The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1351834
APRIL 2021 THE WOLVERINE 13 THEY SAID IT 14 Big Ten wins for Michigan basketball, which marks just the eighth time in program history that the Wolverines have tied or sur- passed that amount of triumphs in league play. The most con- ference victories U-M has posted in a season came in 1984-85 (16), while the Wolverines hit the 15-win mark in three different campaigns — 2018-19, 2013-14 and 1992-93. It's important to note that each Big Ten team began playing 20 league games in 2018-19 (compared to 18 previously), and also that the Wolverines saw three of their league games canceled this season due to COVID-19 concerns. U-M went 14-3 and won the regular-season conference championship, which was based on win percentage due to some teams not being able to play a full slate. 35.5 Years old is the average age of Jim Harbaugh's 10 full-time assistants. All 10 are under 40 years old, and include safeties coach Ron Bellamy (39), defensive line coach Shaun Nua (39), quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss (38), offensive coordinator Josh Gattis (37), secondary coach/co-defensive coordinator Maurice Linguist (36), running backs coach Mike Hart (34), linebackers coach George Helow (34), offensive line coach/ co-offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore (34), defensive co- ordinator Mike Macdonald (33) and tight ends coach/special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh (31). "Juwan Howard's ability to manage this team through a three-week pandemic pause pretty much seals my vote for National Coach of the Year." — CBS college basketball analyst Seth Davis following U-M's 92-87 win at Ohio State Feb. 21 It's happening, Wolverine Nation! This class will go down as one of the best classes in Michigan foot- ball history! The Michigan Movement is in full effect! We are not done yet!" — Co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Maurice Linguist on Twitter following Grosse Pointe (Mich.) South five-star cornerback Will Johnson's pledge to U-M Feb. 28 "I've seen energy from this team I didn't know we had. That's a big emphasis this year — to have a lot of energy in practice, games and our competitive periods. It's a different feel than we've had in the past." — Michigan junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson March 4, discussing the start of spring practices Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards for center HUNTER DICKINSON this season, which ties former U-M guard Trey Burke (and In- diana's Cody Zeller and Noah Vonleh, Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell and Illinois' Kofi Cockburn) for the second-most in confer- ence history, trailing only Ohio State's Jared Sullinger, who was given the distinction 12 times during the 2010-11 campaign. It's im- portant to note that Dickinson may have ended up in second place by himself if the season hadn't started 15 days af- ter it was originally set to begin. The 7-1 Alexandria, Va., native also took home Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors at season's end. 7 "My mindset is to intimidate whoever I'm going [against], whether or not they have the ball. I try to discourage them and make them very uncomfort- able, and not allow them to get into their offense. I feel like that's my job." — Michigan senior guard CHAUNDEE BROWN JR., describing the mentality he brings on defense INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL