The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2022 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 89 [ D E F E N S I V E L I N E ] for him, but there are going to be growing pains, too." Moving to the outside, Morris' emergence as a dependable, jack-of-all-trades lineman has been one of the position's most posi- tive developments. Morris provides a unique blend of size and strength with a physique that stands out even among the Big Ten's better athletes. Though still working on his pass rushing technique — he notched 1 tackle for loss, a shared sack and a quarterback hurry among his 17 tackles in four starts last year — he has the ability. At 6-foot-6, he's still able to get low enough and play with enough strength to move to the interior line in situ- ations. Harbaugh reserved some of his highest praise for the senior this spring, saying he "could be the next Aidan Hutchinson" at Michigan. "I think Morris is going to end up as a de- fensive end primarily," Jansen said. "That's where the biggest need is for guys with ex- perience. "He's not going to be Aidan Hutchinson, but you saw how Aidan was going to be used two years ago — anywhere from defensive end, three technique to nose tackle in certain situations and then opposite end — that's really where Mike is going to excel." Elston is the kind of coach who will use Morris to exploit weaknesses on opposing offensive lines, Jansen said, and create favor- able matchups. Upshaw, too, is a veteran with a lot of ex- perience, and Harbaugh said he was "really excited about him" after spring ball, calling him a "strong, physical, tough, relentless type of player." Upshaw also still seems to have another gear yet to reach. He notched 8 tackles in a backup role last season with 4.5 for loss, and he also registered 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. The senior has grown as a run stopper but still needs to develop more as a pass rusher. "I want to see the second move," Jansen said. "If he's a one-arm bull-rush guy, that's fine, and that's going to work against a lot of people. "But I want to see that next step for him that when that move is not there, how does he use that to set up a spin inside or turn a tackle's hips and swim inside? Can he get that edge simply by coming with speed? Those are a few of the things I'd love to see." Braiden McGregor (6-5, 265) "elevated his game quite a bit," too, Harbaugh said, and he had a really good spring. This is a huge year for the junior — maybe not "now or never," but getting close. "This is going to be a great opportunity for him," Jansen said. "Now, he's never go- ing to be Aidan, but what did he learn about studying the game and preparing for Satur- days? What type of moves? "They are built very similarly. What you can't transplant is a guy's heart, or his want- to. That's where you need to see the next step from Braiden." Others, like sophomore T.J. Guy (6-5, 251) also impressed, including in the spring game. He finished with 6 tackles and was always around the ball. True freshman Derrick Moore would be another to watch closely. The 6-4, 250-pounder showed an incredible first step and could surprise as a situational pass rusher. "He is going to be a fantastic player," Har- baugh said, adding he just needed to learn how. "He probably will also be a really good player right away in the fall. He is really gifted athletically and in strength." Behind them are several guys still vy- ing for time, including veterans and young players alike. Senior Julius Welschof (6-6, 288) is a freakish athlete from Germany who notched 13 tackles, a half-sack and a pass breakup last year and could see time at end. He played in all 14 games a year ago. Sophomore Kechaun Bennett (6-5, 241) is also in the mix on the outside. Inside, sophomores Dominick Giudice (6-5, 275) and Ike Iwunnah (6-3, 306) look to bolster the tackle depth. Overall, there's a blend of experience and youth that could put the line with some of the Big Ten's best. ❏ ROSTER No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. 52 Kechaun Bennett DE 6-5 241 So. 26 Rayshaun Benny DT 6-5 292 So. 56 Dominick Giudice DT 6-5 275 So. 99 Cam Goode DT 6-2 315 Gr. 55 Mason Graham DT 6-3 292 Fr. 78 Kenneth Grant DT 6-4 335 Fr. 42 TJ Guy DE 6-5 251 So. 92 Ike Iwunnah DT 6-3 306 So. 94 Kris Jenkins DT 6-3 275 Jr. 17 Braiden McGregor DE 6-5 265 Jr. 8 Derrick Moore DE 6-4 250 Fr. 90 Mike Morris DE 6-6 278 Sr. 54 George Rooks DT 6-5 270 So. 58 Mazi Smith DT 6-3 326 Sr. 91 Taylor Upshaw DE 6-4 262 Gr. 96 Julius Welschof DT 6-6 288 Gr. Mike Elston's Homecoming Is A Huge Win For Michigan Football Michigan and Notre Dame won't play again on the football field until 2033, barring a change of schedule, meaning U-M has brag- ging rights until then. The Wolverines crushed the Fighting Irish in Ann Arbor in 2019, the last time the two teams met, and the 45-14 pum- meling won't be forgotten soon. The battles now will come in recruiting and in the offseason, and Jim Harbaugh one-upped the Fighting Irish in a big way this spring. The coach poached former Michigan linebacker Mike Elston (1993-96) from Notre Dame after he spent 12 years in South Bend as one of the team's top assistants and recruiters. Elston will handle defensive line and recruit- ing coordinator duties in Ann Arbor in what his former teammate, All-America offensive tackle Jon Jansen, considers a coup. "It's great," he said. "And I think the biggest effect is going to be in recruiting. Mike's got a great track record of recruiting top prospects up front, and he's got a proven record of devel- oping guys and sending them to the next level. "Having him here is a huge plus in Michigan's column, not just because it's easy for him to sell the program. It's also easy for him to sell himself and what he can provide to a young athlete. He knows what Michigan provides." And he's got a great reputation for develop- ing players, Jansen added. Having major responsibilities at a program like Notre Dame — he worked alongside Brian Kelly as his associate head coach — is another plus. "Whenever you have that depth of interac- tion with the program, and it's not just any program — Notre Dame is a pretty big program — and when you have that type of responsibil- ity, it's just going to make Jim Harbaugh's job that much easier," Jansen said. "You've got another perspective of a guy who has done it at a big program somewhere else. You've got someone else you can depend on for some of the high-level things in a big program. "They've got a guy who is continuing to build his résumé as we've seen with other assistant coaches, to go on and become head coaches from Jim Harbaugh's staff." Time will tell if Elston makes that step, but taking him away from the Irish and back to Ann Arbor bolstered an already strong staff. — Chris Balas