The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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94 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2025 FOOTBALL PREVIEW We're not going to put this on the of- fense. We don't care that there was just an interception! We're going to go out there, and we're going to get the ball back for the offense!'" U-M head coach Sher- rone Moore recalled. "At that moment I looked into every- body's eyes, and nobody was worried, nobody was pointing fingers. We were really locked in together, and staying committed to going back out there and getting the ball back for our offense. That's exactly what we did." O h i o S ta te d i d n 't sco re a n o t h e r point. Michigan prevailed, 13-10, on the strength of Dominic Zvada's 21-yard field goal with 45 seconds remaining and a defense that wouldn't budge. "It's one of those things you train for throughout the whole course of the year, those adverse moments," said Haus- mann. "It's something that can get re- ally repetitive in your head, what they say about adversity. But now it's differ- ent. You're facing it. It's real life, right there. So, it's communicating to people: 'This is what we've been training for the whole year, your whole life that you've been playing. Understand that you're prepared for a moment like this. There's nothing that you need to change. Just go out there and play free.'" Bea t i n g O h i o S ta te i n Co l u m b u s seemed a cool drink of clear water itself, in a blazing-hot rivalry. "It means the world," Hausmann said. "It's one of those games that is circled on the calendar. It's talked about. It's there when you walk through the doors, ev- ery single day. There's so much pride, so much tradition in a game like that. It truly means everything to you. To pull off a win like that, in their house, it's surreal." To follow it up with a bowl victory over Alabama — especially in a disappointing 8-5 season overall — seemed almost un- thinkable. That's just what the Wolver- ines did, propelling them toward a 2025 season with big dreams. "It's one of those things you can use as a momentum piece," noted Hausmann, who followed up his team-leading 8 tack- les against Ohio State with 7 and a quar- terback hurry against 'Bama. "For people who had to step into roles like that, it's huge for the coming season. "But something that's been commu- nicated and reiterated is, 'That's last year. What are you going to do about this year?' It's making sure you stay humble and hungry. We've got a lot of work to do. "We finished 8-5. That's not a year that's a successful season in our pro- gram. That's not where we want to end up. That's not our standard, in any way, shape or form. Stay hungry." Hausmann believes they are exactly that, and acknowledged the return of defensive coordinator Wink Martindale for a second season at Michigan certainly won't hurt. "I think this will be a very unique de- fense," Hausmann said. "It has a lot of versatile players. You match that with Coach Wink's very effectual scheme to put people in the best places to be successful, and I think it will be a very fun defense with a chance to be very successful this year. "Coach Wink's return is a huge help. For a defensive player, or any player, in transition, it always takes time. Hav- ing the comfortability of the system and the knowledge of the way he teaches and how he wants things to be played out, it's great. "We're not learning a new language. We've got a base structure of how he wants things to be done. It will be huge to be able to build on those pieces and move forward this season." Hausmann knows confidence can be infectious. He appreciates those who have shown the way and knows it's his turn to not only deliver, but lead. He's convinced Michigan can become a con- tender for both the Big Ten championship and the College Football Playoff — if the team commits to the sort of togetherness that produces a tight, cohesive unit. "It's all on the individual to have that team-first mentality," Hausmann said. "Whatever you do, it needs to be for the good of the team. I actually believe if every- body buys into that motto, we will do every- thing we set out to accomplish this season." During spring break, Hausmann made a trip to his native Uganda as part of a group helping to dig wells, providing clean drinking water to communities in need. PHOTOS COURTESY ERNEST HAUSMANN