Mark Snyder

Detroit Free Press

Many schools have a standout position that defines their program.

At Utah, that is the defensive line.

Three Utah defensive linemen have been drafted in the NFL the past two years.

The Utes have had at least one all-conference defensive lineman every season since 2001.

Even when the team struggles, like in 2013 with a 5-7 record, it is still crushing people. The Utes finished second nationally in sacks and in the top 20 in rush defense that season.

"Utah's known for having a solid defensive line every year," said Clint Shepard, a junior defensive tackle from West Valley City, Utah. "That's the thing that really drew me to come and play here. Last year, we really looked up to the seniors here and they made a strong impression."

It has become an expectation in Salt Lake City, that the defensive line rollover, no matter how significant, will somehow find a way to emerge.

After 2012, when Star Lotulelei was picked No. 14 overall in the 2013 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers and Joe Kruger No. 212 by the Philadelphia Eagles, there was doubt.

"People were saying our D-line was going to be soft, and they came in and (were elite) in sacks, one of the best D-lines in the country," Shepard said. "So it was the same thing for us. We don't care what the critics were saying, we know what we're capable of."

So far, they've proved it.

Two games into this season, despite losing end Trevor Reilly to the NFL, Utah leads the nation with 5½ sacks per game and with 10½ tackles for loss per game.

This year's group is more interesting than usual because it's smaller and more athletic with tackles who are 285 and 276 pounds (Shepard), one end at 266 and the talented Nate Orchard at 255.

That flexibility allows them to be creative, moving players into unconventional spots to use their speed advantage.

Orchard is the primary piece, with 2½ sacks, three tackles for loss, 14 total tackles and a pass breakup.

For Orchard, who also played receiver at the same high school in Salt Lake City that U-M players Sione Houma and Bryan Mone attended, it has been as much mental as physical.

"It's just being a student of the game," he said. "As the years go on, you have mentors and guys who are willing to help you become better and succeed. You just take notes from them. I've become a better defensive end and a better person."

That presence is apparent in the Michigan film room.

"Nate Orchard is one of the guys they're using in a lot of different ways, outside linebacker, defensive end," U-M coach Brady Hoke said. "From his athleticism he has, he can cause you problems. Obviously, he's a playmaker for them and he puts them in positions to make plays. Up front, they've got some quickness to them and that can cause you problems."

For his team, that is certainly a concern, given the inexperienced offensive line.

The Wolverines' offensive line features no one with more than a year and a half of playing experience and both tackles are first-year starters.

"We go into every week with the same mentality, whoever we go against every week, we're going to shut them down," Shepard said. "All that stuff it floats around in the locker room and we talk about it a little bit. One thing we've tried not to do is play to the level of our competition, so we just try to play on the highest level we can.

"We don't really say, 'Oh these guys aren't as good, so we're going to have a heyday.' That's not the mentality. We go in thinking we're going to smash whoever it is."

Contact Mark Snyder: msnyder@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark__snyder .

Up next for U-M

Matchup: Utah (2-0) at Michigan (2-1).

When: 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Where: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor.

TV: ABC (Channel 7 in Detroit).

Utah all-conference defensive linemen since 2001

ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE

2001: Garrett Smith, Jason Kaufusi

2002: Jason Kaufusi, Garrett Smith

2003: Josh Savage

2004: Steve Fifita, Sione Pouha

2005: Steve Fifita

2006: Kelly Talavou

2007: Martail Burnett

2008: Paul Kruger

2009: Koa Misi

2010: Christian Cox

ALL-PAC-12 CONFERENCE

2011: Star Lotulelei, Derrick Shelby

2012: Star Lotulelei

2013: Trevor Reilly