Jim Harbaugh confident Don Brown, Michigan secondary can turn it around

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Jim Harbaugh issued a public vote of confidence for his coaching staff and players on Saturday, even as Michigan football team dropped its second straight game in similar fashion.

While the 23rd-ranked Wolverines lost, 38-21, to Indiana at Memorial Stadium and snapped a 24-game win streak against the Hoosiers, it was the way it happened that was so alarming.

For the second straight week, an opponent took to the air early and often and had a career day doing it. Indiana quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. threw 50 times for 342 yards and three touchdowns, while receiver Ty Fryfogle hauled in 11 catches for 142 yards and a touchdown. Both Penix and Fryfogle recorded career days, like Michigan State receiver Ricky White had last week.

“We’re close to doing it,” Harbaugh told reporters after the game. “You see it done. You see it happening. It’s going to take the next step of happening in the games.”

Harbaugh said there are defenders who “are doing it,” while others — Michigan has two first-year starters at cornerback — “will get it.” Redshirt sophomore Vincent Gray had another rough day at cornerback, where he was the one in charge of coverage on several big pass plays. It was Gray on the other end of a Fryfogle 31-yard catch in the first quarter, and in coverage on another deep Fryfogle catch, this one for 35 yards, in the second quarter.

More: U-M was down two starting offensive linemen vs. Indiana

Gemon Green, a redshirt freshman, also had his struggles — and was penalized for holding that helped extend a second-quarter drive, one that resulted in a field goal for Indiana.

“You just keep coaching,” Harbaugh said. “As a coach, that’s what you do. You keep coaching and and players keep learning, and you get the experience. (Then) they get that confidence.”

Like last week, defensive coordinator Don Brown did his best to curb the attack. He mixed in zone looks with his man-to-man scheme, hoping Michigan’s more experienced and talented safeties — Daxton Hill and Brad Hawkins — could assist. They tried, each registering a pass breakup, but had little answer.

Even Hawkins, a senior, drew a pass interference penalty early in the third quarter.

“We’ve just got to keep playing every down,” Hill, a sophomore, said. “We’ve just got to keep playing our game. It’s not really the play calling, it’s us.”

Hill’s comments seemed to be a shared belief amongst teammates after the game. Linebacker Michael Barrett said the defense’s issues were a productivity issue, not a talent problem. Things look good in practice, they say, but fail to translate into results on the field.

Where the blame lies is anyone’s guess. It could be on the players for not executing, or playing to their potential, but it’s also the coaches who put the players into those positions. And are in charge of their production. Asked about Don Brown, whose pressure-oriented defense doesn’t look so fast and effective these days, Harbaugh says he still has confidence in his 65-year-old defensive coordinator.

“Yeah, I do,” Harbaugh said. “Very much so. I love all of our coaches. Every coach on this staff. They work extremely hard. Their schemes are really good. And they coach them good.

“We just keep forging ahead. We stay after it to make that next step, (that) critical step.”

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