Michigan Football: How the Wolverines D-Line Will Surprise the Big Ten in 2013

It's no secret that the strength of this 2013 Michigan team will be its defense.

From the defensive line up to the safety duo, this defense looks strong at every spot and really doesn't seem to have a weakness.

However, this article will focus solely on the d-line and why it is expected to be so good this season.

Veteran Presence

Even though Michigan did lose Craig Roh and Will Campbell from the line, it will still have a strong veteran presence.

As a fifth-year senior, Quinton Washington will not only be the anchor of this line, but one of the most important leaders on this entire team. The way he progressed last season shows he is capable of becoming one of the best tackles in the conference.

Jibreel Black is another senior who may or may not start. Regardless, he'll play an important role on this line. He is versatile enough to play both inside and out and provides a strong veteran presence on and off the field.

Sure, most of this line will be filled up with youngsters, but having Washington and Black around as mentors and role models will pay dividends.

The Incredible Amount of Young Talent

This one may seem to contradict itself a bit with the previous slide, but it actually makes perfect sense.

We all know Brady Hoke's view when it comes to molding a football team, in that the lines are the most important pieces and everything else is built around them.

Judging by the amount of young talent Michigan will be working with, it's safe to say that that philosophy is well under way.

The Wolverines will likely play at least seven different linemen who are sophomores or younger. It's not out of necessity either; it's because these guys are too good to keep off the field.

Redshirt freshmen Tom Strobel and Chris Wormley will both likely play big roles, as will sophomore Mario Ojemudia. Fellow sophomore Ondre Pipkins should play a huge role as well.

Two more redshirt freshmen in Matt Godin and Willie Henry will almost assuredly be backups, but both are expected to contribute.

Plus, you have all of the incoming freshmen class, including Taco Charlton, who is already on campus. Yikes!

The Versatility This Group Possesses

Another thing that makes this defensive line so special is how versatile it is. A great example of this is the fact that Brennen Beyer was recently moved from defensive end to SAM linebacker, and he's not expected to miss a beat.

As mentioned earlier, Jibreel Black has also shown that he can play both tackle and end on the line, and will probably do so this season.

Chris Wormley may do that as well, as most seem to think his 6'4", 290-pound body frame may be better suited at tackle.

A big reason the defensive line on Team 132 was so successful was because two of its core players, Ryan Van Bergen and Will Heininger, could play both inside and out.

We may see a lot of that again this season.

The Plethora of Defensive Ends

Michigan will likely be rotating defensive ends in and out at an alarming rate this season. It's a luxury that most teams would kill to have.

Frank Clark does seem to be the best and most trusted end of any on the roster, but even he'll get plenty of rest. Plus, he still needs to prove he can be that dominant presence he's capable of being.

As of right now it looks like Keith Heitzman will be the other starter at end, but you might as well call two or three other guys co-starters.

Mario Ojemudia will see just as much time as anyone, and Tom Strobel won't be far from that status. Whatever position Chris Wormley winds up playing he'll see plenty of action as well.

It looks like Matt Godin will start out as an end and is expected to contribute at least a little bit. Even though he's only a freshman, Taco Charlton will also be expected to contribute.

Between the two defensive end spots, Michigan will be able to go six or seven deep with regularity and hardly miss a beat. That's a luxury any team would love to have.

The Coaching Staff

The importance of this one can't be stressed enough. The staff that is working with these young men are some of the most respected, experienced and proven coaches in the business.

We all know Greg Mattison's resume and everything he's accomplished in the NFL.

Even though he's only 54 years old, Brady Hoke's resume is slowly becoming more and more impressive as well.

The team did lose Jerry Montgomery, who took a position on the Oklahoma coaching staff this offseason, but the effects of his departure will be minimal.

Honestly, this defensive line couldn't be in better hands. These kids have nothing but love and respect for Hoke and Mattison, and probably look at them more as father figures than they do as coaches.

Simply put, you will never hear a bad word said about either of these two men. They, without a doubt, represent the University perfectly and definitely live up the famous Michigan phrase that was first coined in 1898: "Leaders and Best!"