Editor's note: This is Part 8 of a series reviewing Michigan’s 2018 position groups and looking ahead to 2019.

Like many parts of Michigan football's defense, the 2018 season will be remembered in two parts:

The eleven games before Ohio State. And everything that happened after Nov. 24 in Columbus.

Michigan's secondary, perhaps more than any other unit, lives in this reality. The Wolverines finished last season as the No. 2 pass defense in the country. But Dwayne Haskins' surgical dismantling of U-M's secondary in the biggest game of the season exposed every flaw.

Some of that happened because Haskins was arguably the best passer in the country last season. But plenty of it happened because Ohio State, similar to Notre Dame in the season-opener, had athletic receivers who suddenly made Michigan's secondary look a step slower than it had throughout the rest of the season.

This has been a disciplined unit during coach Jim Harbaugh's tenure, and Michael Zordich has been the mainstay as a top-flight defensive backs coach during that time.

But this offseason will bring change on the back end.

And possibly more speed.

Secondary

Who's eligible to return: CB Lavert Hill (5 feet 11, 181 pounds), senior; CB Ambry Thomas (6-0, 183), junior; S Josh Metellus (6-0, 204), senior; S Brad Hawkins (6-2, 213), junior; S J'Marick Woods (6-3, 210), junior; DB Jaylen Kelly-Powell (6-0, 184), junior; CB Myles Sims (6-3, 183), r-frosh.; DB Gemon Green (6-2, 174), r-frosh.; DB German Green (6-2, 175), r-frosh.; DB Sammy Faustin (6-2, 187), r-frosh.; DB Hunter Reynolds (6-0, 191), junior; DB Benjamin St-Juste (6-3, 196), r-soph.; CB Vincent Gray (6-2, 184), r-frosh.

Who's leaving: CB David Long (NFL draft), S Tyree Kinnel (graduation), CB Brandon Watson (graduation), DB Casey Hughes (graduation).

Who's comingin: S Daxton Hill (Tulsa, Okla.), 6-0, 190; S Quinten Johnson (Washington D.C.), 5-10, 193); CB Jalen Perry (Dacula, Ga.), 6-1, 185; CB D.J. Turner (Suwanee, Ga.), 6-0, 173.

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2018 recap

Lavert Hill and David Long entered the season as one of the highest-rated cornerback duos in America and, like the rest of the unit, played that way from Games 2-11. Watson also had a productive season as the third corner.

Metellus, who had issues in coverage as a sophomore, was better as a full-time starting junior. Kinnel, a team captain, was organized and did a terrific job of keeping everyone on assignment — even if his athleticism wasn't elite.

But, again, Ohio State happened.

Watson was targeted and picked on all day. Long got hurt. The safeties couldn't run with receivers and everything about Michigan's unflinching desire to play man-to-man in Don Brown's defense was exposed. Michigan wasn't fast enough in that game (or in the Peach Bowl against Florida) and when the team tried to switch to zone, things strayed because the Wolverines had spent the entire year drilling press-man.

Don Brown on Ohio State game:We had a 'terrible week'

Against roughly 80 percent of Michigan's schedule, this unit was more than athletic enough to win in man coverage.

Against the three best teams it played, not so much. The lack of a pass rush late in the season didn't help.

Hill turned down a chance at the NFL and will play his senior season. Long is moving on, which means Michigan has a hole at corner.

Ambry Thomas might have been the fastest player on the team last season, though for the second straight year, he barely played. He's an intriguing option on the offensive side of the ball, but if he and Michigan still believe his future is at corner, it stands to reason the 2019 season will be his chance to make a move.

There's also a hole at safety.

And that's where things get interesting.

2019 outlook

Michigan needed more speed up the middle on the back end. And after a dramatic recruitment, the Wolverines signed arguably the fastest player in America when Daxton Hill flipped back to Michigan after a brief Alabama commitment.

How quickly he adjusts to college ball remains to be seen. What spot, exactly, Michigan wants him to play remains to be seen. But his straight-line speed is elite at any level, and it should be more than enough to get him on the field in what could be a crowded safety situation.

Brad Hawkins got time early in the year, but J'Marick Woods looked like the backup by season's end. Jaylen Kelly-Powell was banged up last season, though he's a versatile piece as a safety or slot corner.

All three have more experience than Hill. But none of them can run like he can.

Hill won't be on campus until the summer, so this position battle won't be settled until fall camp. Either way, it's interesting.

Beyond Thomas at corner, Michigan liked the close to the 2018 season from Vincent Gray, a lengthy cover man from Rochester Adams. Myles Sims was a touted prep corner who took a redshirt last season. But beyond Thomas, play-time experience is lacking.

Bottom line

It's impossible to see a situation where Hill doesn't see at least some time in the rotation early for Michigan, even if he doesn't earn the starting job right away. He's too physically gifted not to play.

Thomas seemed ready to contribute at times last season, and is no doubt hungry to take a job as a junior.

More than personnel, though, the question about how Brown handles his coverage is the biggest on the list. Michigan either grossly underestimated Ohio State's speed with the Big Ten title on the line, or overestimated its own athleticism late last season. That was a massive problem and it lingered into the bowl game.

Adjustments have to be made. Part of that has already happened, as Michigan should have a faster secondary next season.

But schematic adjustments might be necessary as well.

Windsor:Michigan acquires the speed it needs to knock off Ohio State

Previously:Devin Bush Jr. is gone, so Wolverines must retool LB

Contact Nick Baumgardner at nbaumgardn@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickbaumgardner. Read more on the Michigan Wolverines and sign up for our Wolverines newsletter.