The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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30 THE WOLVERINE ❱ OCTOBER 2025 BY JOHN BORTON Stop, drop, shut 'em down, open up shop Oh , no, that's how Ruff Ryders roll Stop, drop, shut 'em down, open up shop Oh, no, that's how Ruff Ryders roll … Nothin' we can't handle, break it up and dismantle … T he words of the late rapper DMX churn through junior safety Brandyn Hillman's brain as he walks around the field prior to a Michigan football game. Sometimes it's "Ruff Ryders' Anthem," sometimes another hard-charging song, off a playlist of his mother's favorites. These aren't lullabies, and they aren't mean to be. Hillman readies for battle by getting his energy and emotions cranked up, his core prepped to come out punish- ing the opposition. It's a nod to mom, but not a tender one. "My mom's a Ruff Ryder," Hillman said. "She's in a biker club. That's one of her favorite songs. I've probably heard that song so many times I could recite it word for word. That's one of those songs that gets me fired up, gets me going." Hillman doesn't have to work hard to get fired up over football. In fact, the rug- ged safety out of Portsmouth, Va., has made a point to dial it back a bit, in terms of massive hits, or "kill shots," compared to hard, secure tackles. He'll never be a finesse performer in the Michigan sec- ondary, but for his own sake and that of making certain stops, he's looking for the happy medium. "As you all can see, I can hit people," he said earlier this season. "That's not a thing for me. I'm trying to minimize the kill shots. Keep them near — that's my ag- gression. We only get one body, so I've got to take care of my body as long as I can, so I can stay on the field as long as I can. "I can kind of feel it, when I get too hyped. I stop breathing a little bit on the field. My coach knows that. He under- stands that. He sees it every day on the field. It's like he says, when it's an open- field tackle, I don't have to kill him. Just get him down to the ground. If I do get the kill shot, go ahead and take it." Hillman acknowledges making other adjustments on his way to becoming a starter this year. The 6-foot, 200-pound safety prefers to lead by example, at- tested to by his interception in the opener BREAK IT UP Brandyn Hillman Rough-Riding His Way Toward Wins Hillman got off to a good start this season, with an interception in the opener against New Mexico and a career-high 7 tackles in the loss at Oklahoma. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL