The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/178977
where are they now? for me." Even after overcoming the initial culture shock of a move from Texas to Michigan, times of testing lay ahead. Irons headed home for a break with his family in early 1994, only to be quickly called back to Ann Arbor. Head coach Gary Moeller had gotten into trouble in a highly publicized incident at a Detroit-area restaurant, eventually leading to his resignation. Midway through his Michigan career, Irons faced a coaching change. "It was a difficult time," Irons admitted. "I remember when Lloyd [Carr] became the interim coach. Lloyd's message was: 'This is Michigan. It's not about me. It's not about Gary Moeller. It's about Michigan, and we're going to continue to do what we do. It's going to be fine. We're just going to do the things that Michigan has always done. We're going to work hard, we're going to play hard, we're going to be Michigan.' "Then I saw Mo come back and address the team … he gave a speech that was so dynamic and really uplifted all of us. I've respected Gary Moeller for the longest time, but I think back to that moment when he came in after he'd gotten in trouble, and he addressed the team. It was very special." By then, Irons was firmly established in the middle of the Michigan defense. He'd posted 95 tackles as a redshirt freshman starter, and headed for a career-high 128 in his second season on the field. All around him, talent abounded. Every Michigan fan turns to the national championship 1997 season as a touchstone, the year the Wolverines got it all right. Several players from that squad often note U-M featured championship talent leading up to that 12-0 season, but somehow couldn't put it all together. Irons can't disagree. "I'm very close to all those guys on the '97 team," Irons noted. "We all talk, all the time. I talk to [Charles] Woodson probably once a month. I talk to Marcus Ray a lot. "You look at the talent level we had. In '92, when I came in, we had Ty Law in my class, Amani Toomer, Jon Runyan, myself, Rod Payne, Mercury Hayes. Those were all great players. "We had a lot of guys, but the difference was, a lot of us came in with a lot of hype, and in my own opinion, we didn't jell and play together. Talent-wise, in '94, '95, '96 … I think all of those teams were way more talented than the '97 team." That sort of statement could turn a few heads. Irons quickly gives the '97 crew its due, though. "The '97 team, what they had that we didn't have … we had great players, but they had one outstanding player," Irons pointed out, referring to Woodson. "He was a leader, and everyone else took heed. They followed him. "We had so many great players at the same time, we were all trying to be chiefs. That was the difference. When you talk about winning, it doesn't matter how much talent you have. It's if you play together.