A laughingstock no longer, Michigan defense turns in its best performance in years during 58-0 romp over Minnesota

“I started slowing down a little bit,” Avery said smiling after the Wolverines’ 58-0 win over Minnesota. “But I saw open field and just said, ‘There’s no way I’m falling down on this one.'"

Avery’s 83-yard fumble recovery touchdown late in the fourth quarter not only thwarted Minnesota’s only legitimate chance to score Saturday, but also put the capper on one of the best Michigan defensive performances in years.

Michigan hadn't shut out a team since a 38-0 victory over Notre Dame in 2007. The Wolverines allowed just 177 yards of total offense Saturday, and over the past three weeks, have yielded just 10 total points.

Minnesota crossed the 50-yard line once in the first half. That was on a play that ended with freshman cornerback Blake Countess forcing a fumble that safety Carvin Johnson recovered.

Michigan racked up three sacks in the first half, one less than it had through the first four games.

The Wolverines swarmed the undermanned Golden Gophers, who played without starting quarterback MarQueis Gray, and held them to just 3.8 yards per play. As a group, Michigan broke up three passes, recovered two fumbles and made five tackles-for-loss. Five of the team’s top six tacklers were linebackers or defensive linemen.

For the first time in a long time, a Michigan defense thoroughly dominated an FBS opponent.

It's a feeling no one on the current roster is familiar with, but one they admit they could get used to.

“It feels great,” junior defensive tackle Craig Roh said. “It’s great. I don’t know how much more to say, it’s nice to pitch a shutout, to be dominant.”

Earlier in the week, defensive coordinator Greg Mattison discussed how points allowed and wins were the only statistics he concerned himself with. Through five games, the Wolverines are 5-0 and have allowed 10.2 points per game.

Michigan also started 5-0 last season, but on defense, the Wolverines gave up 25.4 points per game and 433.6 yards of total offense per contest.

Mattison continues to harp on how far away this year’s team is from becoming a true “Michigan defense.” Head coach Brady Hoke agrees, but that doesn’t mean the unit isn’t improving.

“We communicate with them pretty well,” Hoke said. “I think Greg and his staff challenge them. This was a first step to what the goal and expectation of this football program is and has been, and that’s a Big Ten championship.

“You can’t go out in the second half and slop around and not tackle and not have intensity. That doesn’t get you any better. You go backward. And we’re not real big believers in going backward.”

The team insists they’re not your father’s Michigan defense just yet.

But it’s also pretty clear they’re not a laughingstock anymore, either.

“We always believe that we have the ability (to play well),” Roh said. “The more we listen to our coaches, the more we can dominate like that.”

Nick Baumgardner covers Michigan sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2514, by email at nickbaumgardner@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @nickbaumgardner.