Tag: cameron brandt

Michigan defense focused on righting wrongs from Week 2 against USC in Week 4

The D will need to step up this week, big time. #GoBlue

The fear from Michigan football fans entering 2024 was that new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale would be a newer version of former embattled DC Don Brown.

The similarities don’t exist much outside of their penchant for pressure, as they’re schematically much different and Brown had some limitations within, whereas Martindale’s a bit more complex. However, we saw similar issues, particularly in Week 2 against Texas. Martindale is pressuring much more than his predecessors and that has caused some issues, but there have also been execution issues, players not being in the right places, et cetera.

Junior defensive tackle Mason Graham is confident that Martindale is scheming things up correctly on a per-game basis and that the blitz rate is contingent upon the opponent.

“I feel like it changes every week, depending on who we’re playing, it’s kind of goes week to week,” Graham said. “If he feels like he wants to blitz and we’re going to blitz and feels like that’s what’s up best for us, then that’s what we’re going to do. So, we have trust in him, supporting him. All the defense guys rally around each other, whatever, we all play together. So it’s kind of just trying to get the job done at the end of the day.”

The blitz rate is up about 20% from what it was last year, at least through three games. But given that there are multiple things to clean up defensively, sophomore edge rusher Cameron Brandt says that the onus is on the defense being better in terms of execution and that there isn’t pressure to rise back up to the defense’s lofty expectations.

“No, I wouldn’t say really pressure,” Brandt said. “Just making sure we’re again, setting our standard, making sure that’s all good, making sure (we’re) maintaining our pillars throughout everything. Feel like, yeah, maintaining our pillars, keeping things the same.”

Graham agrees, the pressure isn’t necessarily on to perform defensively. USC does provide both a test and an opportunity as it’s a high-flying offense that is the cornerstone of a highly-ranked team. If Michigan loses again, the chances that the Wolverines will make a fourth straight College Football Playoff appearance goes down significantly.

So there might not be pressure on one hand, but at the same time, lose on Saturday and the Wolverines’ goals in 2024 likely go out the window.

“I don’t think our backs are against the wall,” Graham said. “We just know, like, one more loss, we might be sitting on the couch watching TV if you lose another game. So that’s really not what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to get back to where we were last year. So just kind of coming in here every day with that mindset and winning the next game.”

Michigan and USC will kick off at The Big House at 3:30 p.m. EDT and the game will be nationally broadcast on CBS.

Mike Elston goes in-depth on Michigan football freshman DL development

The future along the defensive line is bright! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football has a strong defensive line in 2023 and the future may be just as bright as the current iteration.

The Wolverines brought in several edge rushers and defensive tackle types, and three in particular have been mentioned by head coach Jim Harbaugh as being ahead of the curve: EDGE Cameron Brandt, DT Trey Pierce, and tweener Enow Etta. The trio has seen early playing time, albeit in mop-up duty, in the first two games of the season.

Additionally, the maize and blue have two notable project players in Brooks Bahr and Aymeric Koumba.

On Wednesday, defensive line coach Mike Elston shared his thoughts on the five, what they’re doing well, what type of players they are, and how they’re developing. You can check out what he said about each below.

The six freshmen that have been impressing Jim Harbaugh in fall camp

Familiarize yourself with these players now, #Michigan fans! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Every year, one of the big questions in fall camp is which freshmen will impress so much that they see the field regularly during the season?

In the past, we’ve seen wide receiver Grant Perry, running back Chris Evans, edge rusher Rashan Gary, wide receivers Tarik Black and Donovan Peoples-Jones, edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, wide receiver Ronnie Bell, kicker Jake Moody, safety Dax Hill, running back Blake Corum, safety Rod Moore, cornerback Will Johnson, defensive tackle Mason Graham and burst onto the scene in their first years. That spans the bulk of the Jim Harbaugh era, so it’s more likely than not that at least one first-year player will emerge.

And if you’re looking for a few candidates, look no further than one position group.

Speaking of the wide receivers on Tuesday, Harbaugh singled out the three freshmen there as players who not only could step up in Year 1, but that have ability beyond what fans have seen at the position — maybe ever. While that’s lofty praise given the wideouts ranging from Anthony Carter to Braylon Edwards, fans should start to familiarize themselves with the freshman trio.

“Fredrick Moore, Karmello English and Semaj Morgan: Those three have really come in and inserted themselves right off the bat,” Harbaugh said. “They’ve taken reps with the ones and taking reps with the twos. They’re not playing like freshmen.

“Karmello, Fredrick and Semaj — their ability to get out of a break, we haven’t seen that for many freshmen, let alone too many receivers that have come through here. That ability, their ability to track the ball, Fredrick Moore’s ability to track the ball, is as good as I’ve seen. Semaj Morgan: quick, fast. And in shorter stature, but a very big catch radius. He can catch the ball away from his body, he can high point. He’s been really good.”

That’s not all, however.

Asked about other freshman contributors, Jim Harbaugh said he has something brewing at defensive tackle. Though that’s a loaded group with Kris Jenkins, Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Cam Goode and Rayshaun Benny in the likely rotation, Harbaugh says don’t be surprised if any of the three freshmen on the interior line break out and see playing time in Year 1.

“Yeah, there’s other guys. Yeah, there’s a great group of freshmen. Cameron Brandt, Enow Etta, Trey Pierce — those three have been outstanding and came in right on time,” Harbaugh said. “And I just feel like that interior defensive line group has really been bolstered. We’ll see who the fifth and sixth defensive lineman is going to be in that rotation. But definitely those three will most likely be in. That’s how good they’re playing.”

Harbaugh also mentioned three of the freshmen cornerbacks were playing well in fall camp, which could be a boon given the Wolverines’ need at the position opposite Will Johnson.

“Three really good freshmen in that group, another position group that have three that are ascending,” Harbaugh said. “DJ Waller, Jyaire Hill and Cam Calhoun are coming on fast.”

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Michigan football flips three-star Stanford defensive tackle

Nice flip! #GoBlue

The situation looked to be trending Michigan football’s way for three-star Cameron Brandt as national signing day approached.

Brandt had been committed to Stanford since July 22, but once Stanford coach David Shaw resigned after the season — the pendulum started to sway. In the past few days, crystal balls from 247Sports started coming in the Wolverines’ favor.

And that’s exactly what happened.

On Wednesday, the 6-foot-4, 260-pound senior decommitted from Stanford and signed with Michigan as part of the 2023 class.

Brandt hails from Chatsworth (California) Sierra Canyon High School. According to 247Sports, he is a four-star recruit. But according to their composite, he is the No. 453 recruit in the country and is a three-star.

He is a versatile defensive lineman that can play anywhere on the line. Brandt could play the edge or bulk up and shift inside.

Brandt had offers from Arizona, California, Oregon, USC, UCLA and Washington among others.

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Texas offers Stanford commit, four-star DL Cameron Brandt

Cameron Brandt is a Sierra Canyon product.

Texas defensive line coach Bo Davis is now targeting four-star Cameron Brandt. Continue reading “Texas offers Stanford commit, four-star DL Cameron Brandt”