Tag: cam mcgrone

Cam McGrone declares for NFL draft

The third-year linebacker has decided to forgo his final two seasons of eligibility with the maize and blue.

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While Michigan was able to contain one crucial part to its defense with Aidan Hutchinson declaring that he would return for his senior year, it turns out that it will lose another pivotal piece.

The Wolverines barely got to see middle linebacker Cam McGrone’s potential, as he didn’t even have one full year of starting under his belt. McGrone started getting significant playing time in 2019, but with a couple games already underway. In 2020, he started out of the gates, but was lost for the season with an injury.

Unwilling to risk another potential injury, McGrone announced that he is following his heart and entering the 2021 NFL Draft.

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A former five-star, according to 247Sports, McGrone was a crucial part of the middle of the defense. However, it is unknown what Michigan’s defense will be in the future, considering that a new defensive coordinator to replace Don Brown has yet to be named.

McGrone had up to three years of eligibility remaining.

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5 Michigan football starters appear to be out vs. Penn State, some return

While some injured players return, it appears Michigan football will be without multiple players against Penn State.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — There were a lot of questions about who would or wouldn’t take the field for Michigan football in Big Ten Week 6 against Penn State on Saturday.

Two Wolverines left last week’s contest with injury in Brad Hawkins and Cam McGrone, with the latter having been carted off and needing an MRI in the game’s aftermath, per head coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh was mum in his weekly press conference about either’s availability after having sustained ailments at Rutgers.

However, on the other side of the ball for Michigan, not only were the maize and blue without offensive tackles Jalen Mayfield and Ryan Hayes for the third-straight week, but center Andrew Vastardis also missed the game with injury. OL coach Ed Warinner noted that the tackles had returned to practice this week, so there’s some potential positive news on that front entering Saturday’s game.

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So who at least dressed for the game? At the stadium, we saw DE Kwity Paye, LT Ryan Hayes and S Brad Hawkins in uniform during pregame warmups. However, though unconfirmed by a team spokesman, WR Giles Jackson, K Quinn Nordin, LB Cam McGrone, C Andrew Vastardis and RT Jalen Mayfield are out due to injury.

Michigan football and Penn State are set to kick off at noon EST.

Update: The above has been confirmed by a team spokesperson.

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5 takeaways from Michigan’s 48-42 win against Rutgers

Michigan football defeated Rutgers on Saturday, winning 48-42. What are the biggest takeaways from the Wolverines triple-overtime victory?

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The three-game losing streak is officially over for the Michigan football team. Heading into this battle of 1-3 teams, Michigan was the favorite, and understandably so, despite the record, Michigan overall is the better team than Rutgers. You wouldn’t think that, though, as it was 17-7 Rutgers at halftime, but in the second half, the Wolverines offense found life, and it all came from a backup quarterback.

Starting quarterback Joe Milton trotted onto the field to start the game, but he wasn’t the guy to finish it as Milton finished going 5/12 for 89 yards before getting benched in the second quarter. Milton was making a few poor decisions, but drops and a running game couldn’t move the ball, along with an early turnover, killed his chances to prove himself as the guy at the position. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh pulled the plug on Milton and brought in backup Cade McNamara. That change was the difference-maker in the end.

On the first play of the second half, down 17-7, Michigan wide receiver Giles Jackson returned the kick 95-yards for a touchdown, and suddenly the Wolverines had life. While Rutgers would answer back quickly, it’s 24-14 lead would soon evaporate as the Wolverines came back and took down the Scarlet Knights in triple overtime 48-42 as the Wolverines improved to 2-3 on the year. What were the five biggest takeaways from the victory?

Pregame injury report: two Michigan football OTs OUT for Indiana

An update on which injured players from last week — Jalen Mayfield, Cam McGrone, Michael Barrett, Chuck Filiaga — for Michigan football.

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Several key players for Michigan football came into the Indiana game on Saturday as questionable after leaving the MSU game last week due to injury.

Middle linebacker Cam McGrone, VIPER Michael Barrett, right tackle Jalen Mayfield, left tackle and left guard Chuck Filiaga all left last week’s game, and head coach Jim Harbaugh had no updates on their status for this game during his early-week press conference. Now we have some clarity during pregame warmups.

VIPER Michael Barrett — who ceded his time to Anthony Solomon a week ago — did come out in uniform for the Wolverines in pregame warmups, indicating he’s likely good to go. MIKE Cam McGrone was also in uniform and appears ready to go.

While left guard Chuck Filiaga was back in uniform, Michigan’s two tackles on offense — Mayfield and Hayes — did not travel due to their respective injuries and are out for Saturday, per a team spokesperson. Upon potential replacements are Karsen Barnhart and Zak Zinter.

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The Wolverines and Hoosiers are set to kick off at noon EST with the game being broadcast on FS1.

Jim Harbaugh updates player injuries after loss to MSU

What the Michigan football head coach had to say about LB Cam McGrone and Jalen Mayfield’s injuries after the loss to MSU.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Not only was Michigan beaten up via the final score to rival MSU, to the tune of 27-24, but it was beaten up on the field as well.

Though it arrived in the game fully healthy, with every starter available for the Wolverines, losses mounted throughout, with key players finding the exits due to various injuries.

While we have very little in terms of specifics, Jim Harbaugh did update two of Michigan’s key injuries after the game.

First, it was redshirt sophomore linebacker Cam McGrone, who left the game late in the first-half. He returned in uniform for the second, but Harbaugh says that McGrone was not cleared by the medical staff to return.

“Cam couldn’t finish the second half,” Harbaugh said. “Wanted to, but doctors held him out the second half.”

Adding insult to injury — or, rather, injury to insult — starting right tackle Jalen Mayfield, who opted back in after initially announcing for the NFL draft, left the game late in the fourth quarter, having been injured on the final drive for the maize and blue.

While we don’t know the severity of the injury as far as long term, it appears that Mayfield didn’t suffer anything catastrophic, according to Jim Harbaugh.

“Jalen, he had X-rays after the game and they were negative,” Harbaugh said.

Still, we’ll wait to see if Mayfield is able to return in the future, as receiving X-rays after the game doesn’t sound terribly promising.

For now, Michigan will lick its wounds with a grapple against Indiana in Bloomington coming up next weekend.

Jim Harbaugh: Michigan’s defensive identity in 2020 starts up front

Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh shares why the DL is the team’s defensive identity and who’s standing out in the linebacking corps

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What’s kept Michigan from being as dominant the past two years defensively as it was the three previous?

The Wolverines are still in the upper echelon of college football in terms of total defense — meaning, yards surrendered per game — but 2018 and 2019 have seen some serious lapses, particularly against Ohio State. Still, the maize and blue have finished no worse than No. 11 in that metric since Jim Harbaugh arrived, but there has to be a reason why it hasn’t been able to keep pace with the Buckeyes, right?

One part of it certainly could be the lack of push up front. In 2016, Michigan had eight sacks against OSU. In 2017, it had three. But in 2018 it had zero and managed just one in 2019.

So to say that the defensive line needs to improve, particularly in that game, it wouldn’t be terribly novel of an idea.

Thankfully, it appears that’s the defense’s strength heading into 2020, as Harbaugh told Jon Jansen on the Inside Michigan Football radio show that he feels the defensive front is that side of the ball’s identity — starting with the two ends up front.

“I think if you can picture – I know you can picture it, but Kwity Paye and Aidan Hutchinson – two — wow,” Harbaugh said. “Tremendous players and they’re having great camps. I kinda look over at them and I see the identity for our defense in those two. Really talented, great, high-effort kind of players. Carlo Kemp and Chris Hinton – and now Donovan Jeter also is really surging and doing great. Such a natural and good football player. And Jess Speight, total Michigan man. Talk about position switches and a guy who will do anything for the team — In there playing nose.

“Also, Luiji Vilain, looking for him to have a very good year. Taylor Upshaw is surging as a player. Also say Julius Welschof, keep an eye on him. He’s coming into his own. Mike Morris, Mazi Smith, Gabe Newburg – really turning into great football players.

“That group of defensive linemen – a lot of identity coming out of that group.”

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Michigan will need more than the front four in order to get the defense back in the top four, nationally, in 2020.

Behind them are two household names in Josh Ross and Cam McGrone, but there’s a newcomer, in terms of starting, in VIPER Michael Barrett — a former quarterback in high school.

Starting with Barrett, Harbaugh broke down the linebackers, including who could spell the starters as the game wears on. All-in-all, he appears happy with the depth.

“He’s a rock-solid guy,” Harbaugh said. “Tough competitor and experienced player. Feeling very good about the linebacking position with Michael Barrett, Josh Ross and Cam McGrone. And some other players are behind them. Ben VanSumeren is looking for, competing for a starting spot at the SAM backer, along with David Ojabo. Adam Shibley has really surged here the last couple months and is doing a great job at the MIKE position. He’s got versatility to play both MIKE and WILL. Outstanding young player.

“Anthony Solomon is a sophomore, but he’s doing a heckuva good job. The two freshmen to really look at are inside backer Nikhai Hill-Green and Kalel Mullings — both doing really well, especially for only being freshmen. So starters and depth are being developed there at the linebacker position. Jaylen Harrell – make another note, right there with Nikhai Hill-Green and Kalel Mullings standing out as freshmen – Jaylen Harrell is doing that as well.”

We’ll see all of the above in action in mere weeks, with the season opener at Minnesota kicking off on Oct. 24 at 7:30 P.M. EDT. The game will be nationally televised on ABC.

Why Year 2 could be a big deal for Cam McGrone

Michigan football saw linebacker Cam McGrone step up big for the defense last season, how will another year, this time as a starter go?

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In 2019, Michigan was without its biggest piece on defense, linebacker Devin Bush, who declared for the NFL draft and was taken in the first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

With Bush gone, attention moved to linebacker Josh Ross as the next in line as the big, fast, strong linebacker who can make big plays when needed.

Sadly, he had a season-ending injury three games into 2019. In stepped linebacker Cam McGrone. McGrone didn’t play in the first two games and stepped in for Ross after he went down against Wisconsin. That moment, McGrone didn’t look back at his opportunity.

While he didn’t do much in the next game against Rutgers, McGrone made his presence felt against Iowa, finishing with six total tackles, one-and-a-half for loss, and one-and-a-half sacks. That effort boosted McGrone’s confidence and made him more of a playmaker on defense. McGrone finished the season last year with 65 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, two-and-a-half sacks, a forced fumble and a pass deflection.

With McGrone stepping up and stepping up big, it seemed Michigan found its next Bush type of linebacker in McGrone. His speed, strength and ability to put pressure on quarterbacks were similar to Bush. He was able to cover tight ends, go sideline to sideline with a running back, and his hard-hitting tackles made opposing offenses reconsider running near him.

Unlike last year when he started Week 1 as a backup, McGrone will not have to wait for an injury to happen for him to get on the field or start a game. He will start at the MIKE linebacker position, and, with 11 games of experience last year and a full offseason to understand the defensive playbook, McGrone could be in line for an even better season than last years.

With Ross returning from his injury, McGrone has some experienced help alongside him. Michael Barrett will take over the VIPER position from Khaleke Hudson, who graduated and was drafted by the Washington Football Team. Last year ,McGrone had some veteran help, now he’s one of the veterans leading the room heading into the 2020 season.

McGrone has been making defensive coordinator Don Brown very happy so far in the practices held this year, as Brown praised McGrone when talking about him early last week.

“The MIKE backer position is Cam McGrone, and he’s kind of picked up where he left off,” Brown said. “We’re very happy with his play, his performance and he’s really learned the defense. He really knows what we’re doing and knows what everybody else is doing as well.”

Last year as a redshirt freshman, McGrone was thrown into the starter role with the injury to Ross, and he stepped up and owned it. He played in one game in 2018 so his playing time was very little heading into the 2019 season. Now with 12 games and two offseasons under his belt, McGrone can only get better at his job on the field and help lead this defense into rebounding after not making the top-five top defenses last season.

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Michigan linebackers sing the praises of true freshman

Two veteran linebackers said that the Michigan football freshman is standing out.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The way it goes is, if one person mentions that a player is performing, it’s a sign. More than one? It becomes an omen.

Such appears to be the case for Michigan true freshman linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green.

Hill-Green was one of Michigan football’s early-enrollees, having arrived on campus for the semester starting in January. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unlike the classes that came before him, Hill-Green didn’t get the added advantage of spring ball.

But, come June, when the full class reported, he started making a strong impression. And his veteran teammates noticed.

Last week, it was redshirt junior linebacker Josh Ross, who had a singular answer when asked what young linebackers are impressing him.

“One of the guys that most impressed me is a freshman and he plays my position – Nikhai Hill-Green,” Ross said. “He’s a great, great guy. Great player. Still learning, but one thing I can say about him is he’s very instinctive. He’s very smart and he’s gonna be a good player for Michigan in the future for sure. He’s a great dude.”

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Then, on Thursday, WolverinesWire asked redshirt sophomore Cam McGrone who’s making an early impact, and the answer was the exact same.

“I think Nikhai Hill-Green – he’s progressed the fastest in terms of the mental aspect of being a linebacker,” McGrone said. “His keys, his reads, his assignments. He’s definitely faster than I was and that really impressed me. And there’s been times when he’s been X-ing me out on the field and sometimes he makes the call before I do – and that really excites me for the future as a linebacker here at Michigan.”

Hearing that he’s faster than McGrone was upon arrival is awfully tantalizing, given that McGrone’s speed and instinct were his biggest selling points.

Could Hill-Green be a player who sees the field early? We won’t know for sure until Michigan takes the field in a little less than a month, with the season opener coming at Minnesota on Oct. 24.

After years of high school rivalry, Chris Evans still giving Cam McGrone fits

They’ve had a longstanding rivalry going back to their Indianapolis high school days.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Sometimes, as a competitor, you have an opponent you just can’t seem to beat. Of course, Michigan football has its obstacles with a long draught against Ohio State, but some rivalries haunt certain players before they even get to college.

That was the case for Michigan linebacker Cam McGrone, back when he was at Indianapolis (IN) Lawrence Central from 2014-17.

Ben Davis was a tough team to beat and Lawrence Central certainly couldn’t find a way in that timeframe. For McGrone, there was a matchup he found particularly troubling his first few years of going up against the Giants — and it’s one that’s still giving him fits.

All-purpose back Chris Evans.

Now the two are going up against each other once again, but in practice instead of on the playing field. From what McGrone says, despite his personal growth as Michigan’s starting middle linebacker, the senior running back still gets the best of him, despite having to take a year away from football due to academic reasons.

Evans is the Wolverines tailback giving him the most fits during fall camp at the moment.

“Sometimes I have flashbacks of me and Chris Evans in high school, me and him going up against each other,” McGrone said. “Sometimes me and him are lined up against each other and it’s just like – he’s dominating me again. Now I’m just one step behind him sometimes, but he’s definitely out there and he’s definitely ready to get back out there and get after it.”

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The scores when Lawrence Central lined up against Ben Davis were particularly lopsided during McGrone’s entire career there. They played five times in four years, but the 50-36 and 28-22 losses in 2014-15 particularly strike a nerve for McGrone.

And Evans was the one who kept making play after play after play after play.

But now that the two are back on the same team, it’s more of a sibling rivalry more than one on the field. And McGrone is glad to have the fellow Indianapolis native figuratively by his side.

“I never beat him in high school – not once,” McGrone said. “I think it was my sophomore year, he had like 400 yards. I used to be at the same camps as him, he’s coached at some camps I’ve been to. We’ve always been around each other in the city, but when I got up here my freshman year, we were right back at home with each other. We would talk a lot. He’s definitely been like an older brother to me now since I’ve been at Michigan.”

The year away from football was certainly challenging for Evans, and it’s made him strive to make the most of his final season in Ann Arbor. For a moment, it didn’t look like he would have that.

The season was postponed, but essentially it was effectively canceled. Evans was in danger of being two years away from putting on a helmet for any meaningful action.

Now he’s making the most of it, and his first year in Josh Gattis’ offense has given him new life as a dynamic playmaker, McGrone says.

“I truly believe he wants it more than anybody – even more than me,” McGrone said. “He’s had a really rough journey, but he stuck it out. He’s tried his hardest to give back as much as he can with the kids with his foundation and all that. I think from all that you can see how much he really wants this. He’s about to go out there and show them for it.

“They’re really utilizing his speed, his elusiveness. They’re really getting him out in space. I remember yesterday, I saw him and Hassan in the backfield – I was like, ‘Oh, my God! What is going on?’ I’m really excited to see what our offense can do this year.”

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Cam McGrone: ‘I’m scared for everybody else’ that has to face Michigan LBs

The Michigan football third-year MLB shares why he’s doubling down on what Josh Ross said last week.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — When it comes to Michigan’s starting linebackers, there appears to be very little modesty. And to some degree, it’s warranted.

Middle linebacker Cam McGrone had something of a coming out party in 2020, but it was supposed to be Josh Ross in that position a year ago. However, Ross was injured, and with McGrone stepping up and notching 65 tackles in just his first year as a starter, now that the two will be on the field at the same time, the sky appears to be the limit for this group.

Ross’ excitement, when speaking to the media last week via Zoom, was palpable. He emphatically stated: ‘My feeling is we’re gonna be the best linebacker group in the country. And (McGrone) feels exactly the same way.’

Turns out, that’s a correct assessment, at least when it comes to McGrone’s view of the situation.

“I totally agree with that statement,” McGrone said. “I feel like we have the best combination of speed and physicality. Our linebacking group is so smart – even our young guys, they’re catching along really fast. Really little mental errors throughout all the practices. Just a combination of all those things, I think that’s what’s making us the best in the country.”

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So that’s something of a double-down, just from two different players. And when McGrone turns on film, it’s easy to understand why he has such a sentiment.

Ross was supposed to be heir apparent to Devin Bush Jr. at MIKE, having cross-trained between the middle and the WILL position. However, when it didn’t work out that way due to his season-ending injury early last year, he already had WILL on lockdown, given that he platooned at the position along with Devin Gil in 2018.

So all the offseason hype from a year ago comparing Ross to Bush, well — now you have two Bush-type players playing next to each other in the linebacking corps. When McGrone looks back by watching previous practices, he sees two players of the same mold.

“It’s been amazing,” McGrone said. “It’s kind of like being out there with myself sometimes. Sometimes I throw on film, we look like the same. We’re moving the same, taking the same steps, same things. It’s really kinda crazy. Just like Mike (Barrett) – my freshman year, second semester, me and Josh are roommates, just talking about playing together, how fun that would be. And now we finally get that chance. I’m just scared for everybody else, honestly – I’m scared.”

The two aforementioned are known commodities, but they’re playing alongside someone who doesn’t have that cache just yet.

Now that Khaleke Hudson is with the Washington Football Team in the NFL, we’ll have a new face at VIPER for the first time in three years. Michael Barrett has been patiently waiting his turn since coming onto campus as a former high school quarterback from powerhouse Valdosta (GA) Lowndes. We’ve seen his prowess on special teams multiple times, but how will that translate to the hybrid safety/linebacker position?

McGrone has no doubts that Barrett will take up the mantle of the position and run away with it.

“He’s more than ready in my opinion,” McGrone said. “Me and Mike are boys – we’ve been talking about this year playing together, getting out there flying around. He’s definitely more than ready, physically and mentally. He’s been there. Last year, he was itching to get in, just waiting his turn. Now it’s finally his turn, so he’s itching to go out.”

We won’t know for certain just how good this linebacking corps might be until one month from now on Oct. 24, when Michigan travels to Minnesota for the renewed season opener.

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