The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1526802
30 THE WOLVERINE ❱ OCTOBER 2024 BY JOHN BORTON T J Guy remembers his younger days well. The senior edge rusher's confidence never wavered, even when the re- sults didn't necessarily match his high expectations. When Michigan offered him a scholar- ship late in the game, he didn't hesitate. No, he wasn't coming out of a prep foot- ball hotbed like Florida, Texas or Califor- nia. Nor did the Mansfield, Mass., native venture to Ann Arbor with a five-star label figuratively stamped on his fore- head. A consensus three-star who actu- ally played some offensive tackle in high school, Guy got pegged by one recruiting service as the No. 924 player nationally. He didn't care about any of that. He also stiff-armed the notion of cowering in the face of competition, with players like David Ojabo, Aidan Hutchinson and a host of others ahead of him. "I knew what I was getting into, being a lower recruit coming into a prestigious university like this," he reflected. "I took it as an opportunity to learn. The list goes on, of the guys to watch and learn from. I took it as an opportunity and a blessing, for sure." He took it as a challenge to go to battle for a program increasingly known for havoc-inducing edge rushers. "This is 'Edge U,' in my opinion," Guy stressed. "You look at all the guys who have played here, at my position, and the list goes on and on. Guys are still successful in the league. I was watching Hutch against the [Los Angeles] Rams, and I'm seeing things he's doing that I was watching him learn here. Just the lineage of guys that came before me was big." Even Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, didn't experience immediate stardom at Mich- igan. Given the depth the Wolverines built defensively over the past few years, young edge rushers learn, and wait their turn. That's a tall order for high school stars itching for action. "Michigan was one of my later offers," Guy recalled. "It was an opportunity I couldn't say no to. Even if guys like me didn't always pan out and be successful here, coming from where I came from and the level of recruit I was, I knew myself and I believed I could play here. I believed in myself. "I feel like I can do all things. If I can't, I work on it and get better. It's just work, and trusting in my abilities. I never listen to anybody who doubted me, or anything like that. I keep a close relationship with God." FIGHT FOR THE FIELD Blessings weren't showered upon his on-field hopes right away. Guy appeared in two games as a true freshman in 2021, while earning a Big Ten championship ring. He's now collected three in a row, but still aches for more time in the mid- dle of the melee. He has learned along the way, includ- ing what gets coaches' attention and what cools them on a player's progress. He delivered the former as a demonstra- tion teams player. "I remember him when Aidan was here and he was on scout team causing havoc," head coach Sherrone Moore said of Guy. "So, he's been one of those guys that has followed the Aidans, the Ojabos, the Mike Mos [Morris], the Jaylen Har- rells, the Braiden McGregors, and kind of been behind in the shadows, and re- READY TO WRECK TJ Guy Edges Toward Major Contributions Guy played in 11 games a year ago and contributed 10 tackles, but he already has had 5 tackles in the Wolverines' first three games of 2024. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL