The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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30 THE WOLVERINE ❱ FEBRUARY 2025 BY CLAYTON SAYFIE RETURNING STARTERS Senior Jaishawn Barham In his first season at Michigan fol- lowing two years at Maryland, Barham ranked second on the Wolverines' de- fense with 66 tackles. He added 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 2 pass break- ups. Barham may move to edge rusher ahead of next season. Senior Ernest Hausmann The team's leading tackler with 89 stops, Hausmann added 7 tackles be- hind the line of scrimmage, 2 sacks, 1 interception and 1 pass breakup. OTHER RETURNERS Graduate Jaydon Hood Hood appeared in 10 games, totaling 6 tackles, including 1 behind the line of scrimmage. He rotated in as a backup, recording 91 defensive snaps in nine contests. Senior Jimmy Rolder Considered starter-level by position coach Brian Jean-Mary, Rolder contrib- uted 26 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, while playing 200 defensive snaps. Junior Jason Hewlett Mainly a special-teamer, he regis- tered 3 tackles in 2024. Sophomore Zach Ludwig He didn't see game action as a fresh- man. Sophomore Cole Sullivan One of four U-M freshmen to burn their redshirt, Sullivan appeared in 10 outings in 2024, including two on de- fense. He tallied 4 tackles while seeing time at linebacker, on kick return, kick coverage, punt return and punt cover- age. NEWCOMERS Junior Troy Bowles The Georgia transfer saw time in two contests for the Bulldogs in 2024, pre- serving his redshirt. He played in five games in 2023, making 5 tackles. Fre s h m a n Na t h a n i e l O w u s u - Boateng A late, signing day addition to the 2025 recruiting class, he is a four-star recruit and the nation's No. 188 overall player and 19th-ranked linebacker. Freshman Chase Taylor The Stockbridge, Ga., native is a three-star recruit, and the country's No. 681 player and No. 73 linebacker in 2025. LINEBACKERS ANALYSIS While much of the roster is experiencing sig- nificant turnover, including along the defensive line and in the secondary, the linebacker corps will have continuity, with one caveat. While Bar- ham is slated to return in 2025, he's expected to explore a move to edge rusher. The Wolverines have built up depth at the position, though, with Hausmann as the leading tackler in 2024 and Rolder and Hood both earning rotational playing time. Rolder, who ranked third at the position in defensive snaps, is the favorite to replace Barham if the position switch goes well, while Sullivan is a breakout candidate himself. One of the ways Barham impacted the game was with his pass-rush skills last season, making the potential move to the defensive line a logi- cal one. The 6-foot-3, 248-pounder registered 20 pressures, the most on the team for a non- defensive lineman and the same amount as tackle Rayshaun Benny, who rushed the passer 107 more times than Barham. That figure also ranked fourth in the Big Ten among inside line- backers. "If he's in a position where he can affect the quarterback and make plays, it's obviously go- ing to help us as a defense," Hausmann said of Barham. In 2023, Hausmann was in the same role as Rolder, rotating in with Junior Colson and Michael Barrett, two players now in the NFL. He became the team's starting Mike linebacker and green-dot (in-helmet communications with the coach) defender in 2024. Hausmann im- proved as the season progressed. The 6-foot-2, 235-pounder posted seven outings with 7-plus tackles, and he had a game-changing intercep- tion in the loss at Washington. An All-Big Ten honorable mention, Hausmann became a top communicator and leader on the defense, and the Wolverines will only need more of that from him in 2025. He got a taste of having to step up in the Dec. 31 ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama, when key players de- cided not to play. "It's definitely increased this week and ob- viously moving forward as well," Hausmann said in the lead-up to the game. "I'm ready for the challenge. I'm ready for that role with this team." — Clayton Sayfie HAUSMANN PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL