The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1503142
[ L I N E B A C K E R S ] 94 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2023 FOOTBALL PREVIEW A Solid Crew Michigan Linebackers Boast Talent And Depth BY JOHN BORTON A combined seven full football seasons, with 77 game appear- ances in the rearview mirror. That's what Michigan's projected starting linebackers bring to the table this season. Ad d i n Ne b ra s ka 's b e s t f re s h - man from last season, a 'backer who moved into the starting lineup in the latter portion of the season. Sprinkle in Michigan's own talented younger players. A very solid linebacking corps emerges, and U-M defensive coordi- nator Jesse Minter knows it. For the DC, it's all about going beyond solid and embracing spectacular. Not as in flashy, but in the sense of taking the talent and experience to a level where the linebackers' presence gets felt on every down. In fact, the 2023 linebacker play could become a microcosm of growth in Minter's macroanalysis of the de- fense as a whole — very strong season, but lessons learned that could raise the bar in the months to come. "We talk about having four pillars on defense that are really controllable things," Minter said on Michigan's "In The Trenches" podcast. "Effort and angles, being the first one, block de- struction, ball disruption and com- munication. "The emphasis on those four things on a daily basis has gone to a whole other level for us, whereas in the first year for me specifically, our approach was so much scheme-driven. "This is what we've done, and this is what I think we can do. To be able to feel really, really comfortable with the scheme and the system, we have to hone in on the technical pieces on the game that we can control. "It's been fun to see the players buy into that. Our assistant coaches have done a tremendous job in those re- gards. "Schematically, I think anytime you have some success, people are always chasing you and people are always studying you. "It's imperative that we con- tinue to add, continue to tweak, continue to find a better way to do certain things. QUICK FACTS Position Coach: Chris Partridge (1st year; was on the U-M staff from 2015-19) Returning Starters: Junior Colson (21 career starts), Michael Barrett (20) Departing Starters: None Projected New Starters: None Top Reserves: Ernest Hausmann, Jimmy Rolder Wait Until 2024: Jaydon Hood, Micah Pollard Newcomers: Semaj Bridgeman, Jason Hewlett, Hayden Moore Moved In: Hausmann Moved Out: Nikhai Hill-Green (transfer to Char- lotte), Deuce Spurlock (transfer to Florida) Rookie Impact: Bridgeman Most Improved Player: Hood Best Pro Prospect: Colson Grad student weakside linebacker Michael Barrett was a third-team All-Big Ten selection with 72 tackles last season, good for second on the U-M squad. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL