The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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20 THE WOLVERINE ❱ SEPTEMBER 2024 BY JOHN BORTON H e's a human sledgehammer, just as content pummeling would-be tacklers as he'd feel catching touchdown passes. He's the embodiment of head coach Sherrone Moore's one-word Michigan football identity: SMASH. When senior tight end/fullback Max Bredeson blocks, people listen … to their ears ringing. The Hartland, Wis., native couldn't be more Michigan if he sported a winged helmet tattoo over his heart. Older brother Jack helped lift the baseball Wolverines to within one series win of an NCAA championship in 2019. Older brother Ben captained the football Wol- verines for two years of his four-year starting career on the offensive line. "Little" brother (6-2, 240) Max secured the national title ring in 2023, while making anyone standing in his way in- secure over their physical safety. Ask seventh-year quarterback Jack Tuttle what it's like to see Bredeson attacking those who seek mayhem on the QBs or running backs. Bredeson earned Michigan's Offensive Player of the Game honors three times last sea- son, despite catching only 2 passes for 19 yards on the campaign. One of those awards resulted from Bredeson's bul- lying blocking in a game in which the Wolverines never threw a pass the entire second half — the 24-15 manhood check over No. 9 Penn State in Happy Valley. "When you talk about Max, when No. 44 is on the field, you're going to get smash, and you're going to get vio- lence," Tuttle assured. "I'll tell you what — you should be scared if you're across from 44. Obviously, there's that part of him. But I think the part that people don't talk about as much is that off the field, he's an amazing leader. He gets the guys going, brings the team together. He's been unbelievable this offseason. "On the field, whenever I see Max out wide, or he is running a route, I know that Max is going to find the hole, the opening in the defense, and he's my se- curity blanket. It's just so comforting to me and all the other quarterbacks. Sure hands, too. And then just smash — but he is smash." Moore puts it more succinctly: "Max Bredeson is an absolute beast." Michigan's head coach certainly doesn't question Bredeson's leadership skills, despite brother No. 3 arriving in Ann Arbor initially without a schol- arship. Bredeson turned his preferred walk-on status into run-over-every- body execution on the field, appearing in 30 games over three seasons, includ- ing all 15 during the national champion- ship run last year. When it came time to choose Michigan's three representatives to speak at the preseason Big Ten foot- ball meetings in Indianapolis, Bredeson got the call, along with running back Donovan Edwards and safety Makari Paige. He's not verbose in front of the mics and cameras crowd. He's not going to spend much time railing against those who question Michigan's immediate post-Jim Harbaugh fortunes. He treats interviews like he treats playing football — know your job and get it done, quickly and efficiently. He just doesn't get to hit anyone in the process. NO TIME FOR SPECULATION Bredeson knows the talk is out there on Michigan football — like it always is. When the NCAA isn't tossing out meaningless sanctions on Jim Har- baugh, pundits are pondering whether the Wolverines' defense can save an of- fense that lost its instant-legend QB, its Joe Moore-endorsed offensive line and its 'Bama-busting skill players from the championship run. Michigan's desig- nated hitter on the offensive side of the football seems as concerned about the chatter as he is about becoming Michi- gan's leading receiver this fall. "We don't even notice it," Bredeson insists, regarding any opinions emanat- ing from beyond the walls of Schem- bechler Hall. "That's what's made this program so special. I think I have an advantage, because I'm not really big on the social media thing. I'm kind of blocked from it. So much comes from what is instilled in this program — the only acknowledgment is what some- one inside the building says. What my teammate has to say takes so much more precedence in my mind than what someone else says would take. "Sometimes you need that little extra motivation, the 'Michigan vs. Every- body' thing. But what's made the pro- gram so special is the lack of acknowl- edgment of outside noise." The same goes for the specific specu- lation over the Wolverines' offensive prowess. The present narrative focuses on a dominant defense keeping games low scoring, and the offense finding a way. That's not how offensive coordi- nator Kirk Campbell sees it, and Brede- son certainly isn't conceding anything about what his side of the football could produce. "I don't really listen to what anybody has to say about the offense," Bredeson said. "All I know is, every time the guys meet in that team room, I have faith in them." They'll obviously need faith, hope, and a complete lack of love for anyone across the line, given a schedule includ- ing powerhouse Texas in Game 2, along MAXIMUM IMPACT Max Bredeson Prepares To Dent The Opposition