When he’s grading the players on the No. 15 Michigan football team’s defensive linemen, Lou Esposito starts by looking at three things.

First, the Wolverines’ defensive line coach evaluates if each individual linemen is lined up against who they’re supposed to be. Then Esposito looks at their positioning, from how their feet are planted to where their eyes are facing. Finally he assesses effort, a metric that’s really best gauged in the film room on Sunday.

Those three factors — assignment, alignment and effort — are the pillars guiding Michigan’s defensive front. Those factors dictate playing time, and they’re one of the reasons why the Wolverines’ defensive line has been elite for the past few years, no matter who graduates or gets drafted to the NFL.

Check those three boxes, Esposito

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