The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/614487
MICHIGAN FOOTBALL win number 10 against the Gators! Go Blue!" Butt stressed a day earlier he's be- come a better tight end under Har- baugh and noted the process began before he'd even met the new boss. "Man, even from hearing that he's our coach, I improved," he said. "Just from that. I was like, 'Wow, now I have the opportunity to reach my full potential.' I really took that on. "Starting back in spring ball, I came so far as a player. Even the difference between catching the ball right in front of my numbers to fully extending my hands — that's some- thing I worked on, and it helped me get a couple of extra catches this year. My blocking has progressed throughout the season. It's still not where it needs to be, but it's got- ten better. It's really been night and day." Butt secured career highs of 48 catches for 620 yards and three touchdowns this season. He earned the Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year honor in the Big Ten and was stunned to even be in a position to potentially leave. "Absolutely," he confirmed. "It's still all crazy to me, that I even have to make this decision. At the begin- ning of the year, it wasn't even in my vision or thoughts. Throughout this year, it really has accelerated it. "I've said this since I've gotten here: I came to be a part of great- ness here at Michigan, win some championships, win some rings. We came in together as a class and leav- ing together as a class is important as well. Also being at that Big Ten Championship this past week, I was just thinking, 'Man, it would be cool to be here, playing in this stadium as a player.'" He'll have one more opportunity to try, after shooting for that 10-win season against Florida in the Citrus Bowl. GREG MATTISON WILL FILL IN AT DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR Following the departure of former Michigan defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin to Maryland, who became the Terrapins head coach Dec. 4, cur- rent U-M defensive line coach Greg Mattison will assume Durkin's role for the Wolverines' Jan. 1 showdown with Florida in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl. Mattison, who was U-M's defen- sive coordinator from 2011-14 under former head coach Brady Hoke, will look to continue the success his de- fenses had throughout the majority of his time at the helm. Michigan ranked in the top 20 na- tionally for total defense in three of the four years of his tenure leading the unit (2011 — 17th, 322.2 yards allowed per game; and 2012 — 13th, 320.0 yards allowed per game). The Maize and Blue's best season came in 2014, with U-M finishing seventh nationally in total defense while sur- rendering 311.3 yards per game. "For some of us, it's what we know better," senior linebacker Joe Bolden said. "I've played three of my four years under him and love how he coaches.