The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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28 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2019 and cheer me and support me is a blessing. They've been behind me since day one." So, too, was the welcome he re- ceived from the Michigan players and coaches. Danna struggled with leaving a CMU program he helped build over four years, and the deci- sion to transfer wasn't easy. "A lot went into it," Danna said. "Being at an institution for the last four years, you build a good résumé there, you know a lot of people, you know the whole town. Just moving on and trying to make a new chapter in your life is tough. "But I had to do what's best for me. Coming here to Ann Arbor is probably one of the best decisions I've made in my whole lifetime. My teammates really opened the door for me. "I haven't really faced any chal- lenges that made me step out of my character. My teammates made the whole transition 10 times easier for me." He had no regrets from the min- ute he stepped on campus. The sec- ond he touched the "Go Blue" ban- ner while running out of the tunnel for the first time, though, was when he really knew he was where he be- longed. "It was unbelievable," he said. "There are only a few things even Several Wolverines have made an impact this season in their first significant taste of game action at U-M. Here are The Wolverine's top five (No. 6 would be redshirt frosh cor- nerback Vincent Gray, who has also been outstanding): 5. Fifth-year senior DE Mike Danna — Danna has con- tinued to improve since he arrived on campus and made two of the bigger defensive plays of the year in forcing a fumble at Illinois to set up a touchdown and thwart the Il- lini's comeback attempt, and then creating an interception with a big hit at Maryland that stalled a drive in the red zone. Ends Aidan Hutchinson and Kwity Paye have earned most of the accolades as the starters, but the coaches are quick to include Danna as an integral part of the produc- tion every time the ends are brought up. 4. Redshirt freshman RT Jalen Mayfield— Mayfield won the battle with redshirt sophomore Andrew Stueber by default when Stueber went down with a season- ending knee injury in camp, but Mayfield has made the most of it (and would have played, regardless). He's started every game at right tackle and has continued to improve, showing some "nasty" in the way he finishes blocks. He's starting to play his best football in the middle of the season, per offensive line coach Ed Warinner, and should be a stalwart on the Michigan line for years to come. 3. Redshirt freshman RB Hassan Haskins — The redshirt freshman has been the surprise of the team this year on either side of the ball, having shown great footwork and a knack for picking up yardage after contact. His 5.9 yards per carry ranks second on the team among rushers with multiple attempts after nine games, and his two 100-yard contests are tied for the most. He rushed for 125 in a win at Illinois, averaging a whopping 10.4 yards per run, and introduced himself on the national stage with 149 yards on 20 carries in a 45-14 blowout of Notre Dame. He's still learning in the pass protection department, but his emergence has been a huge plus for the offense. 2 . Fre s h m a n R B Z a c h Charbonnet — The true freshman has been every- thing expected and more, especially in the blocking depar tment, while work- ing through injury. He was a perfect nine for nine in his pass protection assignments in his first game, a win over Middle Tennessee State, and while he hasn't gotten as much work as earlier in the season, he's still been stellar. He netted 559 rushing yards in his first nine games, averaging 4.8 yards per carry and has already set a U-M rookie record with 11 rushing scores. He also already boasts a pair of 100-yard games (100 in a win over Army and 116 in a victory at Illinois) and will likely log several more before his career is over. 1 . Ca m e ro n M c G ro n e, LB — Some have called McGrone Michigan's "next Devin Bush" after last year's All-America linebacker. Bush is tearing it up with the Pittsburgh Steelers and is in the running for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, while McGrone is following in his footsteps as the next U-M great linebacker. He got his chance when junior Josh Ross went down with an injury and has made the most of it, excelling as both a run stopper and a pass rusher. He was U-M's Defensive Player of the Week after notching 12 tackles in a 45-14 blowout win over Notre Dame, has totaled 45 tackles in his first nine games, including 7.5 for loss with four sacks, and has become an outstanding blitzer like his predecessor. — Chris Balas Redshirt freshman Cam McGrone ranked fifth on the team with 46 tackles in the first nine games, in addition to 7.5 tackles for loss (tied for third) and four sacks (tied for third). PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Michigan's Top Five 2019 Newcomers