The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1404875
SEPTEMBER 2021 THE WOLVERINE 43 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL aren't coaching at Michigan. Obvi- ously, for 10 years, that was my career — I wasn't here. "This is special to be home, don't get that wrong, but you've got to be where you are. Whenever I was at another job, I was never wishing I was somewhere else. That's some- thing Coach Carr taught me early, no matter where I was at — that school — you got to be where you are and take care of the guys who are on your team. And that's all I tried to do. I'm here trying to take care of the guys on this team." Bellamy said that when he walks into The Big House, one of two feel- ings come to mind — either getting ready to touch the banner and play a game, or run the stairs like former strength coach Mike Gittleson had him and his teammates do. Sept. 4 against Western Michigan, he and Hart will get the opportunity to touch the banner and coach their first game on the home sidelines. The latter can't wait to get a warm wel- come. "Just the fans cheering for me, I guess — not booing," Hart joked when asked what he's most looking forward to. "But no, it's going to be exciting; it's going to be exciting to be on that sideline finally. I've been there a couple times on the other sideline [as an opposing coach]. Really just looking forward to it, it's going to be fun. I'm just excited to be back." — Clayton Sayfie UNDER-THE-RADAR WOLVERINES UNRANKED IN PRESEASON POLLS Michigan football continues to fly under the radar ahead of the 2021 season. The Wolverines were not ranked in the Associated Press' preseason top 25 rankings for the first time since 2015, head coach Jim Harbaugh's first year on the job. The Maize and Blue checked in seventh in 2016, 11th in 2017, 14th in 2018, seventh in 2019 and 16th in 2020. Michigan received 12 votes in the poll, trailing Oklahoma State (107 votes), Ole Miss (106), TCU (40), Liberty (36), Auburn (32) and North Carolina State (14) among fellow un- ranked squads. Defending national champion Alabama slotted No. 1, followed by Oklahoma (2), Clemson (3), Ohio State (4) and Georgia (5) to round out the top five. Five Michigan opponents were listed in the top 25, including the aforementioned Buckeyes at No. 4, Wisconsin at No. 12, Indiana at No. 17, Penn State at No. 19 and Wash- ington at No. 20. Michigan will travel to Wiscon- sin Oct. 2 and play at Penn State Nov. 13, while it will host Washing- ton Sept. 11, Indiana Nov. 6 and Ohio State Nov. 27. Fellow Big Ten member Iowa ranks No. 18. Michigan was also unranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll, and re- ceived 30 votes. — Clayton Sayfie DT MAZI SMITH LANDS ON LIST OF 'LESSER-KNOWN PLAYERS SET FOR BREAKOUT SEASONS' On3.com sought feedback from coaches and team staffers across the country to compile a list of lesser- known players who will step into prominent roles this fall, and Michi- gan redshirt freshman defensive tackle Mazi Smith's name made the cut. Smith may have more hype sur- rounding him than any other college football player who has made three career tackles — including one stop for loss — in two seasons ... but here he is. "After limited production in his first two campaigns at Michigan, the former top-100 recruit from Grand Rapids, Mich., seems ready to help the Wolverines this sea- son," On3.com's Matt Zenitz wrote. "Teammate [redshirt junior line- backer] Josh Ross talked him up at Big Ten Media Days. Jim Harbaugh noted that Smith 'really asserted himself through spring ball and this summer cycle.' "In addition, Smith, a 330-pounder [listed at 326 on Michigan's updated roster], was the first player men- tioned by a Michigan staffer while sharing feedback with On3 for this project. [Redshirt freshman] line- backer David Ojabo was another player who was mentioned." Smith's potential emergence is cru- cial for the Wolverines this fall. Not only has the team been thin on the interior of the defensive line for a few years now, but the new scheme under first-year coordinator Mike Macdonald, which has a base 3-4 alignment, calls for a big body in the middle who can take up space. In discussing seventh-year senior defensive tackle Jordan Whittley, an Oregon State graduate transfer, at Big Ten Media Days, Harbaugh said as much, and admitted the need for a guy to emerge inside. "We're going to be a multiple-front defense," the coach said. "There will be times that we'll be odd, there'll be times that will be under, times it will be over. So the times you're odd you want your big guy right over the center that can two-gap. We're hopeful." — Clayton Sayfie U-M needs its defensive tackles to step up, and former four-star recruit Mazi Smith could bolster that position group this fall. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN 2021 MICHIGAN SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Time (ET) Sept. 4 Western Michigan (ESPN) 12 p.m. Sept. 11 Washington (ABC) 8 p.m. Sept. 18 Northern Illinois (BTN) 12 p.m. Sept. 25 Rutgers (TBA) 3:30 p.m. Oct. 2 at Wisconsin TBA Oct. 9 at Nebraska TBA Oct. 23 Northwestern TBA Oct. 30 at Michigan State TBA Nov. 6 Indiana TBA Nov. 13 at Penn State TBA Nov. 20 at Maryland TBA Nov. 27 Ohio State (FOX) 12 p.m.