The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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FEBRUARY 2022 THE WOLVERINE 21 notched six receptions for 81 yards in a 38-17 blowout at Wisconsin, sophomore tight end Erick All hauled in 98 yards on 10 receptions at MSU and sophomore receiver Cornelius Johnson posted 117 yards, including an 87-yard score, ver- sus Northern Illinois. Freshman running back Donovan Edwards also showed off his elite pass-catching ability with a record-setting 170 yards receiving, the most ever for a Michigan back, on 10 re- ceptions in a 59-18 blowout at Maryland. On defense, redshirt freshman D.J. Turner emerged as an outstanding cover cornerback, redshirt frosh Mazi Smith lived up to his lofty potential on the in- terior line and true freshman linebacker Junior Colson looked like a future All- Big Ten player, possibly more. "I think we've got a lot of guys on this team coming back who really listened to us leaders this year," Hutchinson said. "They learned from us. They were with us through the thick and the thin. "I know Michigan football will be in good hands next year with those guys. They're going to step up. I already started talking to a couple of them that I know are going to be leaders next year." They'll have to fill the void led by guys like Hutchinson, redshirt sophomore running back Hassan Haskins (1,327 yards, 20 touchdowns rushing), line- backer Josh Ross and others. No matter what happens, though, they'll always have the 2021 Big Ten championship team to look back on fondly. "This team has been so great," Hutchinson said after the loss to Geor- gia. "We were so bonded from day one. It sucks it's got to end this way, but nothing is going to take away our accomplish- ments this year and what we achieved. "I'll forever love this team. We did some amazing things, some historic stuff." For that, they'll always be remem- bered as champions. ❏ Michigan's seniors tried to tell everyone before the season. "This group is different," they said (paraphrasing). "We're going to show people what Michigan football is really about." For 16 years, that meant coming up short in big games, especially against rivals, and a trophy case bereft of cham- pionships. U-M hadn't captured a Big Ten title since 2004, sharing that one with Iowa, and were given a two percent chance to win the Big Ten East Division, much less (under one percent) the conference. Even after a tough 34-11 loss to Georgia in the Orange Bowl and College Football Playoff semifinal, the Michigan seniors felt a great sense of accomplishment in their Big Ten title. They left the program on solid footing and set the exam- ple for the classes behind them. Championships will be the expec- tation going forward, as it once was and as it should be. "We climbed mountains this sea- son that no one thought we could," said star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. "We set the stan- dard for the future of Michigan foot- ball. Those young guys have got the scar tissue now, and having to feel this, I know they're going to bounce back next year and give them hell." "You always want to leave it in a better place," sixth-year senior center Andrew Vastardis added. "That may be a national standing, but I think more so in the impact I have on the people related to Michigan football, whether it be everyone that's come before us that has helped us get to this point, everyone that's maybe not had this opportunity that we're in right now that worked just as hard to get here." Michigan football will be in good hands, Hutchinson said, because the young players have been watching the leaders — captains Hutchinson, Vastardis, linebacker Josh Ross and injured receiver Ronnie Bell — along with a senior class that wouldn't be denied. Running back Hassan Haskins wasn't vocal, but he led by exam- ple. Fifth-year senior safety Brad Hawkins, too, brought his lunch pail to work every day and showed ex- actly what it took to be a champion. He acted like one on the way out, too. "Yeah, today didn't go our way. That's life," Hawkins said. "Of course, we had a great season and got some big wins and just did what we were supposed to do, but this one hurts. "But these guys are going to continue to grow. They're going to grow from this win. Kind of like Aidan said, we set the foundation. These guys of course are disap- pointed, and this little scar tissue is not going to stop them. Starting a new year, it's a new season, and they're just going to continue to grow and continue to get better." The legacy must carry on, Vas- tardis concluded, and he believes it will. "I think we have the best staff and young group of players to carry that on," Vastardis said. "Because it's not just the old guys bringing that work every day. It's not just the old guys carrying the lunch pail. It's every- one, top to bottom. "I feel very confident about that carrying on into the future." — Chris Balas Michigan Seniors Leave The Program On Solid Ground Star junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is con- fident in the direction of Michigan football after the squad "climbed mountains this season that no one thought we could." PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL