The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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Bowl Practices Are An Opportunity For Young Players Michigan will have to groom two interior linemen to replace departing vet- erans Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen, not to mention valuable backup Will Heininger, and it won't be easy. Backups will get more reps during bowl prac- tices, head coach Brady Hoke said, in what will be a time for teaching as well as preparation for the bowl game. One — redshirt sophomore tackle Quinton Washington —is an early favorite to replace Martin. "Quinton Washington has gotten better and better. I like how he has been practicing," Hoke said days after Michigan's 40-34 win over Ohio State. "I like his intensity about his work and his focus." It wasn't always evident in statistics, Martin noted, but it was clear to his team- mates. Washington finished the season with one tackle in eight games played. "The improvement that Quinton has made is obviously something not every- one gets to see. He doesn't get a lot of playing time, but he's made huge strides," Martin said. "For the amount of time that Coach Hoke has been working with us, really one-on-one a lot, and getting us better — and Coach [Jerry] Montgomery — Quinton's done a great job. "Coach saw something in the athleticism he has. With the hands, it's different when you try and switch over to defensive line [from offensive line] and really getting the mentality that it takes to play defensive line. Bringing the hands and feet were huge for him. He struggled with that, and I've seen day and night improvement from him." Junior Will Campbell, meanwhile, also continues to progress. Though he didn't have the big season some had envisioned, Campbell played in every game and notched 23 tackles, including four for loss and a sack. "Will has done a superb job of just paying attention to details and all the things that go into playing defensive line," Martin said. "I have full faith that those guys will be able to reach the expectations for the position." Former U-M All-American linebacker Ron Simpkins saw improvement through- out the season and believes Campbell could make a big step in 2012, provided expectations remain reasonable. "I've seen some things from Will Campbell that will allow him to be a more ef- fective player at Michigan," he said. "As long as he knows he doesn't have to play every down so he can go in and make plays, come off the field and go back out there and play again. You've got a chance to focus on what you do best as op- posed to, 'I've got four quarters of this … I can't come out, and I've got to make plays.' He'll get a break, and other guys will come in and make plays, too." Hoke mentioned freshmen defensive linemen Keith Heitzman and Chris Rock as a couple of others who had done some good things on the scout team this year. Here are three other young defenders who have the potential for increased roles next year: DB Raymon Taylor: The 5-10, 169-pounder played in nickel situations early in the season, but spent more time on special teams as the year progressed. He saw action in 10 games and notched two tackles (one solo). Hoke mentioned Taylor early in the year as one to watch in the future — he's got great skills and should add to the secondary's depth next season. LB Frank Clark: The 6-2, 228-pounder saw action in 11 games as a true fresh- man rush linebacker and has been lauded for his burst and his motor. He made five tackles (two solo) and was also a key special teams contributor. Clark is one of the most likely candidates for increased playing time in the front seven next season. LB Brennen Beyer: The 6-3, 225-pound Beyer surprised some in proving he was physically able to play as a freshman, and he made the most of his op- portunity. He played in eight games as a backup Sam linebacker and in nine on special teams, and notched five solo tackles and six assists in demonstrating a nose for the ball. — Chris Balas 26 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2011 Under coordinator Greg Mattison, U-M went from No. 110 in the country in total defense in 2010 (450.77 yards allowed per game) to No. 16 (317.58-yard average) in 2011. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN over the last several seasons. Credit for the dramatic improvement goes to the coaches for their emphasis on fundamentals and techniques and to the kids for their willingness to em- brace it, both of which were evident in fall camp. "I went to one of the two-a-day practices, and one of the things that stood out to me was the level of teaching going on," Simpkins said. "It was like everybody in school learning football all over again — Football 101 — and the guys were accepting it and listening and be- ing coached. Everybody was coach- able. I just felt like over the course of the year, if they continued to do these things and accept the coaching, they'd get better. And they got better almost on a week-by-week basis. "I heard they gave the guys some freedom in the fourth quarter against Ohio State, told them to make plays. That's when you know a D.C. has confidence in his guys." The metamorphosis was just about complete. STATISTICAL IMPROVEMENT Statistically speaking, the Wolver- MINDSET LED TO ines were better because of four ma- jor areas of improvement: • Big plays were down. Until the Purdue game, the eighth contest of the season, Michigan was one of only three Division I teams to not have