The Wolverine

2015 Football Preview

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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106 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW LINEBACKERS PLAYER BIOS POSITION COACH D.J. Durkin begins his first year as Michigan's linebackers coach and his first year as the Wolver- ines' defensive coordinator. He arrives at U-M from Florida, where he spent the past two seasons as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, and from 2010-12 coached line- backers and special teams. He worked with Jim Harbaugh at Stanford from 2007-09, coaching defensive ends and special teams. Durkin began his career as a graduate assistant with Bowling Green (2001-02) and held the same role at Notre Dame (2003-04). He returned to the Falcons in 2005-06. A two-year captain at Bowling Green from 1997-2000, Durkin started 33 games at outside linebacker, recording 131 tackles, including 28 for loss. RETURNING PLAYERS NICK BENDA • LB R-Jr. • Champion, Mich. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 223 Career Highlights: Did not see game action in 2013 or 2014. Prep: Attended Westwood High School … Earned first-team All-Mid- Peninsula Conference honors at tight end as a senior. Personal: Born Nick Benda on Jan. 23, 1994 … Enrolled in the School of Kinesiology, majoring in Movement Science. JOE BOLDEN• LB Sr. • Cincinnati Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 232 Career Highlights: Has appeared in 38 career games, with 16 starts, re- cording 187 tackles, including 12 for loss, five sacks, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup … Started 12 games in 2014, tallying a career-high 102 tackles, four for loss and two sacks … Had a career-best day against Maryland, with 14 tackles …Appeared in all 13 games with four starts in 2013 … Posted 54 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks … In 2012, played in 12 games as a reserve linebacker and all 13 games on special teams … Named to the ESPN.com and BTN.com All-Big Ten Freshman teams … Tallied 31 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack and one fumble recovery … Racked up a then-career-high 10 tack- les versus Air Force … Made career debut against Alabama. Prep: Attended Colerain High School … Tallied 86 tack- les, six tackles for loss, three sacks, one forced fumble and an interception return for a touchdown as a senior … Earned first-team All-Ohio recognition … Elected a team captain at the Under Armour All-America Game … Rated a four-star prospect, the No. 7 player in Ohio, the No. 7 outside linebacker prospect in the country and the No. 111 overall recruit nationally by Rivals.com. Personal: Born Joseph Daniel Bolden on Aug. 19, 1993 … Father, Dan, played football at Hanover College … Enrolled in the School of Kinesiology, majoring in Sports Management Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL Sacks Int. 2012 13/0 31 4.0 1 0 2013 13/4 54 4.0 2 0 2014 12/12 102 4.0 2 0 Totals 38/16 187 12.0 5 0 NOAH FURBUSH • LB R-Fr. • Kenton, Ohio Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 217 Career Highlights: Redshirted in 2014. Prep: Two-year starter at linebacker for Kenton High School … Tallied 124 tackles, 30 tackles for loss, three fum- ble recoveries and a forced fumble as a senior … Named the Ohio Division IV Defensive Player Of The Year and a first-team All-Ohio Division IV selection by the Associated Press … Rated a three-star prospect and the No. 41 player in Ohio by Rivals.com. Personal: Born Noah Jordan Furbush on Oct. 7, 1995 … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. ALLEN GANT • LB R-Jr. • Sylvania, Ohio Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 225 Career Highlights: Has appeared in 12 career games, recording five tackles … Saw action in 11 games in 2014 … Switched from safety to outside linebacker before the 2014 spring practice period … Did not see the field on defense in 2013, but was a regular contributor on special teams … Redshirted in 2012. Prep: Attended Sylvania Southview High School … Posted 79 tackles, seven stops for loss, three passes broken up, one interception and one forced fumble as a senior … Tallied 419 receiving yards and scored four touchdowns … Listed as a three-star prospect, the No. 57 player in the state of Ohio and the No. 45 cornerback nationally by Rivals.com. Personal: Born Allen Trail Gant on Oct. 6, 1993 … Father, Tony, played safety at Michigan (1982-86) … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, majoring in General Studies. BEN GEDEON • LB Jr. • Hudson, Ohio Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 241 Career Highlights: Has appeared in 25 career games, recording 36 tackles, including 2.5 for loss with two sacks …Played in all 12 games in 2014, to- taling 17 tackles, including 1.5 for loss …Earned his way into the regular linebacker rotation mid- way through the 2013 season … Appeared in six games on defense and all 13 as a special teams player … Finished with 14 tackles, one tackle for loss and a sack. Prep: Attended Hudson High School … Rushed for more than 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior … Tallied 120 tackles, 1,418 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns as a junior … Named to the Associated Press Division I All-Ohio first team as a junior … Rated a four-star prospect, the No. 16 player in Ohio and the No. 17 middle linebacker nationally by Rivals.com. Personal: Born Benjamin James Gedeon on Oct. 16, 1994 … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL Sacks Int. 2013 13/0 19 1.0 1 0 2014 12/0 17 1.5 1 0 Totals 25/0 36 2.5 2 0 ROYCE JENKINSSTONE• LB Sr. • Detroit Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 240 Career Highlights: Has appeared in 36 career games, making two starts, both in 2014 … Has 19 career tackles … Played in 11 games and notched eight tackles in 2014 … Made first career start against Miami (Ohio)… Appeared in one game as a reserve linebacker and all 13 on special teams in 2013 … Tallied five total tackles … Played in all 13 games on special teams and one on defense in 2012 … Made career debut versus Alabama. Prep: Helped Cass Technical High School capture a state title as a senior … Recorded 145 stops and five sacks as a senior, and also scored 12 rushing touchdowns … Named to the Detroit Free Press Dream Team as a senior and par- ticipated in the U.S. Army All-American Game … Rated a four-star prospect, the No. 4 recruit in Michigan, the No. 9 inside linebacker in the land and the No. 184 overall player nationally by Rivals.com. Personal: Born Royce Edward Jenkins-Stone on Aug. 9, 1994 … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, majoring in General Studies. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL Sacks Int. 2012 13/0 6 0 0 0 2013 12/0 5 0 0 0 2014 11/2 8 0 0 0 Totals 36/2 19 0 0 0 ALEX KAMINSKI • LB R-Fr. •Ada, Mich. Ht.: 5-10 • Wt.: 215 Career Highlights: Did not see game action in 2014 after walking on to the team. Prep: Attend Lowell High School …Named all-conference in his senior year. Personal: Born Alex Michael Kaminski … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. DAN LIESMAN• LB R-Jr. • Lansing, Mich. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 233 Career Highlights: Did not see game action in 2013 or 2014 … Red- shirted in 2012. Prep: Helped lead Catholic Central High School to the Michigan Division V state championship game as a senior. Personal: Born Daniel Ryan Liesman … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, majoring in Biomolecular Science. LAWRENCE MARSHALL • LB R-Fr. • Southfield, Mich. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 238 Career Highlights: Redshirted in 2014. Prep: Two-year starter for South- field High School … Tallied 68 tackles, including nine sacks, and posted 18 quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and a safety as a senior in 2013 … Named the Defensive Player Of The Year and a member of the All-State Dream Team by The Detroit Free Press in 2013 … Pegged a three-star prospect and the No. 22 defensive end in the country by Rivals.com. Personal: Born Lawrence Edward Marshall on Feb. 12, 1996 … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts.

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