The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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OCTOBER 2017 THE WOLVERINE 21 captains," McCray said. "It struck my mind that my dad, his fifth year, was a captain at Ohio State. For me to be one as well is kind of a surreal moment. "Not many people can say their dad was a captain at Ohio State and now I'm a captain here at Michigan." Not many can say that they turned their Ohio State alum father into a Michigan fan, but McCray Sr. is right there with the Wolverines. He insists he experienced no divided loyalties when his son's team battled the Buck- eyes down to the wire last fall. "It didn't pull me both ways," Mc- Cray Sr. said. "I'm fully supportive of my son. I know how hard he wanted to win that game. He had an excellent game. He put a lot of time and energy into it. I knew he'd be hurting after the game, so it was hard." His son insists he simply kept the faith through his injury setback, and while both McCrays assure the elder is the vocal one, Michigan's captain has plenty to offer. "I feel like I work extremely hard and give everything I've got every day," McCray Jr. said. "I try to keep a positive mind and influence others to keep a positive mind. I try to be a good teacher as well." McCray Sr. also pointed out his son can be vocal as well, if the situation calls for it. He found that out helping coach the Trotwood-Madison squad to a state title in his son's playing days there. The younger McCray shocked ev- eryone at one point. "We were down four or five points with 16 seconds left," McCray Sr. re- called. "We had to call a timeout, and coach called everybody to the side- lines. Mike was playing tight end and wide receiver at the time, and every- one was confused, kind of panicking. "Mike told everybody to shut up — told the coaches to shut up, told everybody to shut up. He told this one kid to get out and another kid to get in, and said, 'Just throw me the damn ball in the corner.' "That's what we did, and he caught the ball for the game-winning touch- down. He took charge of that huddle, told them what to do and the coaches just went with it." His son's forcefulness provided an E.F. Hutton moment for a squad des- perately in need of a win. "The reason why it went so well is Mike doesn't say that much," McCray Sr. said. "When Mike spoke, it was like, okay, where's this coming from? He's not going to fuss or complain. When he speaks, it's for a reason." McCray and Cole do everything for a reason these days. There are bigger games to win, and a team ready to follow. ❏ McCray is the fourth U-M linebacker to be elected team captain in the last five years, joining Joe Bolden (2015) and Jake Ryan (2014 and 2013). PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN Former Michigan All-American Jon Jansen said the Wolverines made good calls when they chose their captains this season. He's no stranger to the process or the task, having served as captain in the 1997 national championship season and during the Big Ten title campaign of 1998. Jansen insisted, regarding fifth-year senior linebacker Mike McCray and senior left tackle Mason Cole: "When you look at both of those guys, you can see they have the team's best interests in mind." McCray exhibits the sort of resilience showing the way for all Wolverines, Jansen pointed out. "I know he's battled some injuries," the former captain ob- served. "He could have, at some point, just said, 'I can't take it anymore.' He showed the guys that perseverance, working through things, eventually pays off. Here he is, a captain his senior year, playing really good football. "It's a tribute to his character, and the guys realize that. It's not a popularity contest. It never has been, never will be. His peers can look at what he's gone through and where he is now." Cole, Jansen assessed, embodies the team concept in terms of self-sacrifice. "I don't think there's anybody, including our coaching staff, that doesn't think his best position is center," Jansen said. "If you put him at that position right now, he's probably the No. 1 or No. 2 center in the country. "For him to selflessly move back and never once complain … he said, 'Hey, the team needs me back at left tackle, I'm going back to left tackle.' That says something. 'What does the team need? What can I do to help the team win? That's what I'm go- ing to do.' "The team got that one right, picking him as a captain." Jansen recalled stepping in to make sure a couple of team- mates showed up at Michigan Stadium early mornings for a couple of months in '98 after they'd gotten in trouble. It just comes with the territory, he noted. They were being punished, but he was doing his job. "It's not a popularity contest," Jansen assured. "It's not about making friends. It's about doing the right thing and making sure your team is doing the right thing. "I was up every morning with them. Coach [Lloyd Carr] wanted a senior there. We had other guys as well, but I wanted to make sure." Having tough conversations after an 0-2 start in '98 wasn't any fun, either. But that team eventually rallied to share the Big Ten title. There's another captain's reward as well, Jansen assured. "The most gratifying thing wasn't even then," he said. "It's now, when I run into a guy in the airport or a guy I haven't seen for 20 years, and he refers to me as 'Captain Jansen.' I can't even put into words how much that means to me. "First, you're elected by your peers to be a captain. But to know you did a good job while you were entrusted with those duties, and even 20, 25 years later, they refer to you as 'Captain Jansen,' and probably always will, that's the most satisfying thing I've ever had in my life." — John Borton Jon Jansen Gives A Thumbs Up To Michigan's Captains