The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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34 THE WOLVERINE ❱ SEPTEMBER 2024 ❱ MICHIGAN FOOTBALL Johnson and junior defensive tackle Ma- son Graham with four nods apiece, while senior running back Donovan Edwards and junior tight end Colston Loveland made three different award watch lists. Johnson had 27 tackles and 4 intercep- tions last season en route to first-team All-Big Ten nods from the coaches and media, All-America honors and the De- fensive MVP award in the national title win over Washington. He is up for the Bronko Nagurski and Chuck Bednarik awards, which are given to the best defen- sive player in the country. He's also a can- didate for the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the best defensive back nationally, and the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which is awarded to "college football's defensive best in character and performance." Graham, the Rose Bowl's Defensive MVP, is also up for the Nagurski and Bed- narik awards plus the Lott IMPACT Tro- phy. He was also named to the watch list for the Outland Trophy, which goes to the best interior lineman (offense or defense) in the nation. Junior defensive tackle Ken- neth Grant is also on the watch lists for the Outland Trophy and Bednarik Award. Edwards, who had 104 yards and 2 touchdowns in the CFP title game win, made the Maxwell Award watch list for the best player in college football in addi- tion to the Walter Camp Award for player of the year and the Doak Walker Award for the best running back in the country. Loveland, a first-team All-Big Ten se- lection in 2023, is up for the Walter Camp Award, as well as the Biletnikoff (the best receiver in the land) and John Mackey awards (best tight end in the country). Sophomore wide receiver Semaj Mor- gan is up for the Paul Hornung Award, which is awarded to the most versa- tile player in the country. This season, he is ex- pected to play more tra- ditional wide receiver in addition to being a more prominent member of the return game. Senior quarterback Da- vis Warren, who is com- peting for the starting job in fall camp, made the Allstate Wuerffel Award watch list for the best mix of quarterback and com- munity service. Gradu- ate student Will Wagner made the watch list for t h e Pa t r i c k M a n n e l ly Award, which goes to the best long snapper in the nation. A pair of transfers also are generating national buzz. Junior linebacker Jaishawn Bar- ham — who was a two-year starter at Maryland and two-time All-Big Ten honorable mention — made the Butkus Award (nation's best linebacker) watch list and Arkansas State transfer Dominic Zvada was included on the watch list for the Lou Groza Award (best kicker in the country). — Anthony Broome MICHIGAN OFFENSE 'CLICKING' The Michigan defense has been said to have been ahead of the offense in spring ball, but fifth-year senior left tackle Myles Hinton doesn't believe it should be the case. "We're back there, fighting every day, and there really shouldn't be a disparity between the O and the D," Hinton said of the sentiment shared among the of- fensive linemen early on in fall camp. Graduate safety Quinten Johnson said Aug. 7 that the defense expects "com- plete domination every day," but that it hasn't always come, indicating that the offense is developing. "Yesterday was the first day of pads, and they definitely caught a groove," Johnson said of his counterparts on offense. Junior cornerback Will Johnson is on the watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski and Chuck Bednarik awards, which are given to the best defensive player in the country. He's also up for the Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back) and the Lott IMPACT Trophy (best defender in character and performance). PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN U-M PLAYERS ON PRESEASON WATCH LISTS Player Pos. Class National Award Will Johnson CB Jr. Nagurski Award Thorpe Award Bednarik Award Lott IMPACT Trophy Mason Graham DT Jr. Nagurski Award Outland Trophy Bednarik Award Lott IMPACT Trophy Donovan Edwards RB Sr. Maxwell Award Walter Camp Award Doak Walker Award Colston Loveland TE Jr. Walter Camp Award Biletnikoff Award Mackey Award Kenneth Grant DT Jr. Outland Trophy Bednarik Award Semaj Morgan WR So. Paul Hornung Award Davis Warren QB Sr. Allstate Wuerffel Award Jaishawn Barham LB Jr. Butkus Award Dominic Zvada K Jr. Lou Groza Award William Wagner LS Gr. Patrick Mannelly Award