The Wolverine

November 2016

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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34 THE WOLVERINE NOVEMBER 2016 M ichigan will finish the season without sophomore left tackle Grant Newsome, who suffered a grue- some knee injury in the second quar- ter of a 14-7 win over Wisconsin Oct. 1. Newsome was leading a horde of blockers to the perimeter when a de- fensive back dove at his knees. Though he walked off the field, Newsome's in- jury was later determined to be season ending and even career threatening. Both Newsome and the Wolverines received good news two weeks later after the sophomore had successful surgery and it was determined he should return to action next season. "[He's handling it] like the strongest guy ever," head coach Jim Harbaugh said. "He's already healing. The U-of- M Medical System, just a huge thank you. They're so good. … Everybody that's cared for him has just been so impressive." Harbaugh reported Oct. 8 he hoped to have Newsome back before the start of the 2017 season, though spring ball was probably a long shot. The team dedicated its Rutgers game to both Newsome and fifth-year senior corner Jeremy Clark, who was also lost for the year with a knee injury suffered in a 49-10 win over Penn State. "It might be a little later than spring … you don't know until rehab [starts]," Harbaugh said. "But it's just a reminder of how injuries can be very serious in football. It's a reminder of just how violent the game can be and is. "Human being character, football character, strength — all those things — are at the highest level with Grant. We're very optimistic." Offensive line coach and coordina- tor Tim Drevno visited Newsome in the hospital the second night after his lineman's injury. "I walked in with my wife and the first thing out of his mouth was, 'Hey coach, did Zach win [his game]?' … my son," Drevno said. "And I'm think- ing, 'You're laying in your bed, you're hurting,' … you can just tell the type of person he is. "I saw him the [Oct. 8 weekend]. He looks good. He's moving around. But it's hurtful. I look at him like my own child, and when someone's hurting like that, you don't want that … it re- ally strikes me in the heart. "But he's going to push through it. He's got a great medical team around him at the University of Michigan Hos- pital, the best in the world. He's got his teammates with him. Good things are going to come out of it." Redshirt sophomore Juwann Bush- ell-Beatty stepped in at left tackle in Newsome's absence, allowing junior Mason Cole — last year's left tackle — to remain at center. Bushell-Beatty missed two series early in a 78-0 win at Rutgers Oct. 8 after suffering a minor knee injury, but he returned and fin- ished the first half. He and the rest of the starters sat most of the second half. Fifth-year senior right guard Kyle Kalis was impressed with how Bush- ell-Beatty acquitted himself against a tough Badgers front. "I think he did good," Kalis said. "That kind of stuff … obviously, it's the worst-case scenario, you don't want it to happen. But Juwann stepped up and he played well, and he had his moments where he was impressive. … Coming in and stepping up, he did a good job." "He's doing a good job," Drevno added. "He's a competitive guy. It's important to him to do well. I've been very pleased with Juwann … very, very pleased." A year ago it appeared that might never be the case. Bushell-Beatty was overweight and not in the shape he needed to be in to compete for playing time, let alone a starting job on the line. He changed his diet and took his coaches' advice in stepping up for his team. "The thing that would be at the top of the list is he's really changed his body — [he's] in much better condi- tion. He's had strength gains," Har- baugh said. "He has changed the proportions. He looks good and he is stronger. That would be number one. "He has done a fantastic job in the weight room, in his conditioning, in his eating habits, all those things. He's been extremely good and is ascending in his physical performance because of it." Drevno played a large role in that, Bushell-Beatty said. He called his coach an "infinite source of knowl- edge" for both him and the entire of- fensive line group. "He just demanded a certain attitude out of us. … You really could sink or   MICHIGAN FOOTBALL Juwann Bushell-Beatty Earns Left Tackle Spot After Replacing Injured Grant Newsome 2016 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Date Opponent Result/Time (ET) Sept. 3 Hawai'i W, 63-3 Sept. 10 Central Florida W, 51-14 Sept. 17 Colorado W, 45-28 Sep. 24 Penn State W, 49-10 Oct. 1 Wisconsin W, 14-7 Oct. 8 at Rutgers W, 78-0 Oct. 22 Illinois 3:30 p.m. Oct. 29 at Michigan State 12:00 p.m. Nov. 5 Maryland TBA Nov. 12 at Iowa 8:00 p.m. Nov. 19 Indiana TBA Nov. 25 at Ohio State 12:00 p.m. Bushell-Beatty has lost weight from last year and stepped in at the always important left tackle position after sophomore Grant Newsome was lost for the season. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN

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