The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1473191
THE WOLVERINE 2022 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 71 [ T I G H T E N D S ] PLAYER BIOS POSITION COACH Grant Newsome is in his first season as a full-time as- sistant coach and third over- all after spending the last two seasons as a graduate assistant helping coach the offensive line. Newsome's work with offensive line coach Sherrone Moore helped the group win the 2021 Joe Moore Award, which goes to the nation's best offensive line. The team's 6,203 yards of total offense were the second-highest mark in program history. Newsome has previous experience with U-M's tight ends, working with Moore in 2018-19. Newsome is a former offensive tackle for the Wolverines, where he lettered twice and appeared in 10 games with six starts in 2015- 16 before injuring his knee. After missing his junior year, he announced his medical retire- ment from football as a senior and joined the staff as a student coach in 2018. He is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten hon- oree who also earned the Dr. Arthur D. Robin- son Scholarship Award as the program's top student-athlete in 2016 and the Robert P. Ufer Bequest, which is given out to the player that shows the best attitude and enthusiasm for Michigan. Newsome has two degrees from Michigan: a bachelor's in American culture (2018) and a master's in public policy (2020). Newsome, a native of Trenton, N.J., was a four-star prospect and the No. 219 overall player (No. 17 offensive tackle) in the 2015 recruiting class, per On3's Consensus rankings. RETURNING PLAYERS ERICK ALL • TE Sr. • Fairfield, Ohio Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 245 • Appeared in 13 games in 2021, catching 38 passes for 437 yards and 2 touch- downs, which earned him honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition. Had a career-long reception of 47 yards on the game-winning TD catch at Penn State. • Started two games and played in all six in 2020. Caught 12 passes for 82 yards for the season. • Played in 11 games as a true freshman in 2019 and caught 1 pass for 10 yards. Also contributed on special teams with 1 as- sisted tackle. • Was an Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association Division 1 All-State third-team pick at tight end during his prep career. to coach them. These guys knew I was this person, that I knew how to coach. So, there was the familiarity there. "The flip side, though, is that I'm able to have a really good relationship with those guys and really empathize with them, know what it's like to not just be a college football player in the last decade, but also at this university. "There's some credibility there. A large part is just due to Coach Harbaugh and the staff that he's put together, and the guys in that room." Newsome — whose Michigan play- ing career ended in a devastating injury against Wisconsin which very nearly cost him a leg — acknowledges he's in a posi- tion much different than he thought he'd be right now. "When I got here, I swore I would never coach," he said. "For whatever rea- son, I had no interest, but I've said this before: football is hard to quit. "When I had to retire, I still felt like I had some unfinished business in the sport. Right or wrong, it felt like part of me was quitting, and that's not something I really want to do. "I stuck around just to see if I could fulfill that last little itch — and I love it. This is my calling. I truly believe that this is what I've been put on earth to do." Newsome is well equipped to do so ef- fectively early on. He's got All he needs, and more. ❑ Graduate student Luke Schoonmaker has played in 32 games (including 10 starts) during his career, and snared 19 passes for 219 yards and 4 touchdowns. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL