The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MAY 2023 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 23 Graham understands, and he doesn't push back hard against that notion. Still, he follows up with a reminder har- kening back to his own drive to succeed. "It definitely is my takeaway," he said. "But we lost that game. Whether we played a bad game or not, that's on us. We have to control that. I feel like next year, we'll have a different outcome. "It just made me realize anyone can lose on any given day. Football is a crazy game. You have to stay locked in, 24/7, prepare the right way, so you get the result you've always been working for in all the years you've been training to play football." He's trained rigorously, crediting his parents, Allen and Kimberly, for the money, time and effort they put into his development. He remains all about next steps, and there are obvious ones, both for Graham and his team. RAISING THE BAR Jansen insists Graham already plays beyond his years in some ways. "He's a very coachable kid," Jansen explained. "He made mistakes through- out the year, but the mistakes that he made against Hawaii, he wasn't mak- ing later in the year. He really learned how to play with the leverage, limiting his mistakes, and using his hands and technique — getting lockout, getting separation, being able to shed opposing offensive linemen. "Quite honestly, you don't see that until third or fourth year sometimes. The things that Mazi [Smith] was do- ing this year, it took Mazi a few years to get there. Mason is doing some of those things already. "He is one of those guys that, when Elston shows him something or tells him something, he gets it and he can do it. There are some rare athletes that when you tell them something, they're just like, 'Oh, OK. I'll do that.' It be- comes part of what they do. "They'll work on it — don't get me wrong. But they just get it." Regardless, Jansen pointed out, the next level awaits for the still-young de- fensive lineman. "It's being able to defeat double- teams," Jansen said. "Sometimes D- linemen have to eat up double-teams, because that's their job. Being able to attract that attention, being able to hold those guys and let the linebackers do their thing, that's a part of it. "But hey, when it's a pass pro and you've got full go, you've got to be able to defeat double-teams. Whether it's splitting them, spinning out, some- times it's dropping to a knee. Being able to defeat those double-teams would make him unblockable." Graham stands excited about the de- fensive line as a whole becoming more so. "As a D-line, we've all been talking about it this spring," he said. "As we look back on this past year, our pass rush — and the interior defensive line — wasn't overwhelming. Me and a lot of the other guys are taking huge steps in that area. "You guys should look out for our pass rush this year. We'll be more of a pass rush threat. Even if we're not get- ting sacks, we're always going to cause pressure on the quarterback." And teamwise? Graham says watch out. "It definitely does get me excited," he said of Michigan's chances. "Through- out this spring ball, I've seen this team come together and not fall off like peo- ple maybe thought we would, because of losing these guys, or these guys. "We're just going to reload every year. We've got more guys all the time. The culture here is the best possible thing a culture could be. We're on the path to keep climbing, climbing, climbing throughout this offseason and into fall camp. "We'll show the world what we're about in those coming months in the fall." ❏ Top Rookie D-Linemen Under Jim Harbaugh Michigan has turned out some talent in recent years under Jim Harbaugh and his defensive coaches. Here's a look at the best three true freshman seasons by defensive linemen over the past eight years. 1. Mason Graham, DT, 2023: Graham is the only true freshman defensive lineman to start more than one game for a Harbaugh team. His two starts and 14 appearances produced 2.5 tackles for loss among 27 overall stops, with a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. 2. Christopher Hinton, DT, 2019: Hinton made one start among 12 game appearances for the Wol- verines during the 2019 campaign. He recorded 9 tackles and was credited with one-half of a tackle for loss that season. 3. Aidan Hutchinson, DE, 2018: The future superstar for the Wolverines and No. 2 overall NFL Draft pick didn't record a start for Michigan in his rookie season. He did appear in 13 games, securing 15 tackles and becoming Michigan's 2018 Rookie of the Year on Defense. It's worth noting that such future standouts as edge rushers David Ojabo and Mike Morris did not even see the field as true freshmen at Michigan. Senior defensive tackle Kris Jenkins — expected to play a huge role for the Wolverines in 2023 — saw the field in just one game as a true freshman. All of that underscores the accomplishment by Graham in his breakthrough rookie campaign. — John Borton In 2018, Aidan Hutchinson appeared in 13 games, securing 15 tackles and becoming Michigan's Rookie of the Year on Defense. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN