The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/116680
michigan football had coached outside linebackers and rush ends, is now in charge of Michigan's defensive ends while Hoke will handle the defensive tackles. "I'm really excited," Mattison said. "It's funny because when I was at Michigan before, Brady and I were coaching the defensive line, and we took unbelievable pride in how hard they played, how tough they were, how they rushed with four. "Brady feels strongly about it again, you're only as good as you are up front. You have to have a great defensive line." Hoke was a defensive line coach five times previously in his career: Grand Valley State (1983), Western Michigan (1984-86), Oregon State (1989 and 1991-94) and Michigan (1995-2002). Mattison, who will mentor U-M's ends while Hoke coaches the defensive tackles, has 23 years of experience coaching defensive linemen. photo by per kjeldsen Mattison, meanwhile, has 23 years of experience coaching the front four, holding that post at Cornell (1977), Northwestern (1978-80), Western Michigan (1982-84), Navy (1987‑88), Texas A&M (1989-91), Michigan (1992-96), Notre Dame (2002-04) and Florida (2005-07). "Coach Mattison is definitely a defensive line coach at his core," former Michigan All-American end Glen Steele (1994-97) said. "He has a passion for the position, and he's as knowledgeable as any coach that has ever worked with defensive linemen. He really stresses the small things — your hands, your hips, where you're stepping — because it's those details that make you effective." Under Mattison's guidance, defensive linemen Chris Hutchinson (1992), Jason Horn (1995) and Will Carr (1996) earned first-team AllAmerica honors while Steele would garner the distinction the year after Mattison left, in 1997. In the 14 years between Mattison's tenures, U-M produced just two All-Americans on the line — Rob Renes (1999) and LaMarr Woodley (2006). "He demands that you play with a toughness, a fierce competitiveness, and if you don't, you won't play for him," Steele said. "He always told us to put our hand in the ground and give Michigan 100 percent in every practice, every game, every rep, and if you do that, whatever happens, he can live with. "It was a lot of fun playing for him because he pushes you but he also respects you." ❑