The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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100 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW That didn't sit well with anyone in the building, and Gil didn't mince words when asked to compare Campanile to his former coach, noting there's a big difference. "I wouldn't compare him as similar," Gil said. "I would say he's better. He brings more out of me as a player and he brings more out of all our linebackers as players. "He brings a lot of intensity and a lot of love to the game. He has a lot of passion, and that's what we need." Gil added that Campanile's energy helps elevate the level of play every time they take the practice field. "He's smart," he said. "The knowledge he gives us puts us in better position to make plays." The younger guys have fed off it, to the point that the 2019 defense didn't seem to miss a beat in the spring, flying to the foot- ball. Brown called them even faster as a unit, and Gil agreed. "I see that, and I feel that," Gil said. "Being able to run around with my brothers on the field, it's like nothing you can really describe. When I see somebody running past me, it kind of hurts — but it makes you feel like we're all swarming. That's what we want." Ross, a junior and the squad's top return- ing tackler, missed most of spring due to injury, but that opened the door for a few youngsters to elevate their games. Redshirt sophomore Anthony and redshirt freshman McGrone opened eyes with their play, giving them a chance to compete for time this fall. Anthony played in only seven games last year, but he's come on strong. "He's a real good player," Gil said. "He's fast, he's strong. He loves the game … what more can you ask for?" McGrone played in only one game last season, and that was on special teams. Though Gil's competing with him for play- ing time, he's been nothing but helpful in bringing him up to speed and tutoring him. "He's real fast too," Gil said. "He's ex- plosive and he's more confident. He's real comfortable." Together they'll have a chance to prove what Michigan teams have shown since Jim Harbaugh arrived — elite talent comes and goes, but there are always capable bodies waiting in the wings. Together, they can overcome, even when tasked with replacing a top-10 NFL Draft pick like Bush. "With or without him, we knew we had to take another step forward," Gil said. "That's what we're going to do." Their journey picks up again in August with fall practice, and he can't wait to get started. ❏ Gil recorded 33 stops, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks while manning the weakside linebacker position last season. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN "Knowing we lost Devin Bush … we know we've got to hold ourselves to a higher standard." GIL