MICHIGAN FOOTBALL
"Coach Mattison tells us that every
single day — you need to get to the
ball, and that's what I'm trying to
do," Ryan said. "If that's having me
guard a receiver route on the side-
line, I'll do that. That's what I like
about this defense, like about this
position.
"I get to run across the field and
make those plays that are in the mid-
dle and off to the sideline."
Ryan has posted 29 career starts
at Sam. As a redshirt sophomore in
2012, he earned second-team All-
America honors after leading the
team in tackles (88), tackles for loss
(16) and sacks (4.5).
Ryan tore his ACL in the spring
before last season but bounced back
to record 30 tackles and 4.5 tackles
for loss in eight appearances.
"I feel 100 percent," he said. "I feel
great. I'm wearing the knee brace just
cause. Just cause."
Ryan admitted he felt a little lost
early in camp while he adjusted to
Ryan, a fifth-year senior, has excelled in making the move from the strongside outside line-
backer (Sam) spot to the middle linebacker (Mike) position.
PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL
