Who takes home MVP honors from Michigan football’s win over Alabama?

This is the one player who made the best of his opportunity on Monday. #GoBlue

Michigan beat Alabama in the Rose Bowl to book a trip to the national title game. It still feels surreal.

The game was tightly contested from start to finish. Michigan looked like they would cruise to victory early but faltered for much of the second half, forcing a game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter and an overtime victory.

It will go down as a classic college football game.

It’s always tough to dish out MVP honors after such a great team win. Blake Corum’s overtime performance was dominant, and Mason Graham took home the actual honors, but my MVP award goes elsewhere. However, like the Rose Bowl committee, I will be keeping it on the defensive line.

Josaiah Stewart was my game MVP. The transfer edge defender was crucial to Michigan’s strong defensive performance and came up big when the team needed it most.

Stewart recorded 7 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and one sack, but he should have been credited with two sacks as one of his TFLs came on a Milroe bobbled snap. Milroe was technically a runner at that point and not a passer, but Stewart made the stop regardless.

Stewart was also the person who forced Milroe to the ground on the failed fourth down run to seal the victory for Michigan. Stewart was lined up against Alabama’s right tackle, JC Latham, who is a projected first-rounder, and bullied him. Stewart got his hands into the chest of Latham and drove him so far into the backfield that his leg tripped Milroe, who tumbled to the ground. How’s that for SEC power.

Stewart has progressed well this season. He started as a solid contributor but has adjusted to the higher talent level and has started to assert his dominance as a pass rusher. He is eligible for the draft this season but could opt to return with Derrick Moore and form one of the better pass rushing duo in college football.

Michigan football DT Mason Graham compared to legendary Marvel villain

We have to make Mason Graham’s new nickname stick! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — No injury was going to keep Michigan football defensive tackle Mason Graham down for long.

The sophomore missed two weeks but returned in Week 6 and led the team in tackles, tackles for loss, and sacks, despite having a club on his hand. His fellow teammates took notice.

Edge rusher Josaiah Stewart has gotten to see Graham in action for a short time as a transfer from Coastal Carolina this year, but he’s inspired by Graham’s willingness to go out and play, not just while having an impediment, but to the level he did against Minnesota. His play helps bolster the whole team.

“I feel like this little injury he has, it’s just a little roadblock and he’s showing us that no matter what’s in his way, he’s gonna go right through it,” Stewart said. “And that’s the type of guy he is. That’s just his mindset. He’s not gonna get beat by nobody no matter who’s out there. Playing with one hand he’s gonna give us his all.”

Considering that Graham has a big cast on his left hand protecting his broken thumb, it led Stewart to work out a new nickname, inspired by a legendary Marvel Comics villain who was known for having the infinity gauntlet, also on his left hand.

“I tried to call him Thanos because he has that big club on,” Stewart said. “He just laughed it off. Hopefully, it sticks. Hopefully, he likes it.”

While Stewart is pleased with the nickname he’s donned Graham with, Graham himself isn’t too sure whether or not that will be one that continues past his injury.

“Yeah, no, I don’t know if everyone called me that. I think it was just him,” Graham said. “So maybe he got a little kick out of it. It was pretty funny.”

Given Thanos’ all-powerful, brute strength to go along with the infinity stones he wields, it’s not at all an impractical nickname. Graham should lean into it — at least while he continues to wear the club on his left hand.

‘A switch-up’ for Michigan football edge rushers, Josaiah Stewart describes his game

Can’t wait to see him make his debut on Saturday! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Bulked up and ready to go, Josaiah Stewart is eager to make his Michigan football debut.

Up to 245 pounds now, which is the weight he played at when he had a team-leading 12.5 sacks for Coastal Carolina in 2021, Stewart notes that he brings a different skill set to the Wolverine pass rushing corps.

Asked what makes him different compared to some of his compatriots, and he describes himself as an off-speed pitch in baseball.

“Some experience — all those guys have different types of experiences, whether bigger games, more snaps or whatever,” Stewart said. “But probably I’d say experience and speed to the room — like a fastball, curveball, you know? We have Jay and Braiden and bigger guys, longer guys, we throw them at those tackles and you bring a guy like me with speed and it’s a different ballgame, you know? So just having a switch up in that room is important for us.”

One of the places that Stewart has a benefit is that he is a bit more diminutive — albeit not small — than some of his counterparts. Listed at 6-foot-1, 245-pounds, though he’ll be going up against much bigger offensive tackles, having him come in as a change-up provides some benefits in terms of forcing opponents to change up techniques to guard him.

“You look at guys in a league like Yannick Ngakoue, Haason Reddick, those guys aren’t super tall, but they use their length that they have and their size to their advantage,” Stewart said. “So I study those type of guys, because I can relate to them, to their playstyle. But there’s really no advantage really having that natural leverage getting under them. And imagine even getting even lower, they can’t really block that — especially those big 6-7, 330-pound tackles, they don’t really want to get that low and move their feet that well. So you really got to use any and every advantage you have.”

Michigan football fans will get to know Stewart starting on Saturday, but for those who haven’t seen him much at Coastal Carolina or at the spring game, what kind is the best comp in his eyes?

While he notes that he’s not on that pro-level just yet, he mentioned some familiar names in the NFL as those he works to be similar to.

“I try to model my game after Myles Garrett, but I can’t really emulate the things that he does. He’s a freak,” Stewart said. “But yeah, like I said, guys like Haason Reddick and Yannick Ngakoue, back when he was with the Jaguars, those smaller edge rushers that can really bend and use their pad level. I love those guys for sure.”

A lot of analysts, here included, have noted that he bears some physical similarities to the Wolverines’ former pass-rushing specialist Josh Uche, who went on to be a second-round NFL draft pick in 2020.

While Stewart notes there are similarities, he hopes that he’ll make a name for himself outside of comparing like-to-like in a winged helmet.

“Not much at Michigan but watch his tape in New England,” Stewart said. “Being from Massachusetts, I watch a lot of those games. I can see it, but I gotta just do me, you know.”

ESPN ranks three Michigan football players among best college football newcomers

Should be more, TBH. #GoBlue

Michigan football may not have a wealth of instant impact players in the 2023 recruiting class who will burst onto the scene as true freshmen this year. But the Wolverines certainly made up for it with a targeted transfer class.

ESPN ranked the top 50 newcomers across college football in 2023 ($), and three incoming Michigan players made the cut — all three were transfers.

One such player broke into the top 10, presumed starting left tackle in LaDarius Henderson.

9. OL LaDarius Henderson

Transferred from Arizona State to Michigan

Henderson started all 13 games last season for Arizona State at left guard, but will likely compete at right tackle at Michigan. The Wolverines have won the Joe Moore Award for the best offensive line the past two seasons but are looking to fill a few open starting spots upfront for 2023. Henderson has a realistic shot at starting on the right side and brings a wealth of experience. At 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, Henderson could be one of a few transfer linemen to make an impact for the Wolverines.

Henderson, who was unable to participate in spring ball, certainly will have challenges. There are established tackles on the roster he’ll have to supplant in order to win the starting job.

The next was, at one point, 247Sports’ top player in the transfer portal, and while he also has a fall camp battle, he’ll see the field early and often.

17. LB Ernest Hausmann 

Transferred from Nebraska to Michigan

Hausmann was a three-star prospect in the 2022 class. He made an immediate impact on the team, playing in every game last season with seven starts. Hausmann finished with 54 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss and a sack in his breakout campaign. The Wolverines have a set starter in Junior Colson, but Hausmann will likely compete for the other starting job with Michael Barrett. If Hausmann builds on the freshman season he had at Nebraska, he should see significant playing time.

The last player isn’t getting as much publicity as some others, though he’s a bit underrated to begin with.

Though his 2022 wasn’t nearly as impressive as his 2021, Josaiah Stewart is another player who figures to be key in the rotation.

24. Edge Josaiah Stewart

Transferred from Coastal Carolina to Michigan

At 6-foot-1, 245 pounds, Stewart is a little undersized, but he has a ton of speed off the edge. He had 36 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and 5 quarterback hurries last season at Coastal Carolina. The Wolverines lost Mike Morris, who led the team in tackles for loss last season, to the NFL. The defense returns Jaylen Harrell, who was second on the team in tackles for loss, and a few others. But Stewart’s ability to get to the quarterback makes him an asset and his versatility will get him onto the field this season.

There are some notable absences. The first would be center Drake Nugent, who is on the Rimington Trophy watch list and graded higher by PFF than last year’s winner, Olusegun Oluwatimi. Also, cornerback Josh Wallace is the leading candidate for a starting role opposite Will Johnson, and tight end AJ Barner figures perfectly into the scheme Michigan runs offensively.

Either way, the Wolverines were smart about who they targeted in the portal and it should make up for having a lot of developmental prospects in the freshman class.

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Athlon Sports names several Michigan football players in its Big Ten All-Transfer Portal Team for 2023

#Michigan may have the best transfer portal class in the Big Ten. #GoBlue

It’s well known the talent Michigan football brought in for the 2023 season via the transfer portal. The Wolverines brought in plenty of depth at positions of need and a few of the transfers are about a virtual lock to start for the maize and blue.

Athlon Sports created its Big Ten All-Transfer Portal Team for the 2023 season. There were several new Michigan players on the team.

Offensive Line:

La’Darius Henderson

Drake Nugent

Myles Hinton

The arrival of Hinton, Nugent, and Henderson is a big reason why Michigan’s offensive line should remain among the best in college football.

Michigan brought La’Darius Henderson in from Arizona State and he is widely expected to lock down the left tackle job this fall. He started 29 games during his four-year stint with Arizona State and was a team captain last season.

The Wolverines brought over center Drake Nugent and tackle Myles Hinton from Stanford. Nugent should start for Michigan at center with Olu Oluwatimi off to the NFL. He started 24 games for Stanford at center and was a two-time All-Pac 12 honorable mention.

Myles Hinton started 16 games at right tackle for Stanford. Hinton has plenty of talent, but it’s hard seeing him pass Karsen Barnhart or Trente Jones at right tackle. Hinton has the ability to transition to guard to be added depth.

Defensive Line:

Josaiah Stewart

Stewart was brought to Ann Arbor from Coastal Carolina where he starred for two seasons. He had 12.5 sacks his freshman season which is a single-season record at Coastal Carolina. He is a two-time All-Sun Belt award winner during his two years there.

Linebacker:

Ernestt Hausmann

Hausmann flashed potential as a freshman at Nebraska last year by collecting 54 stops over 12 games. He may not start with Michael Barrett and Junior Colson returning, but look for the sophomore to see plenty of snaps for the Wolverines in ’23.

Hausmann started seven games for Nebraska last season as a true freshman. He was one of the better tacklers on the team and had his first sack against Michigan on his way to a 10-tackle day against the Wolverines. Hausmann should be an instant-impact player Day 1 for Michigan.

Kicker:

James Turner

Turner came to Michigan from Louisville and he will battle freshman Adam Samaha for the kicking job. He was a two-time All-ACC honorable mention with the Cardinals. Last season, he was 20-for-22 on field goals last season. But it will not be easy to replace All-American Jake Moody.

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The two incoming transfers set to make biggest impact for Michigan football

These two are going to be really good!

Michigan football added to its already solid transfer portal haul for the 2023 seasons when the Wolverines snagged former UMass cornerback Josh Wallace.

The Wolverines filled the voids they had entering the 2023 offseason. Michigan brought in three dynamic offensive linemen to help the two-time Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line. The maize and blue brought in leadership at the quarterback and tight end positions and a placekicker that has a chance to start.

But according to CBS Sports, Michigan brought in two transfers set to have an immediate impact in the Big Ten.

Tom Fornelli believes former Coastal Carolina edge rusher Josaiah Stewart will be one of the biggest impact players in the conference this season.

The Wolverines are coming off another Big Ten title and playoff berth, and have been a bit more proactive in the portal this offseason. Former Coastal Carolina EDGE rusher Josaiah Stewart is a name Big Ten offensive coordinators will want to familiarize themselves with as Michigan is hoping he can become its latest pass-rush specialist. Michigan lost all its most productive pass rushers from last year’s team, and Stewart brings experience and production. In 25 games with the Chanticleers, Steward had 16 sacks, 25.5 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles.

Stewart, now a junior, was productive for Coastal Carolina, but if he can get back to his freshman form — the Wolverines have a dynamic edge defender. Two seasons ago, Stewart was an All-Sun Belt first-team player and recorded 12.5 sacks, which ranked fifth in the country. Teams started to game plan against Stewart in his sophomore season and he recorded 3.5 sacks. With the Wolverines losing their top two sack rushers from a season ago, Michigan needs someone such as Stewart, Braiden McGregor, Jaylen Harrell or Derrick Moore to step up.

The other Michigan player Fornelli wrote is primed to have a breakout season is linebacker Ernest Hausmann.

Stewart isn’t the only impact defender the Wolverines plucked from the portal as they stayed in the Big Ten to land Ernest Hausmann from Nebraska. Hausmann fills a need at the position for Michigan. He played in 12 games as a freshman for Nebraska last season, finishing with 54 tackles, including two for a loss and a sack. The Wolverines are hopeful he can help fill the shoes of Michael Barrett. Also, while he’s not included in this list, we shouldn’t look past another Michigan transfer in offensive lineman Ladarius Henderson. Henderson comes with plenty of starting experience from his time at Arizona State and is looking to improve his draft stock with the Wolverines.

It appeared Michigan had too much depth at linebacker when Hausmann came over from Nebraska. The Wolverines return starters Junior Colson, Michael Barrett — yes he is back contrary to the excerpt — and Michigan was set to bring back Nikhai Hill-Green from injury. Sophomore Jimmy Rolder would figure to get more action this season as well. But with Hill-Green transferring to Charlotte, the addition of Hausmann is much bigger.

The Cornhuskers weren’t a good football team last season, but Hausmann getting a ton of action as a true freshman is valuable experience. His shining moment came against the Wolverines last season when he recorded 10 tackles and a sack.

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USA TODAY: Which Michigan football transfer is ranked in the top 10?

Look for him to make a big impact this season! #GoBlue

The new world of college football is recruiting, the transfer portal, and NIL (name, image, and likeness).

The cycle is never-ending.

Michigan football brought in one of the best transfer classes in the 2023 recruiting/transfer cycles. The Wolverines brought in some type-caliber offensive linemen, an experienced quarterback, starting-caliber linebackers, and a stud tight end.

Looking back to the 2023 transfer cycle, USA TODAY came out with the top 10 college football transfers for the 2023 football season.

At no. 7 Paul Myerberg marked Michigan linebacker/edge defender Josaiah Stewart. Stewart played his first two years at Coastal Carolina where he was a sack machine during his freshman season totaling 12.5 sacks. With the loss of Mike Morris from last season, Michigan will look to Stewart, Jaylen Harrell, and Braiden McGregor to fill the void and add production.

The Wolverines added another promising defensive transfer in former Nebraska linebacker Ernest Hausmann. But Stewart has a longer track record of production on the Group of Five level for the Chanticleers. As a freshman in 2021, he ranked fifth nationally with 12½ sacks and earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors. While his numbers dipped last season, he was still a second-team all-league pick.

According to MGoBlue, here are some of Stewart’s accomplishments prior to attending Michigan:

• Two-year letter winner at Coastal Carolina
• Appeared in 24 games with 17 starts (six at defensive end; 11 at buck linebacker)
• Program record-holder in single-season sacks (12.5, 2021)
• Freshman All-American (2021) by the FWAA, ESPN, 247Sports, The Athletic; honorable mention by Phil Steele
• Two-time All-Sun Belt (first team, 2021; second team, 2022)
• Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year semifinalist (2021)
• Totaled 17 starts in 25 games played with 79 tackles (36 solo) with 25.5 tackles for loss including 16.0 sacks, four forced fumbles and one pass breakup

Top-ranked outgoing Michigan transfer:

It’s worth noting the 10th-ranked player on Myerberg’s list — Cade McNamara.

Rounding out the top 10 list is former Michigan starting QB McNamara. He led the Wolverines to a Big Ten title, a win against Ohio State, and a College Football Playoff birth in 2021. But was unable to hold onto the starting job after J.J. McCarthty outplayed him last spring and during the first two regular season football games.

McNamara transferred to Iowa where he is projected to start and hopes to regain his 2021 form.

McNamara was the given the chance to hang onto the starting role in 2022 but lost an extended competition to J.J. McCarthy that drifted into the first two weeks of the regular season. As the starter in 2021, he threw for 2,576 yards and 15 touchdowns to help lead Michigan to a win against Ohio State, the Big Ten championship and a playoff berth. Even taking away the infectious confidence McNamara has brought to Iowa’s much-maligned offense, his skills and experience make him a drastic upgrade over what the Hawkeyes have used at quarterback the past several seasons.

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10 Michigan football players who impressed at the spring game

These guys really stood out on Saturday! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — There were several key players who didn’t play on Saturday during the annual spring game at Michigan Stadium.

But a number of new faces that could have key roles in the fall shined on Saturday. It was a unique experience for the newcomers playing in The Big House in an actual game setting with fans present.

The Maize squad took down Jay Harbaugh and his Blue team, 22-21. Mike Hart, who coached Maize, called a two-point play with 1:44 left on the clock and then stopped the opposition to win the game,

Wolverine Wire’s Trent Knoop was in the press box on Saturday to watch the game, and he shares which 10 players were most impressive for Michigan.

To note, this isn’t in any particular order, just 10 overall players.

Why Michigan coaches expect EDGE Braiden McGregor will be ‘dominant’

#Michigan is Edge Rush U! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Jesse Minter is hoping the next man up will be the next great Michigan football pass rusher. Generally in the Jim Harbaugh era, once a Wolverine EDGE moves onto the NFL — usually in the first three rounds of the draft — his replacement is of the same, if not better, caliber.

Harbaugh’s first two defensive ends, Taco Charlton and Chris Wormley, went in the first and third rounds, respectively. Rashan Gary and Chase Winovich, the same. Kwity Paye and Aidan Hutchinson were both first-rounders. David Ojabo was a second-rounder, but would have been in the first if it weren’t for a pro day Achilles injury. We’ll see where Mike Morris goes, but he’ll likely be a day two guy.

The next man up appears to be senior Braiden McGregor. McGregor had an ACL tear in his senior year of high school and when he finally got a chance to see the field his sophomore season, he was behind a lot of talent. He started coming on strong late last year, but now the Wolverines need him to step up and into a starting role.

Minter, the team’s defensive coordinator entering his second-year, says he has the capability of taking over a game, it’s just about consistency.

“Braiden McGregor, man, there’s a guy that when you talk about the process of development, everybody’s sometimes on a different trajectory,” Minter said. “They’re sometimes injury-related, confidence-related people-in-front-of-you-related. And so he’s had a career here, where — dealt with injuries, dealt with the No. 2 pick in the draft being in front of him, other guys.

“And so I think he’s trusted the process here, and he’s continued to develop at a really fast, high rate, especially coming off what he’s dealt with prior. So I’m really, really excited about Braiden, I think he has a chance to be a dominant player. And I think the challenge for him is he does it in spurts. And he knows this, and it’s to take over a game, and he has that capability. So I’m excited to see that happen.”

The other candidate to step up is Josaiah Stewart, the transfer from Coastal Carolina. Stewart had 12.5 sacks two seasons ago, but just 2.5 last year. Minter notes that he’s not quite the same type of edge rusher as the others on the roster, and is looking forward to see how he acclimates in the spring game and beyond.

“Josaiah is a tremendous addition, first of all, just from his personality and fit into the culture, the way he works, the way he attacks things,” Minter said. “It’s like he’s been here. So when that happened, you pick up a guy that, one, he practices really hard. He’s got a really unique skill set. He’s different than some of our edge rushers with his measurables. And so he’s a — just really excited about him and he’s had a productive spring. I think if he talked to some of our guys, they would say he’s stood out at times. And looking forward to seeing that on Saturday in more of a game environment, and also seeing that in the fall as well.”

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Signed: Michigan football signs transfer Josaiah Stewart

He sure can wrap up the QB! #GoBlue

Transfer Portal Ratings

Stars Overall Position
247Sports 4 #27 #2 edge
On3 4 #38 #3 edge

Vitals

Hometown Everett, Massachusetts
Projected Position Edge
Height 6-foot-2
Weight 235-pounds
High School Class 2021
Team Transferring From Coastal Carolina
HS 247Sports Composite Ranking 3-star (#748 prospect)
HS On3 Consensus Ranking 3-star (#935 prospect)

 

Years Of Eligibility

  • Two years

Projection at Michigan

  • Stewart is a sack machine and should see instant snaps for the Wolverines. If Michigan’s Mike Morris declares for the NFL draft, the maize and blue will need help to fill his spot.

Notes

  • 2021 Freshman All-American
  • Named to the 2021 All-Sun Belt first team
  • His 12.5 sacks led the Sun Belt, ranked fifth nationally, and were the most by a true freshman in all of FBS
  • His 12.5 sacks were also just one shy of the Sun Belt single-season record of 13.5 sacks.
  • Was named to the 2022 All-Sun Belt second team

Highlights

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