The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/544673
been through," Jenkins-Stone said. "That was a lot of football, and that was great because we got reps. "We were doing a lot of hitting and a lot of guys got banged up. Coach Harbaugh wanted to see who the tough guys are, who will make plays in week four and five when you're hurt and not 100 percent. "He wants to see the guys that no matter the situation, no matter how sore or tired, they show up." Harbaugh told the players if they participated in every drill during the spring they would be rewarded with a t-shirt, but the apparel wasn't the Wolverines' motivation — proving they could withstand the barrage and gain Harbaugh's trust, was. "You had to learn to push through some pain and injuries," Lewis said. "Coach gave us a goal, if you had 100 percent participation you would get a shirt and a certificate. Everyone wanted that shirt, wanted to have that pride to know you finished four- hour practices and didn't miss one of your reps." Lewis was one of 40 players that earned the acclaim. "It says, 'Play 60' like 60 hours of football," Lewis said. "It was a physical and emotional grind, and that comes with Coach Harbaugh and the coaching strategy he uses," added Jenkins-Stone, who also made it through the 60 hours. "He wants tough guys. I can't say that enough. "He wants guys that want to play for Michigan with everything they have. He doesn't want the guys that hold themselves out of practice because they're a little banged up. "Unless it's broken or torn, you should be out there. I think what he started to figure out this spring was who are those guys that truly love football and truly love Michigan." Jenkins-Stone has had that love for his entire career, but for a myriad of reasons, he has yet to showcase his true potential. He's determined to make his senior year one he can remember fondly for the rest of his life, and he's on his way, finishing the spring Michigan's starter at the Buck (outside/rush) linebacker position. "Coach [D.J.] Durkin is going to give me the opportunity to show Michigan fans what type of player I am and what I can contribute to the team," said the 6-2, 240-pounder, who has just eight tackles in 36 career contests. "I really couldn't tell you why it's taken so long. Coach [Greg] Mattison was the defensive coordinator last year, and he felt that starting someone else was best for the team. "It's exciting to be in this position, to be given this opportunity, and I'm going to seize it." Jenkins-Stone was one of the Wo l v e r i n e s ' m o s t p r o d u c t i v e performers in the spring, and in the spring game, he showed what a fall Saturday might look like, recording a sack amongst 2.5 tackles for loss and six total stops. "I had a lot of sacks in the spring, which was big for me — it really helps to show early in practices that you can get to the quarterback because it gains my coaches' confidence and it gives me important confidence,"