The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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SEPTEMBER 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 53 ❱ WHERE ARE THEY NOW? But I remember being really dialed into playing that game." Van Bergen was tasked with bringing down Utah running back Matt Asiata, who stood 5-foot-11, 220 pounds, and had his eyes opened to what may have been ahead at this level. "This dude had a braided ponytail thing coming out of his back and tribal tattoos," Van Bergen said. "All I remember is, it didn't matter if you finally won your block, because then you had to tackle him, and tackling him was like holding onto a bull. "Maybe as I got stronger it got easier to take down those backs. But I remember thinking, man, if every running back you hit is like this, that's a test — and that's my first running back I hit in a game, Asiata. I just remember thinking, 'This is going to be a test if this is what football's about.'" Knowing what Whittingham was all about during his 21 years at Utah makes Van Bergen excited for what he could do in Ann Arbor. "The culture you hear about is physical and aggressive," he said. "Guys that play up to, or even past, what their probable potential is — you've got a lot of three- stars and four-stars finishing that team in the top 20, top 25. So I'd say he over- performed with his culture. To me, that's got to be an exciting prospect, because let's call it what it is, the culture at Michi- gan the last two years was tough, espe- cially with what was going on behind the scenes. "Having a culture change is only going to yield positive results when it comes to playing football." It might take some time for Whitting- ham to get the culture and philosophies installed, but Van Bergen thinks the Wol- verines will take to it nicely. "The culture's not something you can grow overnight, and that's always a fac- tor," Van Bergen said. "But I understand the Michigan fan base; I'm one of them, and the patience is thin with people try- ing to get their culture installed. "From what I've heard, these guys have been very embracing of the culture and the values he and his staff bring. I'm excited for what the team could be this year." Van Bergen, who also owns Blue Lion Fitness in Ann Arbor and contributes to U-M's postgame coverage during the fall, knows how critical the community support can be during a big change. Now serving as a business owner and mentor in town, he has embraced his role in this next stage of his life. "I really love it, because one of the things I feel like I didn't understand as a player is the network and the support system that you have when you leave here," Van Bergen said. "It's unlike any other. You hear that all the time. That was consistent no matter what coach- ing staff you had. That's a university standard. "Now I've got guys [coming to me]. We had Braiden McGregor in over the sum- mer to work with us. We've had other NFL guys come in and work with us at Blue Lion Fitness, and guys that are 2019 graduates who consider themselves old. But it's cool to be in a mentorship posi- tion, where these younger guys coming up can hopefully still look to my gen- eration, generations that came before me, generations that come after me," Van Bergen said. "It's still a big deal to gradu- ate from Michigan. "I know there's all this transition hap- pening with NIL and the portal, but when you leave from the University of Michigan and finish at the University of Michigan, there's going to be a group through different decades and genera- tions, football players and non, that are going to be willing to reach out a hand and support you." ❏ Ryan Van Bergen, who contributes to The Wolverine's postgame podcast during the season, also owns Blue Lion Fitness in Ann Arbor. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY ❱ The Ryan Van Bergen File Michigan Accomplishments: Played at U-M from 2007-11 … Honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference (2011)… Recorded 7 tackles and 2 tackles for loss in 2011 win vs. Ohio State. Professional Accomplishments: Carolina Panthers UDFA signing in 2012 … Owner of Blue Lion Fitness in Ann Arbor. He Said It: "I think this [2026 football team] is right on the edge of boiling. They just need one more degree to get up to 212, and then they're going to be a really tough team for anybody in the country to compete with. "They're just waiting for Bryce Underwood to get comfortable, the offensive line to get comfortable, the run game to get established. Some of the things that can complement that defense — I think that can be tremendous. "I think they're sitting right below boiling, and just a couple of things need to happen, and they'll be tough to deal with."