CHRIS HINTON

Wolverines standout safety Daxton Hill is the latest Michigan player to declare for the 2022 NFL draft after three seasons with the program.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — If Mazi Smith looks a little bigger these days, well, it’s because he is. The 6-foot-3 junior defensive lineman is up to 318 pounds (he’s listed at 326) in anticipation of a more familiar role as the nose tackle in Michigan’s new defensive scheme. Smith was 320 pounds when he arrived on campus from Grand Rapids in January 2019, but was asked to slim down in order to fit Don Brown’s aggressive, blitz-heavy system. This season, the Wolverines are expected to field a defensive line that includes the 6-foot-4, 310-pound Chris Hinton, 6-foot-3, 325-pound Donovan Jeter, and Smith. “It’s been a long process,” Michigan defensive line coach Shaun Nua said.

A long, difficult season could be in store for Michigan football this fall, according to projections from the annual college preview magazines. Athlon projected Michigan to finish the regular season with a 7-5 record overall, and 5-4 mark in the Big Ten — behind Ohio State, Penn State and Indiana, respectively. The Wolverines failed to appear in each magazine’s top-25 preseason poll, setting the stage for a season of tempered expectations. Safety Daxton Hill was another, earning first-team all-Big Ten recognition from Lindy’s, second-team honors from Phil Steele and a third-team listing from Athlon. Others included running back Hassan Haskins (second-team all-Big Ten, Lindy’s; third-team all-Big Ten, Athlon) and linebacker Josh Ross (second-team all-Big Ten, Lindy’s and Phil Steele).

DETROIT — With so many unknowns with the Michigan defense this fall, here is what the coaching staff does. Michigan hired first-year defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald in January, ushering in a new era and new scheme. More: Jim Harbaugh rejuvenated by younger, ‘hungry and humble’ coaching staff“It’s a little different,” Nua said, “I mean, it’s just a different scheme (with) different things that you’re asking them to look for. It’s been really, really fun.”Elsewhere along the defensive line, junior tackle Chris Hinton is expected to fill a starting role this fall. In addition to Macdonald, Michigan also hired new assistants this season at linebacker (George Helow), safety (Ron Bellamy) and cornerback (Maurice Linguist, then Steve Clinkscale).

A source of pride for the Michigan defense has disappeared in recent weeks, making coordinator Don Brown’s operation less impactful and susceptible to giving up big plays. “Those numbers — that is not Michigan football.”More: Michigan DL coach calls Wisconsin performance ‘unacceptable’Michigan recorded 34 sacks each in 2019 and 2018, a figure that put it in the top 25 percent of all FBS teams. And while that may be the case this year, opponents have found a way to overmatch the Michigan defense. Asked what more could be done to get pressure, Hinton, a sophomore who’s father played professionally in the NFL as an offensive lineman, suggested changing up pass-rush looks. But he also expressed confidence in the Michigan coaching staff to determine the best plan going forward.

13 Wisconsin on Saturday (7:30 p.m., ABC) down two starting offensive tackles and a second defensive end. Michigan showed a defensive front of fifth-year senior Carlo Kemp, redshirt junior Donovan Jeter, sophomore Chris Hinton — three tackles — and redshirt sophomore end Taylor Upshaw. Expect junior Luiji Vilain to see extended time, along with redshirt freshman Gabe Newburg. Michigan is coming off back-to-back losses to Michigan State and Indiana, leaving it reeling just three games into the truncated nine-game Big Ten season. — Michigan has all three scholarship quarterbacks in uniform (Joe Milton, Cade McNamara, Dan Villari), along with two walk-ons.

Michigan has often been ranked among the top five or 10 teams in the country, and that’s thanks to strong defensive performances. Kwity Paye #19 of the Michigan Wolverines tries to sack Peyton Ramsey #12 of the Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. According to Harbaugh, they’ve only gotten better this offseason, and if Michigan can get some help from the defensive tackles, it’ll make their jobs even easier. READ: Defensive line is X-factor for Michigan against quarterback-loaded scheduleWith a less experienced secondary -- particularly at cornerback -- Hutchinson and Paye will be more important than ever. Defensive tacklesStarters: Carlo Kemp and Chris HintonConfidence: 100% and 95%Kemp will be one of the starters at defensive tackle -- that’s a slam dunk.

One of the most important is defensive tackle Chris Hinton. Defensive line outlookIt’s no secret Michigan’s defensive line underperformed a year ago. That was missing against the likes of Wisconsin, Ohio State and Penn State last season. Former Michigan defensive tackle Maurice HurstHinton doesn’t have to be Maurice Hurst, but Michigan needs him to be a threat from the interior of the line. It’s absolutely critical for the defensive line to get pressure without committing too many players to the blitz and compromising coverage downfield.

Freshman defensive lineman Chris Hinton appeared, albeit briefly, in Michigan’s first two games of the 2019 season. By Week 4, after Michigan played its Big Ten opener and cleared the bye, the highly prized recruit became a regular part of the rotation. “You learn a lot,” Hinton said Monday on the “Inside Michigan Football” radio show. “I want to be a reliable source on the inside for this defense,” Hinton said. “I want to be a trustworthy defensive lineman.

Unfortunately, the defensive line wasn’t a strength for Michigan a year ago. Even though the schedule is shorter this season, Michigan won’t avoid the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten. Look no further than the 2019 recruiting class to find the X-factors for this defensive line. Beyond Hinton and Smith, the rest of the defensive line depth is hard to project. Beyond Hutchinson and Paye, the defensive line could very well be a weakness for Michigan, and that would be a crippling blow to a young defense.

Slowly but surely, depth is beginning to form along Michigan’s defensive line. On the outside, names such as Luiji Vilain and David Ojabo have been discussed, as has Taylor Upshaw, a little-known redshirt sophomore who’s appeared in just six games for the Wolverines over the past two seasons. “But Taylor Upshaw has shown a lot of improvement from last year. Vilain, healthy again after injuries hampered in 2017 and 2018, is expected to see more playing time along the end. “I think for the D-end depth, it’s been really great because Taylor Upshaw has been making strides to be a strong 2,” Paye told reporters earlier this month.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Michigan football got very little help from its freshman class last season, but according to head coach Jim Harbaugh, at least 11 true freshmen will contribute early in the 2019 season. He's going to play and work into that safety position, but he's really done extremely well." Receivers Cornelius Johnson, Giles Jackson will be playing both special teams and then working their way into the receiver position." Turner has been really good playing in special teams," Harbaugh said. He's going to be very good and playing."

Head Coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines watches his team warm up before a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The University of Michigan updated its online football roster Monday, revealing numbers for 25 true freshmen who were members of the 2019 recruiting class that ranked No. Here are the jersey numbers for the 25 scholarship players, according to the team's official website:3. RB Zach Charbonnet30. OL Zach Carpenter58.