Mason Graham wanted revenge. Not against Minnesota in particular, just against the world of football for keeping him out of two games with a hand injury.
It just so happened that the Gophers were stuck in the wake of his fury.
Graham, of course, had a terrific performance. He led the team with six tackles, registered a dominant sack, and had two crucial TFLs (one of which was against the opposing QB and could have counted as a second sack). Graham also contributed to the stat sheet. He was the lead blocker for Will Johnson’s touchdown and caused major issues for the Minnesota offensive line all night long.
More than Graham’s on-field dominance was the clarity that he is one of the team’s emotional leaders. It’s obvious that his teammates, offense or defense, look up to him as a spark plug. When things are going well, Graham is there to celebrate. When someone makes a mistake, Graham is there to encourage them. There are a number of players at Michigan who demonstrate these same traits, but the fact that Graham has accomplished such status as just a Sophomore is special.
So why not not anyone else? Firstly, I do not consider QBs for this award. If I did, McCarthy would almost default a victory barring a legacy performance elsewhere, or uncharacteristic mistakes. Johnson has a convincing case as well, but I felt that Graham provided a more consistent game-changing presence.
The expectation is that Graham will continue to be a dominant force up front, and should find himself in more of these articles as the season moves on.