The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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lieve Smith needs to prove he can play with a high motor on every down before he will be given that re- sponsibility. Others, like Kimbrough, think the conditioning aspect of U-M strength coach Ben Herbert's pro- gram will help erase any concern about that. "Conditioning is the only thing I know that I've got to focus on," Smith said, noting he wants to get down to 305 pounds by the time the season starts. "I know what it is, and I know what it has been in the past, so I know I've got to get over that hump. "That needs to be the first thing that we address, and of course that's their job so they know what to address." He's already begun to get comfortable and bond with his M i c h i g a n t e a m - mates. He's rooming with Blairstown (N.J.) Blair Academy three- star defensive lineman David Ojabo, and he was in contact with red- shirt junior defensive tackle Michael Dwumfour even before arriving on campus. "He was telling me to just come ready to play and be ready to get out of my comfort zone, adapt, change and get better," Smith said. "I want to be a force in ev- erything I do. "At the end of the day, I'm go- ing to lose a lot and win a lot going against older guys; guys who have been in a college-caliber weight room for two years. I'm going to learn from it all. That's why we practice." But he's already got many of the physical tools needed to excel at the next level. Helmholdt called him a "big, powerful, athletic defensive tackle" with as much potential as most linemen in the country. Kimbrough, meanwhile, believes his former standout is just scratching the surface of his potential. The coach made it to Ann Arbor in January to watch a workout, noting Smith was grinning from ear to ear despite Her- bert's grueling regimen. "The sky is the limit for him," Kim- brough said. "He's so talented. I can't even imagine how good he'll be once the Michigan strength staff is done with him. He's going to be a speci- men. He already is a specimen. "He's so explosive. For a guy his size, he's very athletic, explosive as all get out when he comes out of his stance, probably second to none. I've coached and seen a lot of high school kids, but I haven't seen anybody get off the ball as well as he does for a guy his size." He was double teamed regularly, but still managed to make plays as a senior. Kimbrough said his star pupil uses his hands well to get off defenders, has a low center of gravity, and is able to shed blockers with his power and technique. Maturity, though, is where Kim- brough saw Smith blossom most in his four years. "Right away as a ninth grader we brought him up to varsity, and he made an impact day one," he said. "Playing varsity for four years here is very rare. I watched him get better, mature, and even though he's one of the most talented kids I've ever coached, the biggest thing I saw was his leadership, especially as a senior. "He led us on the field, off the field; I couldn't be more proud of him." And he's just getting started. His lofty goals include one that might seem crazy given all the talent that's gone through Ann Arbor over the years, but he's ready to give it a shot. "I've always said I want to be the most dominant lineman that Michi- gan has ever seen," he stated. He'll get his chance, starting in September. ❑ East Kentwood head coach Tony Kimbrough "The sky is the limit for him. He's so talented. I can't even imagine how good he'll be once the Michigan strength staff is done with him. He's going to be a specimen. He already is a specimen." DID YOU KNOW? • Competed in shot put for his high school track and field team, which won the state title his ju- nior season. • His cousins Tico and T.J. Duckett played at Michigan State. Tico posted three 1,000- yard rushing seasons, while T.J. was a first- round pick in 2002. • Had one tackle in the Under Armour All-American Game on Jan. 3, 2019. THEY SAID IT • Rivals.com Midwest recruiting analyst Josh Helm- holdt: "Mazi is one of the most talented prospects in this class, but he also has to answer the question mark about his motor. When he plays at his best, he's almost unstoppable from the interior of that defensive line. The problem is, he simply doesn't always choose to play at that level. "If Michigan can get him to play at 100 percent on every snap, he's going to be a dominant factor on their D-line for years to come." • Opposing head coach Tom Burrill of Caledonia High: "He's really pretty unblockable, especially one on one. There's no way anyone can do that. … His first step is as good as any high school player we've played against. "… We haven't seen a kid like that over the last 20 years that I've been at Caledonia. I think he's by far the best in- side tackle we've ever played against." MARCH 2019 THE WOLVERINE 57 All three major recruiting services named Smith a four-star pros- pect that was listed among their top 170 players nationally. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM