By MAX COHEN

Managing Sports Editor

In recent weeks, attempting 

to score against the Michigan 
football team’s defense has been 
an exercise in 
futility. 
The 

Wolverines 
have 
mauled 

opposing 
offenses 
into 

submission, 
drive 
after 

drive.

Michigan’s 

four 
consecutive 
victories 
have 

been 
buoyed 

by its defense. 
The Wolverines 
(1-0 Big Ten, 4-1 
overall) have posted consecutive 
shutouts and allowed just one 
touchdown apiece to UNLV and 
Oregon State in the two games 
before that.

But this weekend, Michigan’s 

defense could meet its match. 
The Wolverines are currently 
the second-ranked team in the 
nation in total defense, allowing 
184 yards per game — one of just 
two teams in the country allowing 
fewer than 200.

One 
of 
the 
teams 
a 
few 

spots 
behind 
the 
Wolverines 

is 
Saturday’s 
opponent, 

Northwestern 
(1-0, 
5-0). 
The 

Wildcats have allowed 247.4 yards 
per game, good for fifth in the 
country.

Looking at scoring defense 

yields 
similar 
results. 

Northwestern is No. 1 in the 
country in that statistic, allowing 
seven points per game. Michigan 
is No. 2 in the nation at 7.6.

The inclination based off these 

statistics is that Saturday’s game 
will largely be a defensive struggle. 
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh 
is not entirely convinced that a 
matchup of two of the nation’s 
best defenses is relevant.

“The two defenses won’t go 

against each other,” Harbaugh 
said Monday. “They won’t face 
each other, so look at it the way 
you always look at it: It’s three 
phases, and you want to win each 
of those phases.”

Statistically, the teams are also 

similar on the offensive side of the 
ball. The Wolverines rank 77th 
nationally in total offense, while 
the Wildcats are 79th.

But because the calling card of 

both teams is defense, that phase 
of the game will be most tightly 
scrutinized Saturday. Michigan’s 
defensive players have not been 
afraid to vocalize their high goals 
for the unit.

“I think our goal is to be the 

best defense in the country,” said 
redshirt junior defensive tackle 
Ryan Glasgow. “We don’t really 
shy away from 
talk about that, 
but the main key 
that is stressed 
every week is 
you 
have 
to 

remember what 
got you here.”

Michigan 

defensive 
coordinator 
D.J. Durkin was not quite that 
bold when he met with the 
media Wednesday, but he, too, 
is satisfied by what he has seen 
from his unit.

One of Durkin’s mantras has 

been to tell players to “stamp 
their personalities” on their role, 
meaning he wants them play with 
their own style and substance 
rather than act like “robots.”

Durkin even applies that same 

standard to himself, by frequently 
being a hands-on coach and 
jumping into drills to demonstrate 
instead of standing back and 

watching. He is not concerned 
about any laziness that could 
result from overconfidence after 
two straight shutouts.

“It’s about how hard you work 

and how you prepare. And our 
guys, we’re obviously talking 
about that a bunch,” Durkin 
said. “I think they’re starting to 
understand that. That’s who we 
want to be: a blue-collar team.”

Saturday, 

Michigan 
will 

face 
another 

team that could 
consider 
itself 

blue-collar, 
a 

foe with similar 
strengths to the 
Wolverines’. 
Michigan 
has 

had 
success 

against 
spread 
offenses 
like 

the Wildcats’ this year, despite 
struggling 
against 
similar 

offenses 
in 
recent 
memory. 

The Wolverines did not allow a 
score after the game’s opening 
moments against Oregon State, 
another opponent that ran a 
spread offense.

Similar 
results 
would 
bode 

well for Michigan this weekend. 
As much as Harbaugh wants his 
team to focus on all three phases 
of the game, all eyes will be on the 
defensive side of the ball, no matter 
whose offense is on the field.

3
TheMichiganDaily, www.michigandaily.com

Northwestern 
at Michigan

Matchup: 
Northwestern 
5-0; Michigan 
4-1

When: Saturday 
3:30 P.M.

Where: 
Michigan 
Stadium

TV/Radio: 
Big Ten Network

All eyes on defense Saturday

ALLISON FARRAND/Daily

Michigan defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin (bottom) has led one of the nation’s 
best defenses, anchored by a stout defensive front (top).

“That’s who we 

want to be: a blue-

collar team.”

