The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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32 THE WOLVERINE ❱ APRIL 2024 BY CHRIS BALAS M ichigan has gone through linebacker coaches like Ohio State coach Ryan Day has gone through excuses over the last few years, having had several since 2020. But new head coach Sherrone Moore has brought it full circle from that COVID-short- ened season, one in which Brian Jean-Mary spent his only campaign on staff un- der Jim Harbaugh. George Helow, Chris Partridge and Rick Minter (interim) all led the position group at one time from 2021-23, but now Jean-Mary is back after leaving Tennessee to return to Ann Arbor for his second stint with the Wolverines. One way to tell how much of an effect a coach has had on a program is to see the re- action from the media and fan base if they depart. Jean-Mary didn't get much of a chance to leave his mark in one abbreviated season at Michigan, but he was well-respected in Knoxville for both his recruiting and coaching ability, as well as among high school coaches on the recruiting trail. "Tennessee fans hated to lose BJ. He did a really nice job here," Volquest.com's Austin Price said. "He inherited a train wreck of a room when he got here. I may have been suiting up at linebacker the first spring he was here. They were so depleted, and he did a really nice job of putting talent in the room, a nice job of developing those guys. He was just some- body who was pretty much universally loved throughout the building. "What he did the last couple years, whether it be managing personalities, managing injuries — I thought he did a really nice job. He was kind of the right- hand man to defensive coordinator Tim Banks. He did a really nice job of 1) build- ing relationships with his guys, getting them to buy in and 2) just kind of manag- ing the room." And now he'll get the opportunity with several young and talented prospects at Michigan. It will start with finding re- placements for stalwarts Michael Bar- rett and Junior Colson, the former be- ing the winningest player in Michigan football history (61 wins) and the latter a pro- jected early-round pick in this April's NFL Draft. Junior Ernest Hausmann, a former Nebraska transfer, seems like a lock on one side after finishing third on the team in tackles a year ago (46) while backing up Bar- rett and Colson. Maryland transfer Jaishawn Barham is likely to be No. 2 after earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors with the Terps last season. "Anybody who's watched Maryland play, fan or re- porter, would just tell you athleticism jumps off the field when you watch him," Maryland beat writer George Gerbo of the Washington Times said. "You really have to watch him, because as of yet — and I believe this will change at Michigan — the numbers aren't like, 'Oh, he's got 8 sacks and 'X' amount of pass defenses and blah, blah, blah.' He did rack up a lot of tackles. He was one of Maryland's leading tacklers not this sea- son but last season. And he's just a pres- ence. It's really hard to describe." Barham could play edge, even, or be the guy in the middle calling the signals. No matter what, Gerbo predicted, Barham has the potential to develop into an NFL- caliber linebacker. Hausmann, too, has that "pop" on film, and he has All-Big Ten potential (if not more). The key will be in developing the depth behind this duo. Two years ago, Colson and Barrett were gassed by the end of the year without help. There are options here — junior Jimmy Rolder has played quite a bit, though he was hurt most of last year, while the coaches were talking up senior Jaydon Hood's improvement last year — but the spring portal could be a help here, too. The linebacking corps is going to look different than the last few years, no matter what, but it could still be very good. ❑ LINEBACKERS New Starters Will Be On Patrol In '24 ❱ AT A GLANCE Position Coach: Brian Jean-Mary (second season — also coached at U-M in 2020) Returning Starters: None Departing Starters: Michael Barrett (35 career starts), Junior Colson (36) Contenders To Start: Ernest Hausmann (Jr.), Jaishawn Barham (Jr.), Jimmy Rolder (Jr.), Jaydon Hood (Sr.) Top Reserves: Semaj Bridgeman (So.), Jason Hewlett (So.), Hayden Moore (So.), Micah Pollard (Jr.) Newcomers: Barham, Jeremiah Beasley (Fr.), Mason Curtis (Fr.), Zach Ludwig (Fr.), Cole Sullivan (Fr.) Junior linebacker Ernest Hausmann finished third on the team with 46 tackles a year ago, behind starters Junior Colson (95) and Michael Barrett (65), who are now both off to the NFL. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER