jourdan Lewis, Raymon Taylor and Blake Countess rotated at the corner spots. Countess struggled and U-M's defensive backs ended up with just two interceptions, both by Lewis.
■ 2015 outlook: Wilson still holds his safety spot, but the bodies have shifted around him. Peppers, with his prodigious talent, will be a safety, so he can be in on more of the action with Clark and Thomas pushing him. With Countess transferring and Taylor graduating, Lewis is the only returning lock at corner. On the other side, Stanford grad transfer Wayne Lyons should step in and be the bigger corner, possessing NFL skills. Channing Stribling has the size and has played two years but hasn't shown enough for consistent snaps, so he might be the nickel back. There's not much depth on either side, with Brandon Watson and Ross Douglas also possibilities.
■ What to watch in camp: This might be a spot where defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin tries to steal from the offense. Maybe true freshman Keith Washington, moving from his high school QB spot, adapts and gets on the field. While the Wolverines don't want to move Peppers back to corner, an injury to Lewis or Lyons could change that situation quickly.
Contact Mark Snyder: msnyder@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark__snyder.