The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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34 THE WOLVERINE ❱ OCTOBER 2025 BY CLAYTON SAYFIE I t's a process, but Michigan is learning its players, adapting and playing to its strengths defen- sively. "We do things on defense this year that we didn't do last year," head coach Sher- rone Moore said. "It's different when you have [defensive tackles] Mason [Graham] and KG [Kenneth Grant] versus when you don't. Our players are really good, but they just do things a little differently. You have to adapt to them — and I think [coordinator] Wink [Martindale] has done a great job." Michigan's defense has been good through four games, ranking 36th na- tionally with 291.3 yards allowed per game and 38th with 17.8 points given up per contest. And the potential to get even better is there as the Wolverines con- tinue to evolve. One of those strengths is depth at linebacker, with the emergence of senior Jimmy Rolder and sophomore Cole Sul- livan. Those two being trusted to make plays has allowed senior Jaishawn Bar- ham to move to the defensive line at edge rusher for each of the last two games, wins over Central Michigan (63-3) and Nebraska (30-27). The 6-foot-3, 243-pounder has been a game-wrecker, combining to total 8 pressures, 4 tackles for loss and 3 sacks against CMU and Nebraska. "He's a freak," Moore said of Barham. "He's a problem for other people. I'm glad it's not our problem. He's got ability, but now he's playing to that ability and is doing it consistently. You saw it, really, in spring, and then you saw it in training camp with how he practiced, because he's had the talent. "We've been around guys with talent RUSH HOUR U-M's Defensive Front Seven Ratchets Up The Pressure U-M's defensive line — including Derrick Moore (8), Trey Pierce (95), Jaishawn Barham (1), Rayshaun Benny (26) and Damon Payne (44) — pressured Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola on 49 percent of his drop-backs and notched 7 sacks for just the third time against a Big Ten opponent since 2021. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL