The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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82 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2023 FOOTBALL PREVIEW He didn't allow himself to be satisfied with that effort, or a 13-1 Michigan sea- son. Instead, he poured himself into im- proving the former with hopes of affecting the latter. "The biggest thing was getting in that weight room and really locking in with Coach Herb [strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert]," Jenkins assured. "It was building my strength and my athleti- cism in that room. He took me, physically and mentally, to a whole different place than when I first came in here. "That was step one. Then step two was perfecting my technique. It's taking the dedication to my technique one step fur- ther. Huge credit to Coach [Mike] Elston and Mazi Smith, for making sure I really perfected my technique. Being a bit of a shorter, smaller guy at the time, if I didn't have the perfect technique, that was really going to be a problem. "They took extra time to work with me and perfect my craft. Technically, I'm one of the best fundamental guys you'll see. Huge credit to them." The Wolverines themselves garnered huge credit over the past two seasons, checking off the breakthroughs: two straight decisive wins over Ohio State, two consecutive Big Ten titles, and Michigan's first two entrances into the College Foot- ball Playoff. All that, and head coach Jim Harbaugh pointed to the 2023 team as a potential powerhouse. "As we sit here April 1, 2023, it doesn't mean it's going to be the best team, but it's the best version of a Michigan football team on April 1, 2023, that we've ever had," Harbaugh noted at a pep rally prior to the spring game. "A great roster, players, tre- mendous coaches all pulling in the same direction." They're just going to keep pulling, push- ing and pulverizing, Jenkins assured. "Being identified like that means we've got to play like it," Jenkins insisted. "It means we've got to prepare like it. We've got to work out. Being identified as possibly one of the best Michigan teams in history, that doesn't give any room for any slack off. "Actually, it makes us want to work even harder, so we can prove Coach right, so we can prove to the world that is the case. That means no complacency at all. That means we've got to train 110 percent, every single day. "Every single team, they're going to want to come for us. They're going to give us the very best they've got. We've got to prepare for them — nameless, faceless opponents, every single week. "It's preparing like a national champion- ship team. Preparing like one of the best Michigan teams in history." Jenkins looks to inject his energy wher- ever he can but plays down the notion that this team needs extra motivation. "I get them going all the time," Jenkins said. "Pre-workout, pregame, we kind of fuel each other. When I come in, we start yelling, we start chanting and everybody follows suit. Everybody really has that en- ergy, they have that personality. They're ready to bring that energy. Credit to our team — every second of the day, they're ready to roll." Defensively, he noted, the Wolverines take a great deal of pride in going into the season as a no-star defense. That doesn't mean his side of the football won't be pep- pered with excellent performers, but that the defenders aren't going to get the pre- season individual hype — and that's OK. "We play together really well," he pointed out. "Our team chemistry on defense is really good. We really focus on not only working with each other but identifying how everybody else plays. We really trust each other. We trust the next man up." Jenkins Rates High As A Tearjerker Jenkins and his teammates reduced Ohio State players and fans to tears last Novem- ber. But he induces very different tears from his mom, who harkens back to the lessons he's learned, his good heart toward others, and the sportsmanship he always chose to pursue. "He learned lessons that other people don't really get," Hopper noted. "When I tell you he's a good kid, I mean it with all my soul. That's what's gratifying. He's a really good person." Of course, Jenkins could still make a hit, even if unintentionally as a 125-pound 8-year-old versus an infielder lucky to weigh 75. Jenkins wasn't accustomed to sliding in baseball because, well, he didn't hit consis- tently. But when he did connect, the horse- hide sailed. "He used to hit the ball, and he would stop and put his hand over his eyes, to see where it was going to go, before he would run," Hopper recalled with a laugh. "We were always like, 'No, no! Run! Don't pose!'" A certain team geared up for him, plot- ting to catch Jenkins napping on the base paths. A dad/coach positioned his son di- rectly on second base, to await Jenkins' ar- rival. "This kid gets the ball, and his dad places him on second base," Hopper explained. "We're telling Kris, 'Go! Go! Go!' As he's rounding first, we all realize this kid is standing on second base. Everybody starts to panic. We're like, 'Noooo! NOOOO!' "He never heard us. He's doing what we told him to do initially, which is to run. He runs directly into this kid. The kid never moved. The parent was standing right there, and the kid is right on the base. Kris ran directly into him with his right shoul- der. "The kid went face down on the ground. I was like, 'Oh my goodness! You killed someone!' That kid was down for two min- utes. Kris came into the dugout and said, 'My shoulder hurts.' I said, 'You're fine!' "He said, 'No, my shoulder hurts.' I said, 'No, you are fine! Sit down. You have killed someone.' No one's talking. No one's breathing. The kid flips over, and he's OK." Jenkins later apologized to the infielder he leveled. There's no such record of any such apology to those in scarlet and gray, however. Braiden McGregor Insists Jenkins Stands Ready To Rock Senior edge rusher Braiden McGregor has been around Michigan football several years now, just like fellow senior defensive lineman Kris Jenkins. So, McGregor fully appreciates what Jenkins could unleash in a monumental Michigan season. "Kris is a great guy," McGregor noted. "He's a really good friend of mine. I'm excited to see what he does. Every year, he's just worked and worked and worked. Now, he's to the point where he can be one of the best D-tackles in the country and he can disrupt every single play. I definitely think he's going to have a great year." The two definitely paid their dues along the way, McGregor fighting through early injury and the duo learning behind future NFL performers. Now is their time, and McGregor insists Jenkins' abundant energy will be on full display. "He brings the juice," McGregor said. "He's going to be the same guy, every single day. He's going to be the guy that has energy. During games, he'll be out there making plays. He's the guy you can rely on for anything." That goes beyond the field as well, the senior insisted. "He's a great person," McGregor said of the son of a 10-year NFL veteran by the same name. "I don't know of anybody more deserving, or who works harder than him." — John Borton