The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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2012 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE usually get all the glory. And at a school like Detroit Catholic Central, there is plenty of talent to shine the spotlight upon. But, at the end of the year banquet, the Shamrocks Quarterbacks, ball carriers and touchdown scorers Matthew Godin Ready For Next Level After MVP Season, awarded their MVP award not to the leading rusher but to the guy in the trenches: Michigan signee Matthew Godin. "He was the MVP of our team this year, which is pretty hard to do for a lineman," Detroit Catholic Cen- tral coach Tom Mach said. "With the amount of heart he put into it this year, that award was a great ending for his high school career." Godin had plenty of time to focus on his senior year, having committed to Michigan May 12, the summer be- fore his swan song at Detroit Catholic Central. At that point, Godin was mulling serious offers from Wisconsin, Michigan State and Missouri, as well as one from the Wolverines, when he took an unofficial visit to Ann Arbor. "There was one night when I was there, where I was just like, 'What am I doing? I need to commit now, be- cause I can't see myself anywhere else.' "The tradition, the coaches, the old-school attitude they have. It's a fun town, too. Everything just felt right. I'm really excited to finally sign my letter. It's a weight off your shoulders. I don't know what else to say — I just want to get up there and play. I want to play early. I've worked my butt off, and that's where my mind is." Before last season, Mach and the other Shamrock coaches looked at their depth chart and knew they'd need to ask a lot from Godin. "It was early in the season this year, and we were wondering whether he could handle starting both ways," Mach said. "We play a lot of tough opponents, and that's going to be a lot of wear and tear on your body. But he came into fall in great shape, and he never got tired. "After our first couple of games, we knew we had a As a senior, Godin recorded 73.5 total stops, 17.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks on defense, and he played nearly every snap at left tackle on offense. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL the season and is up to 280 pounds, he said, and it's "all muscle." That could help Godin play immediately for the Wol- verines. Michigan loses three starters from last year's defen- sive line: defensive tackle Mike Martin, defensive tackle Will Heininger (the last Detroit Catholic Central player to go to Michigan) and defensive end Ryan Van Bergen. Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison said that Godin projects to the five-technique defensive end spot, where Van Bergen played last season. But with the added size and strength, Godin may be able to move inside. "He was a great example for the kids of a guy who young man who was committed to becoming the best athlete he could be. He did a fantastic job of stepping up this year. As a defensive lineman, he worked very hard in the offseason and got himself very strong. He's got great movement, and he worked on that." His dedication to the sport helped him tally 73.5 tack- les, including 16.5 for loss. His tackles for loss numbers were down from 28 as a junior, but the bulkier Godin was expected to stuff the middle of the field in 2011. A 21-0 playoff victory over Ann Arbor Pioneer puts in the time and does the right things," Mach said. "Being a two-way player along the line is hard to do, but he was able to give 100 percent on every play. He very rarely came off the field. I thought he did an excel- lent job overall. "He did a very good job of performing well and showing exactly what needs to be done to be a good football player. He was a very good leader for us, just in the fact that he was such a great example for everyone else. And he was conducting himself as an outstanding citizen. "It's always nice when people can look up to a kid on showed just how much of a force Godin could be in the middle. Although he recorded just four tackles, Godin siphoned off the middle of the field, limiting Pioneer running back Drake Johnson, who also signed with Michigan and gained an astounding 2,805 yards last year, to just 48 yards. And he's only gotten bulkier. Godin played at 265 pounds last year, but he hit the weight room hard after 52 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2012 you team for doing it the right way." Godin has lofty goals for himself, including earning playing time as a freshman. But his goals for the team, over his four- or five-year onships," Godin said. "Those are high expectations to have, but we'll get it done." career, are even loftier. "National championship, and a few Big Ten champi- — Andy Reid