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Michigan football: 3 defensive players to watch vs. Michigan State

By Jacob Bruetsch

BLOOMINGTON, IN - OCTOBER 08: Mike Morris #90 of the Michigan Wolverines is seen during the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium on October 8, 2022 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, IN - OCTOBER 08: Mike Morris #90 of the Michigan Wolverines is seen during the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium on October 8, 2022 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – OCTOBER 15: Mike Morris #90 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts after a Michigan defensive stop during the first half of a college football game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan Stadium on October 15, 2022 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – OCTOBER 15: Mike Morris #90 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts after a Michigan defensive stop during the first half of a college football game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan Stadium on October 15, 2022 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) /

3. Mike Morris

MSU does not have a good offensive line. With 12 sacks (and plenty more quarterback hits) given up and ranking in the bottom third of most advanced offensive line metrics per Football Outsiders, this is the weak point of the Spartan offense.

It largely hid behind generational running back Kenneth Walker last year, but without him now, it’s been exposed, especially against good defensive lines.

The Wolverines have a good defensive line. Even without Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo, the Wolverines have been able to pick up the slack, ranking eighth in the country in sacks per game.

Mike Morris has been the leader of this group, with five sacks and a forced fumble on the season. He is poised for a big game this weekend, and could really fill up the stat sheet and make Spartan quarterback Payton Thorne’s life miserable.

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