The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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96 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW In the past, he admitted, coaches would tell him to get in the playbook, but it was hit and miss. Now, "I actually get in the playbook," he said, and it helped him become one of the top three 'backers out of spring, according to head coach Kyle Whit- tingham. Bowles and sophomore Chase Taylor showed great promise, the first-year Michigan coach praised, while sopho- more Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng will also be in the mix. "As far as relative to game reps, it's a work in progress and that'll carry through the summer," Whittingham said. A big part of that will be continued understanding of new de- fensive coordinator Jay Hill's defense … and yes, getting into the playbook, and maybe not just their own positions. "It's not just learning the plays but also understanding why we're running it — why we're making a certain call against this for- mation," Bowles said. "When you under- stand the why, you understand the whole game, and it really slows down. "It's really expanding on why we're do- ing something. If you tell somebody to blitz, obviously they know how to blitz, but it's the why. If you tell them to stay in their gaps, tell them why they have to, why it's important." Those are all areas in which he and not only his linebacker teammates, but also everyone on the defense made strides this spring. And while they're all competing for playing time, the linebackers have become an extremely tight-knit group. "If you help everybody, they'll help you," he said. "There can't be any bad blood in the room. The cream is going to rise to the top. We're all just out there competing — congratulating each other when we make plays and helping each other on our mistakes." READY TO LEAD Truly understanding defense, though, is a lot easier for veter- ans who have played in the same defense year after year. That's not the case for any of them and especially Bowles, who is going on his third different system in three years, not ideal for any player. But this one seems to fit the veteran who was once labeled a can't-miss prospect perfectly, and his excitement was evident this offseason. Though there was a lot of talk about the defensive line, especially from Whittingham, the linebackers will still be a major focal point of this defense. Defensive coordinator Jay Hill has made it clear that he's not dumbing down the defense for anyone, noting he has high hopes for every position group. That's especially true of the lineback- ers, even with the inexperience. "I feel like Coach Hill definitely wants the linebackers to be able to run the show, no matter which linebacker it is," Bowles said. "Young, old — we should all be able to run the show. "It's definitely a run-and-hit defense with a lot of physi- cality. The room is new, but I like all the guys we brought in, personality-wise and playing-wise. And the new system with Coach Hill, I like it a lot. It puts us in the right position to make plays, everybody on the field. That's what I believe, and you can see it in our practices." It took some getting used to, as most complex defenses do. Hill's scheme has been compared to former Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter's — he's now the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens after having been successful at both the col- legiate level and for Jim Harbaugh's Los Angeles Chargers — and that means a lot of disguise and understanding why even a yard or two out of position can make the difference between success and failure. It's also dependent on good linebacker play and a defensive line that can keep them "clean" to make plays. Whittingham said this spring that group had been one of the most impressive on either side of the ball, while the secondary was in great shape with the first group. Depth there will be critical, as it will for the linebackers. All of them were starting to work to- gether as a cohesive unit by the middle of spring ball. It started when they all got a feel for what Hill was trying to do. "I'll say maybe at the start when we first saw it was a little complicated, but I feel like the coaches we brought in, everybody, all of them are good teachers," Bowles said. "As teammates, we help each other with it. It's been cleaner from practice to practice with the installs and everything. "They show you how to do it, tell you how to do it, and reinforce it a lot. I feel like reinforcement is a big part of learning — not just seeing it once but going over it and over it again." Bowles seems to have a natural advantage, too, in that his father happens to be one of the 32 head coaches in the NFL and possesses an elite football mind. He started coaching as a collegiate assistant at Morehouse in 1997. Three years later, he was with the New York Jets as a defensive backs coach, and he continued to progress to the top of his profession. Regardless, he never forced his son to play football, even though it was clear he had the ability. The younger Bowles also played basketball and ran track, but when it came time to focus on one, he followed his dad's path. He also continues to follow his advice when it comes to what he's doing on the field. Like a fighter pilot, it's "don't think — just do," and on the football field that means be loose, react, and just play … "cutting loose," as his dad would say. On a daily basis, that also means improvement. "Hone in on one thing you can get better at today," Bowles said of his strategy. "Pick one thing every day, make sure you're 1 percent better. It doesn't matter what it is." At times in his career, that's meant rehab, including the months just before he got to Michigan. Offseason shoulder surgery prevented him from participating in spring ball, and it wasn't until late summer that he finally got to work with his teammates. That was a challenge, he admitted, but it gave him time to learn the defense while watching. He and his teammates all had to memorize another playbook this spring, but they had help from a few guys who came from Utah with Whittingham. In cornerback Smith Snowden, defensive lineman Jonah Lea'ea and defensive end John Henry Daley, the Wolverines "I view my role as a senior leader, bringing the young guys with me, and with the older 'backers making sure we're on the same page." BOWLES