How DC Jay Hill thinks Wolverines Can Emulate Michigan's 2023 Defense

The new Michigan defensive coordinator wants to play like the Wolverines did in 2023 on the defensive side of the ball

Sep 2, 2021; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Weber State Wildcats head coach Jay Hill, left and Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham get together prior to their game at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Swinger-Imagn Images

The 2023 Michigan football defense will go down as one of the best in program history as that side of the ball was a huge reason as to why the Wolverines were able to win their first national title since 1997 that season.

Led by Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Junior Colson, Mike Sainristill, Will Johnson and a collection of other very sound players, Michigan's defense ranked No. 1 in college football in 2023, allowing just 10.4 points per game and 247 yards per game.

While Kyle Whittingham and his new staff are focused on the future, during a press conference this week, defensive coordinator Jay Hill drew some comparisons to how the Wolverines' defense this season can look similar to that 2023 team, which was led by now Ravens head coach Jesse Minter.

Aug 28, 2014; Tempe, AZ, USA; Weber State Wildcats head coach Jay Hill reacts during the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Hill on the Wolverines' defense in 2023 and how this version of Michigan can look like that

Hill said he became familiar with the Wolverines' 2023 dominant unit when he was the defensive coordinator at BYU in 2024. He said he was studying and opposing team's offensive coordinator, who coached against the Wolverines the year prior. When sitting down and watching how Michigan worked as a collective unit that season, Hill was impressed and said he would like for the 2026 version of the Wolverines to look like that.

"I'm watching them and I'm like, 'oh my gosh, this defense looks just like us,'" Hill recalled. "So, I spent the next couple weeks studying the Michigan film. I think that's a really good idea of what it (Hill's current defensive scheme) looks like. But we want to be multiple in the front, three down and four down, we want to be multiple with our coverages and we want to be multiple with our blitz packages—man pressure, zone pressures, two-high pressuers, three-high pressures.

Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil lifts the trophy to celebrate the 34-13 win over Washington at the national championship game at NRG Stadium in Houston on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

"Like I say, the better we own (the system) the more we can do. It's not a grab bag. We're not just grabbing stuff out of a bag. But it's intentional and we're calling things with a specific purpose. If done correctly, I think we can have a ton of success here with the caliber of players we have."

Hill also mentioned the 2023 team as one of the many reasons he took the job with the Wolverines in the first place, knowing that the program can draw off the recent success as it has proven it can win at the highest level.

"They just won a national championship a couple years ago with one of the best teams in the history of college football," said Hill.

Michigan is currently in the midst of spring practice and will wrap up the spring season with a scrimmage at the Big House on April 18.