The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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10 THE WOLVERINE JANUARY 2023 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Sitting Down With Senior Offensive Guard Trevor Keegan The Michigan offensive line contin- ued to play at an extremely high level this year, with the interior bullying people in the running game. Senior guard Trevor Keegan was a big part of that, playing through injury to lead yet another dominant Wolverines ground attack in 2022. Keegan talked about his role, his teammates, his future and more in this Q&A. The Wolverine: You guys are Big Ten champs again and headed to the Col- lege Football Playoff. How much does it help this year that you were there last year and got to experience it once? Trevor Keegan: "It's huge for us. Ev- erybody last year didn't think we were going to be in that position. I assume some of us didn't, either. I feel like last year we were just there for the oppor- tunity. This year we're there to take the opportunity. "We know that we're supposed to be there. We're in this position because of how we work and how we are as a team. I think it's super important." The Wolverine: The Big Ten hasn't won a national title in a while. How much do you think about that? Keegan: "I think I can speak for the rest of the team … it's not really on our mind. We only care about what we're doing. Obviously, we want to make the Big Ten proud and everything, but we're just worried about us." The Wolverine: How much has the program changed since the 2018 and 2019 seasons? Keegan: "It's super different. I was a freshman and sophomore then. I think we just had a lot of selfish players. We didn't really have a good culture. There were people that were just in here to go to the NFL, and that was all they cared about. "Now there are just dudes who created a brotherhood, who care for each other. We come here every day to work and achieve goals together. "It's completely different. Obviously, guys still want to go to the NFL, but with team success comes individual success. That's our motto. We know that if we have success, individual success will come. That's everybody's mindset." The Wolverine: How has name, image and likeness (NIL) changed the locker room and the dynamic of the team? Keegan: "Not at all. You hear rumblings about what people are making, stuff like that. It doesn't matter because here at Michigan, you're going to get paid off the way you play. I know other schools it's, 'Oh you're a four-star, and you get a certain X-and-O amount.' Here it's going to make people want to work harder, which I totally agree with. And that's the way it should be. "I think it's just the guys we have in the locker room. We understand it. It's like a business here. It's like a minor league to the NFL. We know how it is … I think everyone just knows the way it is and respects that." The Wolverine: Have you decided whether you'll return next year? And does NIL factor into that? Keegan: "Not yet, no. And I'd like to say it doesn't, but it does a little bit. I've got to graduate, and there are a lot of things I've got to think about. "Obviously, I would love to come back, but it's a business. So … I've still got to weigh all my options." — Chris Balas Keegan, a first-team All-Big Ten performer in 2022, helped U-M become the first school to win back-to-back Joe Moore Awards as the nation's best offensive line unit. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL to the Michigan player that displays the most enthusiasm and love for the uni- versity. It is the second time he has won the award, making him the first player in program history to do so. Senior defensive back Caden Kolesar won the Dr. Arthur D. Robinson Schol- arship Award winner for his contribu- tions on special teams. He played in only 5 games this season before suffering a knee injury at Iowa Oct. 1. Team-specific awards also were handed out at the event, naming soph- omore quarterback J.J. McCarthy the Offensive Player of the Year with senior defensive tackle Mazi Smith grabbing Defensive Player of the Year honors. Graduate kicker Jake Moody was given the Specialist of the Year honor and junior A.J. Henning got Special Teams Player of the Year. Graduate wideout Ronnie Bell and senior nickel back Mike Sainristil earned offensive and defen- sive skill player of the year honors. The most improved player awards went to senior offensive lineman Karsen Barnhart (offense), graduate linebacker Michael Barrett (defense), junior wide receiver Eamonn Dennis (special teams) and junior tight end Matthew Hibner (special teams). Freshman tight end Colston Love- land won Rookie of the Year honors on both offense and special teams, while cornerback Will Johnson and defensive tackle Mason Graham were singled out on defense. Linebacker Jimmy Rolder was also given Rookie of the Year honors on special teams. U-M also handed out awards to its Scout Team Players of the Year to grad- uate wide receiver Zach Peterson (of- fense), sophomore defensive back Jesse Madden (defense) and sophomore line- backer Joel Metzger (special teams). ❏ MOVING? Don't miss an issue of The Wolverine! Let us know your new address. Call 1-800-421-7751 or log into your account at TheWolverineOnDemand.com