The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1194003
JANUARY 2020 THE WOLVERINE 19 reer-high 34 tackles on the season, with 11.5 of them for loss, a stat standing second on the squad. He led the team with 8.5 sacks on the year. Defensive coordinator Don Brown introduced the award, noting the Wolverines were sixth nationally in total defense (292.8 yards allowed per game), fifth in pass defense (173.8), tied for 15th in sacks (3.0 per game) and tied for 31st in turnovers gained (20). Uche also recognized first-year linebackers coach Anthony Campa- nile for helping him achieve those numbers. "Before he got here, I was just a third-down guy, get in there when- ever I can," Uche said. "He came in and just instilled so much passion and so much fundamentals, breaking down schemes like I'd never known before. He just really turned me into the all-around player you guys were able to see this year." Uche noted he came in not highly recruited, like some are at Michigan. But he trusted the process, which helped him get to where he finished. "Not quitting, not wanting to transfer so fast, staying in the bun- ker and trusting that God had a plan for me," he said. "Doing whatever I could to get it done for my team- mates and my brothers." Senior captain and viper Khaleke Hudson came away with the award for Special Teams Player of the Year. U-M's leader with 97 tackles on the season, Hudson made a key punt block against Michigan State this season, one of five he recorded over the course of his career. That marked more punt blocks than any Wolver- ine ever. U-M's special teams coordinator Chris Partridge highlighted some of his units' achievements — winning the net punt battle by more than five yards on average, blocking two and deflecting two others, going 3 of 3 on converting fakes into first downs and recovering three fumbles. "[The award] means a lot of me," Hudson noted. "It means a lot to the coaches … it's very important to us, to be able to make a play that can change the game." Asked about his five blocks and four career deflections, Hudson said: "Coach Partridge put me in the right place at the right time. He put me in places where I could execute and