If the Michigan Wolverines want to annihilate their competition and win the Big Ten in 2012, they'll have to make sure their defense continues on last year's improvement. 

Not to discredit the offense at all, which should be solid with Denard Robinson and Fitzgerald Toussaint running the show, but in order to truly be the best in the conference, the Wolverines have to get the job done on the defensive side of the ball.

Shutting down opposing teams has to be priority No. 1 for Michigan, as it will in turn help the offense. Robinson and company would have more opportunities with the ball, which would easily lead to more points.  

This will be the second year for head coach Brady Hoke and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison. Together, they should help the Wolverines defense to keep getting better, which will bring great success in 2012 and beyond. 

In their first year, they were able to greatly turnaround this Michigan defense. This past season, the Wolverines ranked No. 18 in total defense, giving up a total of 226 points.

The year before, Michigan's defense was one of the worst in the country, ranking No. 104 in total defense and giving up 458 points on the year. 

It was a tremendous flip after the addition of the new coaching staff, but now the Wolverines must show it wasn't a fluke and that they're the real deal in the Big Ten. 

While Michigan does lose some strong defensive players, they're returning seven starters and also have great talent waiting in the wings. They may have less experience, but it doesn't mean they don't have the skills needed to compete at a high level. They'll just have to prove their worth in 2012. 

We'll know a lot about the 2012 Michigan team right from the start, too, as they play Alabama, the defending BCS champs, on a neutral site in Cowboys Stadium. 

Of course, the Crimson Tide will be a different team, but Nick Saban has stockpiled his roster with elite talent, so they'll be ready to play. 

After that, Michigan has to worry about hosting Michigan State and Iowa. The Wolverines have lost to the Spartans the last four years, and they've also lost to the Hawkeyes for the last three. In addition to that, Michigan must travel to Notre Dame, Nebraska and Ohio State, which won't be easy. 

However, if the defense continues to shine bright, the Wolverines won't need to stress a great deal in 2012. When your opponents struggle to move the ball on you, the chances of winning increase tenfold. 

They say defense wins championships, which is exactly why the Wolverines' 2012 success depends greatly on their defensive play. Sloppy performances will result in a poor season, and the early hope that Michigan had for a great year will be washed away. 

The Wolverines are without a doubt one of the favorites, if not the favorite, to win the Big Ten in 2012, but they'll need a stellar defensive performance week in and week out in order to win it all in 2012.