The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2025 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 95 Ask him about his own growth, and the emphasis isn't on better tackling tech- nique, shedding blockers or an enhanced reading of the quarterback's eyes. He brings it right back to stepping up to help guide those around him. "It's the leadership standpoint," he said. "When you take on a leadership role like that, it challenges you to think about the other person before yourself. It chal- lenges you to put yourself in somebody else's shoes, to see how best they can learn. You use your own personal experi- ences in the game of football to help them grow and develop. There's something in a player-player relationship that can be so special, so crucial. "That will be my key role, and I've re- ally taken that to heart. Obviously, lead- ership isn't easy. But I've been around so many great leaders, from the coaching staff to players on this team throughout my whole career. I'll be able to use all that to help this team. I've been so blessed to be in the position I'm in." One blessing might outshine them all. He's seen the faces of those who can drink safely without traveling miles to do so. "That first sight of clean drinking wa- ter," Hausmann mused. "You look in the eyes of individuals. I don't even know the amount of hours, and the blood, sweat and tears that they've had to en- dure through their life to get water. When they see that clean, fresh drinking water, that's easily accessible for them — it's a smile that you can't replicate in any way, shape or form. There's nothing like the joy I've seen. To see that look just brings you down to earth. You see the blessing that we have here, and the importance of water, and the impact it has." Hausmann's impact seems certain — in the short term and far beyond. ❑ Hausmann Has Numbers On Which To Build Senior linebacker Ernest Hausmann enters 2025 among Michigan's top three tacklers in his two seasons in Ann Arbor. He's in position to significantly build on those numbers during the 2025 campaign. In his first year at Michigan after coming from Nebraska via the transfer portal, Hausmann didn't start for the 15-0 national champions, but proved a key component, finishing third on the team in tackles with 46, including 8 in the Big Ten championship victory over Iowa. That effort tied him for the team lead in stops that night, as well as allowing him to share Defensive Player of the Week honors. Last year, he nearly doubled his tackle total with his team-leading 89. Those included 7 for loss with a pair of sacks, with Hausmann moving up to start all 13 games for the Wolverines. He garnered the Roger Zatkoff Award as Michigan's best linebacker, earning honorable men- tion All-Big Ten honors as well. It's no stretch to project Hausmann potentially hitting triple digits in stops this season — especially if the Wolverines add an extra game or two onto the end of the season. — John Borton Hausmann had 7 tackles for a loss and 2 sacks to his credit as a junior. He has 189 career tackles in three seasons of college football. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL