The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1222671
40 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2020 2020 FOOTBALL ANALYSIS.. DEFENSIVE LINE BY THE NUMBERS 3 Defensive starters return up front for the Wolverines, all of whom have played extensively from two to four years so far. 4th Is where Hutchinson's 68 tackles ranked among Wolverines in 2019 — tops among defensive linemen. 19th Michigan's national ranking in third- down defense in 2019. U-M's defensive line played a key role in allowing op- ponents to move the chains only 32.4 percent of the time on third down. 37 Combined tackles for loss in 2019 by Hutchinson, Paye and Kemp. WHO'S GONE Defensive tackle Michael Dwumfour The potential fifth-year senior decided to get closer to home, following an injury-marred fourth season at Michigan. He still appeared in 10 games in 2019, among the 34 with four starts he enjoyed. He'll finish up his college career at Rutgers. Defensive end Michael Danna Danna contributed well in his first and last year at Michigan, following a graduate trans- fer from Central Michigan. He played in all 13 games, with 38 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble. WHO'S BACK Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Carlo Kemp The NCAA granted Kemp a fifth year, despite him playing in the middle of the season as a true freshman — a disqualifier under the old redshirt rules. Kemp can be a stalwart for Shaun Nua's crew up front, after delivering a pair of sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss among 40 stops last year. Junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson Hutchinson shared the Richard Katcher Award (annually given to Michigan's best de- fensive lineman) with teammate Kwity Paye, and also earned third-team All-Big Ten honors in his second season. Hutchinson played in all 13 games, notching 10.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks among his 68 stops, with six passes broken up, four quarterback hurries and a pair of forced fumbles. Senior defensive end Kwity Paye Paye stepped up as U-M's co-defensive line- man of the year, leading the team in tackles for loss (12.5) and finishing second to Josh Uche in sacks (6.5) among his 50 takedowns. Paye also hurried the quarterback three times and recovered a fumble, and should pair with Hutchinson effectively again in 2020. Sophomore defensive tackle Christopher Hinton Hinton played in 10 games as a true fresh- man, making his first start against Alabama in the Citrus Bowl. He finished with 10 tackles and learned plenty in prepping for a year of step- ping into greater responsibility. TOP NEWCOMER Freshman Braiden McGregor The consensus four-star recruit can eventually become a force for the Wolverines. How much, how soon will depend on the healing process, since his senior season at Port Huron (Mich.) Northern High ended with a knee injury. "You have experience and elite skill. In Kwity Paye and Aidan Hutchinson, you have got two elite players in that room." — Michigan All-American Jon Jansen QUOTABLE POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH Hinton isn't the only chal- lenger for an inside spot. Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Mazi Smith will also make a strong bid to line up next to Kemp, who has opened 24 games in his career. BY JOHN BORTON T hey come and they go, Hobbs, we learned in "The Natural." What wasn't made clear at the time in- volved surprises in the coming and going. Michigan watchers didn't know potential fifth-year senior defensive tackle Michael Dwumfour would transfer. They also didn't know an- other veteran defensive tackle — captain Carlo Kemp — would pull on a winged helmet for a fifth year. That's how it shook out, though. They broke even on fifth-year se- niors. Now they have to do more than break even when fall rolls around. KWITY PAYE PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN