The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2021 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 95 defenses of recent years, and his pupils have responded enthusiastically. None more so than Hutchinson, who stud- ies the Ravens' edge men and envisions how he'll be attacking come September. Mac- donald held him back from contact sessions in spring ball, even after he was cleared to participate in March. That's because he's seen enough to want the captain ready to go when it counts the most. Itching as he is to get going, Hutchin- son understands. So he watched, and absorbed, and dreamed. He likes what he sees. "We've got a lot of looks, and that's what I love," Hutchinson said. "We've got a lot of sets. We're going to have everything for next season. That's what I'm fired up about. "Coach Mac is very focused, locked in. He's not going to be a guy to get in your face, scream and cuss. He's not really about that. Obviously, we have our moments where we underperform and he's going to dig into us a little bit. "But he's not the kind of guy who is go- ing to cuss in your face. He's really focused, level-headed. He's always got good things to say. When plays break down and we need someone to talk to us about what went wrong, how do we fix it, Coach Mac is just the perfect guy for that." Hutchinson also reaffirmed his apprecia- tion for line coach Shaun Nua, whom he regards as a mentor. The captain remains anxious for the changes he sees coming. "We've been given a bit more freedom this year," Hutchinson admitted. "If I'm able to line up on that line of scrimmage and know I'm in position to make plays and be great, that's what that defense has given me. I'm super fired up about that." He's discovered many — outside the haven that is Schembechler Hall — who aren't so fired up. Hutchinson hasn't shielded himself from news reports and social media prognos- tications on 2021. In short, they're not impressed. The hangover from a 2-4 campaign, the new staff needing to blend together, and multiple question marks regarding personnel have left some hoping for a climb above .500. In other words, not exactly championship aspirations. "It pissed me off a little bit, at first," Hutchinson said. "But I kind of just detached from all of that. I know what we've got on this team. I know what we've got on this defense. I'm super confident in our abilities. "It did make me a bit angry at first. But we're the ones working. We're the ones that are going to make this change for Michigan football." That in itself marks a big reason he's back in a Michigan uniform. He wants to help set things aright, knowing how precious such opportunities can be. "My season was cut short," he said. "I just had a bad taste in my mouth. Going off on that note, it would just leave that bad taste in my mouth. I just felt I needed to come back for this team, for myself. "Nothing could go wrong if I could come back. I'd be a leader for this team, I'd be able to get better, get stronger, get faster, before I go off to pursue the NFL. I just wanted to come back and be a leader for this football team." He'd like to do it in front of Michigan Stadium crowds jam-packed with fans — and with plenty to cheer about. "Hell, yeah!" he shouted. "How awesome is that? That was one thing that was tough last year, too — playing without fans. I saw that tweet the other day about [Governor Gretchen] Whitmer opening up to 100 percent stadium capacity, and did that put a smile on my face! There's nothing like having 110,000 in The Big House, just screaming and cheer- ing. That energy is unparalleled. I can't say how happy I am to have the fans back!" They ache to see the Wolverines back, and Hutchinson insists they're coming. ❑ Father-Son All-America Combo Would Be Unprecedented It's never happened, in all the years Michigan has played the game of foot- ball. Not once has the program featured a father-son combination of All-Americans. It's a real possibility in 2021. To some, that might seem premature. Junior defensive lineman Aidan Hutchin- son's highest acclaim to date has involved third-team All-Big Ten status two years ago, and he's coming off a serious ankle injury last fall. All true, but shortsighted, given the as- sessment of the fourth-year Wolverine by experts at the college and professional level. Hutchinson is already regarded as a solid first-round NFL Draft choice in 2022, should he regain the form he exhibited prior to breaking his ankle last season. Hutchinson shared the Richard Katcher Award (Michigan's best defensive lineman) with future first-round pick Kwity Paye in 2019. That season, Hutchinson racked up 68 tackles, with 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks among them. He broke up six passes, forced a pair of fumbles and hurried the quarterback four times along the way. Last year, he notched a team-high seven tackles against Michigan State. One game later, his season ended, with an ankle fracture at Indiana. He's been declared 100 percent now, and could earn All-America recognition with a strong 2021 effort. Chris Hutchinson earned All-America honors from several entities — including the American Football Coaches Association and the Football Writers Association of America — in 1992, following his stellar senior season. A tri-captain, the elder Hutchinson was named the team's Most Valuable Player and the Big Ten Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year. That season capped five straight years of Michigan winning Big Ten titles. The elder Hutchinson went on to earn his medical degree, working in the center of the COVID storm at Detroit's Beaumont Hospital as an emergency room doctor. Now that the storm appears to be subsiding, a more normal football season could be on the horizon. And Dr. Hutchinson could have some company on Schembechler Hall's wall of All-Americans. — John Borton If Hutchinson can garner All-America honors this season, he would join his father, Chris, who was so honored in 1992 by the American Football Coaches Association and the Football Writers Association of America. PHOTO COURTESY CHRIS HUTCHINSON "I love his mentality. I love watching him play football. He's a beast now. He's got all the physical tools to do it." U-M DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR MIKE MACDONALD ON HUTCHINSON