A high-scoring shootout? Michigan defense doesn't play along

Most of the preseason concern centered around a young secondary, especially once senior cornerback Troy Woolfolk went down with a season-ending injury.

With UConn quarterback Zach Frazer missing targets frequently during an 18-for-38 passing performance - including bouncing a couple of passes to wide open receivers and over-throwing many others - and the Huskies gaining 343 total yards, those concerns weren’t dismissed.

But coach Rich Rodriguez was pleased with his defensive performance.

“I have to watch the film to give you a more correct answer on how the guys played individually, but I thought James (Rogers) was really poised and made a couple nice plays,” Rodriguez said of the senior cornerback making his first start.

“For the most part, all those guys that were in there for the first time handled themselves pretty maturely.”

Frazer passed for 205 yards against that young secondary, with nearly one-quarter of them coming when Michael Smith made a circus catch, tipping the ball to himself twice during a 47-yard gain across the middle of the field.

J.T. Floyd, the lone secondary player with any starting experience, was on the other corner and made six tackles. He was encouraged by the unit’s play, but answered almost every question asked by members of the media by saying, “but we still have a lot to do.”

“I definitely think it’s a step in the right direction, a positive thing,” he said. “We came out and played pretty well, but we’re at no point to stop working.”

Floyd forced the game’s only turnover, knocking the ball out of tailback D.J. Shoemate’s grip after he had picked up a first down on a 4th-and-1 play late in the third quarter. Senior linebacker Obi Ezeh, who led the team with nine tackles, recovered the fumble.

The Huskies were at Michigan’s 7-yard-line and looking to cut a 24-10 deficit down to one score.

“It was part of my job during the play that I scrape to the right and he popped through. I just put my hat on the ball,” Floyd said. “When the coaches put you in position to make plays, good things happen.”

Last year’s Michigan defense allowed 10 points or fewer just twice, in lopsided wins over Western Michigan and Delaware State.

“The defense as a whole was so hungry. I’m not saying last year that we weren’t, but last year we didn’t put out like we did today,” said Roh, who had two tackles-for-loss among his five stops. “We were making plays, we were hungry.”

Rich Rezler covers sports for AnnArbor.com. Contact him at 734-623-2552 or richrezler@annarbor.com.