Michigan Football 2011: Who Will Be Michigan's 11 Starters on Defense This Fall?

Everybody knows how poorly Michigan's defense has played the past three years, but the 2011 defense won't even resemble them, and it's all because of one reason: coaching. 

The problem hasn't been a lack of talent the past three years; it's been a lack of good coaching. 

In 2008, the talent was certainly there, but the players were not being taught properly, as poor scheme choices caused the players to constantly play out of position. 

They obviously weren't fundamentally sound, and for that, the blame can't be placed anywhere but the coaching staff.

However, with a proven winner in Greg Mattison, he will provide this defense with everything that has been missing the last three years: toughness, physicality, leadership and basic fundamentals.

Craig Roh (Jr.) Defensive End

Defensive line is, without a doubt, the strength of the Michigan defense.  It certainly has the potential to be one of the best in the Big Ten this year. 

A lot depends on this man, Craig Roh. 

After struggling with position changes early in his career, he has finally found a home at defensive end.  Big things are expected of Roh this fall, as he could have a monster year coming off the edge in Mattison's 4-3 scheme.

However, there is also the concern that Roh may struggle, as he has done in the past.  If that happens, Jibreel Black is just waiting to make an impact, and it looks like he will be a future star.  Even if Roh plays well, Black will still see playing time because he is simply too good to keep off the field.

Will Campbell (Jr.) Defensive Tackle

It's now or never for Will Campbell.  Fans have been waiting for him to make an impact ever since he stepped on campus, but it just hasn't happened yet. 

He will get every opportunity to start at tackle this fall, but if he doesn't win the job this year, he probably never will.  His competition is Quinton Washington, who came in as an offensive lineman but has been converted to defensive tackle.

If Campbell could just play up to his potential this fall, he and Mike Martin would be one of the best tackle combinations in the Big Ten.

Mike Martin (Sr.) Defensive Tackle

Mike Martin is, without a doubt, one of the best defensive tackles in the country.  He doesn't get the attention he deserves because he has played on a bad defense his entire career.

Martin has had an impact ever since he stepped on campus, as he saw extensive playing time as a true freshman.  Now as a senior, he's determined to at least get his defense back to respectability.  He is the unquestioned leader of the defense, and everyone on the team respects him for it.

Martin has everything a coach wants in a defensive player: leadership, talent, size, strength and intangibles on and off the field.  He should have a monster year and hopefully will finally be recognized by the media when the NFL draft rolls around.

Ryan Van Bergen (RS Sr.) Defensive End

If not for Mike Martin, then Ryan Van Bergen would be the leader of this defense.  He is a fifth-year senior who has certainly endured a lot since arriving at Michigan, including coaching changes and many, many different defensive coordinators and schemes. 

Despite all of these changes, he is one of the best players on this Michigan defense.

As mentioned earlier, he will be teaming up with Craig Roh to provide Michigan with two, very solid pass rushers at defensive end. 

The new 4-3 scheme Mattison will employ will help the defensive line tremendously, as Mike Martin won't constantly be double teamed anymore, opening the door for not only Van Bergen and Roh to wreak havoc in the backfield, but Martin as well.

Kenny Demens (RS Jr.) Linebacker

Big things are expected of Kenny Demens this fall.  Easily being their best linebacker, he'll simply have to play well if the defense is going to make big improvements. 

Linebacker play was arguably Michigan's biggest problem last year and if Demens plays poorly this year, then the linebackers will struggle again.

The rest of the linebacking corps are young and somewhat inexperienced, so Demens clearly needs to show leadership and be the leader of this group.  Even though he only started half of last year, he is still the veteran of this bunch.

After Obi Ezeh struggled for the first half of last year, he was finally benched at the midway point and that's when Demens took over.  Demens didn't necessarily play great, but he was consistent. 

As long as he plays the way he did last year, he should be fine.

Cam Gordon (RS So.) Linebacker

After coming to Michigan as a wide receiver, Cam Gordon has changed positions twice and now finds himself projected to start at linebacker in the 2011 opener. 

He began last season at safety as a redshirt freshman before being moved to a linebacker/bandit role about midway through the season, due to poor pass coverage skills.  This became painfully obvious to fans when he allowed a 95-yard touchdown catch in the Notre Dame game to 6'6", 260-pound Kyle Rudolph. 

Now playing as a true linebacker, this seems to be a good spot for Cam.  He has always been known as one of the hardest hitters on the team, and now he'll get a better chance to showcase that ability.

Gordon doesn't need to be great this year, just consistent.  Since he is in his first year at linebacker, it will probably take some time to learn everything he needs to know about the position, but look for him to progress as the season goes on.

Jake Ryan (RS Fr.) Linebacker

Remember, this is only a projection that Jake Ryan will start, so there is still a decent chance that he won't. 

He is in a battle with as many as four other linebackers for the right to start alongside Kenny Demens and Cam Gordon, including Mike Jones, J.B. Fitzgerald, Marell Evans and Brandon Herron.

Ryan is only a redshirt freshman and has never seen a second of game action in his career.  However, Greg Mattison raved about his performance in Michigan's spring game, as he looked extremely impressive. 

If Mattison is talking this highly about him, then he must be good.

Regardless, it could take another year or two for Ryan to develop and truly make an impact on this defense.  On the other hand, he could start this year and make a huge impact this season.  Either way, the jury is still out on him. 

It will be very intriguing to see how he plays this fall.

Courtney Avery (So.) Cornerback

After J.T. Floyd was injured and lost for the season last year, a lightly recruited true freshman named Courtney Avery took his place...and actually played very well.

Some people will say that a player can't lose his job due to injury, but it looks as if that is exactly what has happened to J.T. Floyd.  Avery played very well in Floyd's absence, but now that he is back from injury, there is a good chance that the job will still belong to Avery.

Now Courtney Avery certainly doesn't have the starting corner spot secured yet.  In fact, nobody has either corner job locked up yet.  There are two corner spots available and three guys competing for those two spots: Avery, Floyd and Troy Woolfolk.

Troy Woolfolk (RS Sr.) Cornerback

After missing all of last year due to injury, some expect Woolfolk to win a starting corner spot this fall. 

There is a good chance that he will, but as mentioned earlier, there are only two starting spots available and three guys competing for them: Woolfolk, Avery, and Floyd.

When Woolfolk was lost to injury before the season started last year, some analysts said that he was the one guy Michigan's secondary couldn't afford to lose. 

Now that he's back, those same analysts are saying that this is just the boost Michigan's secondary needs.  However, others are saying that he won't be the same player he was before his injury and that there's a good chance Floyd will win the job instead.

Carvin Johnson (So.) Safety

After suffering an injury in the opener against Connecticut last year, Carvin Johnson played some after that, but not much.  However, big things are expected of him this fall after a great showing in the spring game, which resulted in coaches raving about him.

With a starting safety job all but locked up, he'll be relied upon to stop the big plays that have been hurting Michigan's defense so much over the past three years.

If he's as good as coaches are saying he is as a sophomore, imagine what he can turn into a few years down the road.

Jordan Kovacs (RS Jr.) Safety

Every Michigan fan seems to have an opinion on Jordan Kovacs: you either love him or hate him. 

Regardless of what people say about him, you can't deny the fact that he is an extremely hard worker and that he loves Michigan football.

He's obviously not as talented or athletic as other players on the team, seeing as how he was a walk on.  He struggles in pass coverage mightily, so don't be surprised if the starting job eventually goes to Marvin Robinson at some point this season. 

However, Kovacs is a solid tackler and could be more valuable playing closer to the line of scrimmage.