Tag: Kwity Paye

Opinion: Wisconsin’s most likely loss this regular season

After looking through the updated Big Ten only schedule for this season, there appears to only be one real test for the Wisconsin Badgers this year, the Michigan Wolverines. Michigan was not the powerhouse that it has tried to be last season because injuries, as well as a lack of depth at key positions, caused the Wolverines to finish the season at a mediocre 6-3. 

After looking through the updated Big Ten only schedule for this season, there appears to only be one real test for the Wisconsin Badgers this year, the Michigan Wolverines. Michigan was not the powerhouse that it has tried to be last season because injuries, as well as a lack of depth at key positions, caused the Wolverines to finish the season at a mediocre 6-3. 

With an entire offseason to get healthy on both sides of the ball, Michigan can return to pushing for the number one spot in the Big Ten East behind perennial powerhouse Ohio State. This season, the Wolverines will be returning Dylan McCaffrey from injury to be the future of this team that has been talked about since his commitment. McCaffrey is an excellent dual-threat quarterback, that with the right weapons, could be one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten this season behind Tanner Morgan and Justin Fields. 

Luckily, McCaffrey will have Ronnie Bell returning this season as well. Last year, Bell had a solid season filling in for the injured Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tarik Black, despite the insecurity at the quarterback position over the course of the season. He earned 758 yards and one touchdown with an outstanding average of 15.9 yards per catch in 2019. Bell can be a threat downfield and in the return game this season against Wisconsin. 

On the defensive side of the ball, Michigan will also be returning two of the top defensive lineman in the Big Ten in Aiden Hutchinson and Kwity Paye. These two are also ranked highly nationally and could provide matchup problems for the inexperienced Wisconsin offensive line this season. Another player returning for Michigan is defensive back Ambry Thomas, who is a favorite by many to be First-Team All-Big Ten this season. Thomas had a great year last year with 30 solo tackles, two fumble recoveries, three interceptions, and three pass deflections and will likely continue to improve in his senior season. 

Michigan is losing a lot of talent at wide receiver this season because of the transfer of Tarik Black to Texas and the loss of Donovan Peoples-Jones to the NFL, but the return of much of this team from injury will make Michigan the biggest threat to Wisconsin next year. The Wolverines have a stout defense with a scheme that has shut down the running attack of the Badgers in the past, and if Dylan McCaffrey can efficiently lead the offense with Ronnie Bell and Zach Charbonnet, this team could give Wisconsin a run for its money at “The Big House” in September.  

Two Wolverines make The Athletic’s 2020 ‘freaks’ list, with one at the very top

Two Wolverines made the annual breakdown, including one Michigan DE who came out as the No. 1 player on the list.

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Make no mistake about it: Michigan has talent on its roster. And while stargazers tend to prioritize the five-star recruits over all, sometimes, it’s the less heralded that end up becoming stars.

Such is the case for one Wolverine who came to Ann Arbor as a lowly-rated three-star recruit who now tops The Athletic‘s annual ‘Football Freaks’ list as compiled by writer Bruce Feldman. ($)

Hailing from Rhode Island — not exactly a powerhouse state of athletic talent — Kwity Paye was the fourth-lowest rated recruit that the Wolverines brought in during the 2017 recruiting cycle. When he committed, swaths of Michigan fans questioned who he was and why the maize and blue would take a chance on but a lowly three-star while they were building a Top 5 class nationally.

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Fast forward to today, and Paye isn’t just a returning starter on the defensive line. He’s the top-rated player of the 50 that Feldman picked as the freakiest athletes in all of college football heading into the 2020 season.

1. Kwity Paye, Michigan, defensive end

Freakiest attribute: Speed in the 3-cone drill

The Wolverines have a few special athletes on their defensive line (Aidan Hutchinson also possesses impressive agility for his size), but the 6-4, 271-pound Paye (50 tackles, 12.5 for loss, 6.5 sacks) has generated a lot of buzz among the NFL scouting community for some remarkable wheels. He clocked the second-best 3-cone time on the team at a blistering 6.37 seconds, which would have topped anyone at the 2020 combine. Paye’s 40 is also moving at 4.57, with a solid 34-inch vertical and 30 reps on the bench press. Paye’s 40 time and 4.15 pro shuttle time are better than any D-lineman or edge player who tested at the 2020 combine. His 11.3 time in the 60-yard shuttle is also elite.

Paye, a former high school running back who reported to Ann Arbor at 228 pounds, was a member of a state championship 4×100 meter relay team in high school and also won a state title in the long jump, going 21 feet, 5 inches as a junior. He has a rare blend of strength, control and balance and his change of direction is probably even better than former Wolverine Freak Rashan Gary.

He’s not the only Wolverine to make the list, however.

Another player was selected by Feldman, but it’s one that Michigan fans have been excited about since day one. And we’re only starting to recently see his potential.

We’re talking about WR Nico Collins, who opted to return for his senior year, following a season where he came down with most passes thrown his way — or was on the receiving end of a defensive pass interference call.

Given that offensive coordinator Josh Gattis posted about Collins’ speed this offseason during winter conditioning, big things are in store for the senior wideout if he has a quarterback that can put the ball in his vicinity.

47. Nico Collins, Michigan, wide receiver

Freakiest attribute: Agility

Josh Gattis has produced a bunch of big-time receivers over the past decade, and Collins is the latest in the pipeline. Last season the Alabama native caught 37 passes for 729 yards with a team-leading seven touchdowns and 19.7 yards per catch. The 6-4, 222-pound senior is a very dynamic athlete, running the 40 in the 4.4s, and his coached rave about his toughness and body control.

While some schools boast more than two selections — Penn State has four — it should be noted that rival Ohio State, for all of the talk of superior talent, also had two players make the list: currently injured running back Master Teague and defensive tackle Tommy Togiai.

Michigan defensive lineman Kwity Paye working to “install” hate of Ohio State in Wolverine program

Michigan defensive lineman Kwity Payne is working to install more hatred towards Ohio State within the Wolverine program. Good luck.

It doesn’t take very long to find out which side of the Ohio State/Michigan football rivalry has a better mindset to get the upper hand. It is well-chronicled how much the Buckeyes work on That Team Up North to instill hatred, yet respect for Michigan. From dedicating time to the Wolverines at every practice, to a countdown clock to The Game, to putting the Block M on punching bags and other things, there’s no doubt which game is the biggest on the schedule.

That hasn’t necessarily been the case in Ann Arbor. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has embraced the rivalry and identified it as the biggest on the schedule, but there hasn’t been a whole lot of things put in place to give the Wolverines a psychological boost.

And the numbers show it.

You’ve heard the numbers. Ohio State has beaten Michigan eight straight times and won 15 of the last 16. That’s more than domination, it’s outright owning the opponent like a cheap timeshare.

So, what is Michigan doing about it? According to defensive lineman Kwity Payne, he’s working hard to install a hatred of Ohio State. While speaking with Jon Jansen on the “In the Trenches” podcast, Payne agreed that there needs to be a mindset change within the Michigan program. It’s all courtesy of our sister site Wolverines Wire.

“That’s something that we’ve talked about,” Paye said. “Some of the team leaders on the defense – just enforcing that hate a lot more. Every time I turn on that game, I feel like at times – we hate them, but I feel like we have to enforce – we have to install it like freshmen coming in, we have to install it. ‘We hate those guys.’ There can’t (be) no, ‘Oh, my boy goes to that school so I’m –’ No – hate off of that. So just enforcing that to go into their brain. Watching game tape every single day on them. Making sure that we know all of their plays. Making sure we watch past games. Just making sure we’re (prepared).

To be fair, we’ve heard a lot of this type of talk before, but if anything, there’s been regression on how prepared the Michigan team is when it plays Ohio State under Jim Harbaugh. There’s no doubt the mindset needs to change and match what’s going on in Columbus, but it’s more than that.

The folks up in Michigan — most especially Jim Harbaugh — don’t want to admit a gap in talent, but the scores, film, recruiting classes, and players being selected the NFL draft suggest otherwise.

Keep on trying Michigan. At least there’s an understanding that something needs to change. Then again, giving up 118 points over the last two seasons to your arch-rival will tend to do that.

 

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What Michigan is doing to prevent COVID-19 in voluntary workouts

Senior defensive end Kwity Paye shares how extensive U-M’s precautions are, and what he and the team are doing to prepare for the season.

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This offseason has been different, to say the least. With the novel coronavirus changing the way the world operates, it’s affected everything, from bars and restaurants to hair and nail salons to the entirety of the sports world.

The football community, despite being a fall sport, hasn’t been immune, whatsoever.

For Michigan, less than a week before spring ball was set to begin, it was canceled on account of the pandemic. Players eventually made their way to wherever they call home, working out while taking classes remotely. Some remained in Ann Arbor and worked out together with significant constraints, but it certainly wasn’t business as usual.

The team is now back together for voluntary workouts, once again allowed to participate in conditioning activities and player-led walkthroughs in Ann Arbor. However, there are still some significant changes compared to what is usually transpiring in Schembechler Hall.

Senior defensive end Kwity Paye joined Jon Jansen on the In the Trenches podcast this week, and shared just how stringent the preventative measures that are being taken are.

“When we first get into Schem, we have to go through the new inside of Schem,” Paye said. “Once we get there, we have to get our temperature checked and we have to fill out a survey every day to make sure we’re not experiencing any symptoms. Once we do that, we walk in, get our stuff from our lockers and go change. Once you do that, you can never come back from where you came, so you continue in a forward line. So once you get your stuff and change in the locker room, you can’t go back to the locker room – you can’t back through the front way. You have to go back through the locker room, enter onto the field and then you go train and stuff like that. Make sure you wash your hands before you touch any doors, before you touch any bottles, stuff like that.

“It’s good – our guys are doing a very great job of keeping us safe, making sure we’re wearing masks everywhere we go in the building. Just making sure we’re not spreading or contracting the virus in any way.”

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Of course, it’s not just the players who have to take extra steps to ensure they don’t contract COVID-19.

The strength and conditioning staff are taking preventative measures of their own.

“All of the strength coaches have to wear their masks,” Paye said. “If they want to come and spot us or anything, they have to put on an additional head gear equipment that prevents any germs, stuff like that. They have to put on extra layers to really, really prevent (transmission). If you break it down, chemicals, when you touch each other, it breaks down when we’re at rest or whatever. (We stay) six feet apart.”

Paye is relieved to see Michigan taking the matter so seriously. He notes that other programs have had 20-30 positives in some cases, whereas the Wolverines had but two, both whom were asymptomatic.

For the maize and blue, they’re strongly anticipating a 2020 football season, thus, the players are doing everything possible to ensure that, on their part, one can happen.

That means no parties, no congregating, while taking every possible precaution 100% of the time.

“I feel really comfortable walking into the building and leaving the building,” Paye said. “I feel like our guys are doing a great job of keeping everyone safe because we really want a season this year. We told our boys from the jump: ‘People are gonna start coming back to campus and people are gonna want to have fun, but we just have to keep away from all that, because we have a season to prepare for and we don’t want any setbacks. So, make sure you’re staying smart, practice social distancing. Wherever you go, make sure you wear your mask and just stay safe.’ As far as in the building, those guys are doing a great job of getting in and making sure we’re gonna have a season.”

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With new faces in rotation, Kwity Paye expects DL to be ‘phenomenal’ in 2020

Senior Kwity Paye shares who he thinks will be ready to take a massive step forward in the upcoming season.

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Entering last season, one of the big questions was how a new look defensive line would look under a brand new position coach in Ann Arbor.

It answered the call, exceeding many’s expectations, but things reset year-to-year. Despite returning Shaun Nua as the D-line coach and three of four starters, without an obvious 3-technique defensive tackle now that Michael Dwumfour has transferred to Rutgers for his fifth-year, questions return.

However, if you ask senior end Kwity Paye, there’s no question. The line is going to be good, if not great.

Asked about the state of the defensive line by Jon Jansen on the In the Trenches podcast, Paye shared why he’s enthusiastic about the group, including one who he anticipates to be the new starter in the middle.

“I think our D-line is gonna be phenomenal this year,” “We got Chris Hinton – he started some games last year – but I feel like he’s coming into his own. Being a true freshman as a 3-tech that’s nothing easy, being in the trenches. I feel like him having experience last year and coming into his own this year, he’ll step up big time. Me and Aidan off the edge – arguably the best duo in the country. So we’re just gonna come back and do our thing.

“Carlo Kemp, a leader on the D-line, he’s gonna come in and give it all he got. You saw last year, he played most games injured. There were some days where he was struggling to walk but he still a leader and wanted to come into the game. He gave it his all.”

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But it’s not just the starting caliber players that Paye is eager to see.

Though he never got the glimpse he had hoped to get with spring ball, as it was canceled less than a week before it was set to begin due to the coronavirus pandemic, there are a lot of fresh faces that Paye anticipates will take a massive step forward in 2020. Some are names that have been discussed — at WolverinesWire, we’ve been anxious to see Luiji Vilain take the field, while players midseason often mentioned freshman David Ojabo as coming along nicely. While others he mentions are relatively newer names.

“I’m so excited for our D-line, because we have some ballers behind us,” Paye said. “We’ve got Luiji Vilain, we’ve got (David) Ojabo who’s gonna come off – an athletic freak. Gabe (Newburg)’s huge! I don’t know what he was doing down there in quarantine, but I seen Gabe yesterday and he was just huge. Oh my God! I’m excited for our guys. Mazi Smith. Phill (Paea).

“I feel like with spring ball being lost, it was kind of a bummer, because I was excited for those guys to shine and get some more reps and work on their craft a little bit more. But we’re gonna start a player-led something soon, so we’ll catch them up.”

If the season goes on as scheduled, Michigan football fans will be able to get a glimpse of the revamped defensive line come Sept. 5, when the Wolverines travel to Seattle to take on Washington.

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Kwity Paye: ‘We have to install’ hate in younger players against Ohio State

Why the Wolverines senior DE is excited about playing Wisconsin and Penn State and what he intends to do to build U-M toward beating OSU.

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Should it take place without a hitch — or few relatively few hitches — the 2020 football season for the maize and blue somewhat resembles the 2018 season.

A tough road game against a Power Five team to open up the season (in 2018 it was Notre Dame, this year it’s Washington), a gauntlet in the middle of the season against Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan State — with a road game against Minnesota thrown on the end for good measure this time around. Then, as always, the regular season finale against Ohio State — with this year’s edition being at The Horseshoe in Columbus.

Sounds daunting, right? Not if you ask Kwity Paye, as Jon Jansen did on the In the Trenches podcast.

The senior defensive end didn’t flat come out and call it a revenge tour or anything inflammatory as to rile up his future opponents as Chase Winovich had in 2018. However, he did intimate that he’s looking for one thing: payback.

“I’m excited for them!” Paye said. “I’m really excited for them, because those are considered our biggest competition this year – them and that game at the end of the season. I’m just excited for us to go out and play those guys, be able to get back Wisconsin and Penn State for my last year. It’s gone back and forth with those schools, Penn State and Wisconsin since I’ve been here. Hopefully we’ll end up on a good note my senior year against those teams.

“And we got Minnesota as well. They played extremely well last year. That’s a really good team. I’m excited to play those guys as well.”

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While that’s a tough stretch, there’s one game that matters above all else — Ohio State.

After another brutal loss at the hands of the Buckeyes last year, OSU quarterback Justin Fields said he didn’t feel like the Wolverines wanted the win enough, that it meant more to the school in Columbus. He may have been right, Paye says, given the disparity in preparation between the two institutions for one another.

Ohio State ingrains its hatred of Michigan in ‘team up north drills‘ a series of fanatical drills after practice that make sure that, like Manchurian Candidates, those who don’t get the rivalry early, come to hate all things maize and blue by the time the regular season finale comes around.

While Michigan doesn’t have countdown clocks or other artificial psych-up material within Schembechler Hall, Paye says it’s time that the true freshmen learn much earlier to hate the team to the south, that it doesn’t matter if you have friends in scarlet and grey — that’s over. Additionally, he’s ready to put his money where his mouth is and work to be über-prepared for the Nov. 28 matchup once it comes along.

“That’s something that we’ve talked about,” Paye said. “Some of the team leaders on the defense – just enforcing that hate a lot more. Every time I turn on that game, I feel like at times – we hate them, but I feel like we have to enforce – we have to install it like freshmen coming in, we have to install it. ‘We hate those guys.’ There can’t (be) no, ‘Oh, my boy goes to that school so I’m –’ No – hate off of that. So just enforcing that to go into their brain. Watching game tape every single day on them. Making sure that we know all of their plays. Making sure we watch past games. Just making sure we’re (prepared).

“After every Saturday when we’re done with our game, I’m turning on a TV to watch Ohio State to make sure to see what they’re doing every single Saturday.”

Regardless, it’s a step in the right direction, especially coming from a senior leader on the team.

It all starts Sept. 5 at Washington.

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Power Ranking: Michigan football future NFL draft potential

Where we envision the current crop of Wolverines to be drafted as of today if not much changes between now and next year.

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The 2020 NFL Draft is firmly in the rearview, but that means we can start taking a look towards the 2021 draft for the potential of those currently on the Michigan team.

The Wolverines had a tied second-best haul this past April, sending 10 players to the league — behind only LSU, who had 14. Could 2021 see even more of the maize and blue hear their name called by Commissioner Roger Goodell?

It’s certainly possible, even though Michigan is reloading on both sides of the ball. But, one could argue, that Jim Harbaugh is building a program more adept at sending more players to the pros.

So, we took all of the starter-quality players — and a likely starter, hence we’re not prognosticating a quarterback or a player who’s not the obvious winner at his position — who are entering their third year or beyond to estimate as of right now where they could go in the 2021 NFL Draft.

It’s a feature we very well could update during the season as it progresses.

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Future NFL draft Power Rankings:

1. Jalen Mayfield

Unsurprisingly, the top guy we picked is the one that ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. foresees as a future first-round draft pick.

2019 was Mayfield’s first year as a starter, but he already has the body to be an NFL caliber tackle, and he’s shown his prowess on the offensive line, helping contain Ohio State’s No. 2 pick overall in Chase Young in The Game this past November.

Linemen from either side of the ball from Michigan are more likely to be early-round picks, as evidenced by some of the latest first-round picks in the Jim Harbaugh era: Cesar Ruiz, Rashan Gary and Taco Charlton. Yes, Jabrill Peppers and Devin Bush Jr. were also first-rounders, but when you also look at the other early rounds, that’s where we’ve seen players like Josh Uche, Chase Winovich and Chris Wormley picked.

Given his upside and the fact that he’s only played one year as a starter and is looked at so highly at this juncture, Mayfield has the ability to potentially capitalize on an early departure if predictions hold true.

Where we see him as of now?

We’re going with Kiper and slating him as a first-round pick if he does choose to leave early, assuming he continues his level of play in 2020.

NEXT: An early-round wide receiver off the board?

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Don Brown: Michigan veterans, young and old, stepping into leadership roles

There’s a fringe benefit to the pandemic, in that the Wolverines are finding more leadership from players younger and older.

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Things have been different across the country beyond as far as college football is concerned. But the college game was just starting to ramp up for spring ball as the coronavirus pandemic hit, which changed the game considerably.

Instead of players getting their chance as returning starters, new starters or vying for a bigger role than they had previously, they were relegated to their homes. Meetings moved from the Schembechler Hall meeting rooms and the field at the Al Glick Fieldhouse, everything has taken place this spring in the confines of players’ own homes. So there’s been something of an adjustment.

However, it’s not all negative.

Don Brown discussed the adjustments with Jon Jansen on the In the Trenches podcast released on Tuesday, and noted that given that the system has remained mostly the same, it’s allowed with a strong level of familiarity. Thus, as they’ve made their usual set of changes that comes with every offseason, the younger players have benefitted from the tutelage of the upperclassmen.

There’s a reason why this is a great situation for Michigan right now.

“I also think another feature for us, and I’m certainly telling our guys, is we’ve been in this system for four years and obviously we’re tweaking it every year to a certain degree,” Brown said. “But at least in the commonality, our guys really know it. More importantly, our upperclassmen know it like the back of their hand so they’re able to work with the young guys and teach them the concepts. Because obviously, the best leadership comes from within.”

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So who’s been stepping up as leaders?

Most of the names aren’t particularly surprising. Of course, Carlo Kemp is one of them, given that he was a team captain a year ago. But it’s not just the fifth-year types or the seniors who are taking the mantle.

Brown notes a couple of younger players who have also worked to help the younger players along.

“The nice thing is you don’t have to lean on (the upperclassmen),” Brown said. “That’s happening on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis. You mention Kwity, you mention Carlo – Aidan Hutchinson is another guy that comes to mind up front. We have Josh Ross, but we also have a veteran in Cam McGrone now who knows the concepts well. So that’s a big help.

“And then on the back end, Ambry Thomas, who’s just such a solid leader. Brad Hawkins. Daxton Hill a year older. Vincent Gray a year older. We feel like we can hit the ground running as long as our conditioning allows us to.”

This offseason, as mentioned by Josh Gattis to Jon Jansen, Michigan also brought in a Navy SEAL captain who’s worked with the team to help enhance their leadership capabilities.

As Brown said, ‘the best leadership comes from within.’ Despite ‘leaders and best’ being in the fight song, a renewed energy as such might be the one thing that Michigan had been missing.

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Why Josh Uche thinks Michigan’s defense ‘is in great hands’

Why the former Wolverine is confident in the Michigan defense this upcoming season, noting two players that will make the difference.

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Michigan’s defense doesn’t have to completely retool in 2020, with six returning starters coming back. But, it will certainly have something of a new look.

Gone are players such as Josh Uche, Lavert Hill, Michael Dwumfour, Jordan Glasgow, Khaleke Hudson and Josh Metellus. But there’s a lot of returning experience, from Cam McGrone, Ambry Thomas, Carlo Kemp and more.

But, as Uche tells it at the NFL Scouting Combine, a lot of the defensive success this upcoming season under Don Brown’s tutelage starts up front, and it starts with pressure from the returning defensive ends.

“I feel like there’s gonna be some new changes in terms of how (they) run things and stuff like that,” Uche said. “You got Kwity Paye and you got Aidan Hutchinson. You know, they call themselves ‘salt and pepper!’

“You’re in great hands. You got Cam McGrone, you got Brad Hawkins there at safety. You got Ambry Thomas at corner. You guys got a lot of guys coming back. Vince Gray. You guys are in great hands. The defense is in great hands.”

Hutchinson had to come back for another year, regardless, but Paye had a decision to make. It didn’t take long for him to decide that he was returning for another year, however.

But with Hutchinson in particular, Uche thinks that, no matter when he decided to come out for the NFL Draft, whether it be this upcoming year or the next, he’ll have cemented himself as one of the best to ever do it.

He had high praise for both, but singled out Hutchinson’s maturity and talent as a big factor.

“They just matured a lot — especially Aidan,” Uche said. “With someone, especially as young as he is, he’s just mature. He doesn’t act his age, he acts a lot older, like he’s been there before. But I’m not saying — he still has some growing to do. And he’s just one helluva player, man. I can’t — I think he’s gonna be a first-round pick when it’s all said and done. He’s one hell of a player.”

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Watch the segment below:

Michigan football defense grades from the 2019 season

Michigan football ended its 2019 season 9-4. The defense wasn’t as good as year’s past but was better than most projected. How’d they do?

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2019 was a big year for Michigan’s defensive coordinator Don Brown. He has lost talented players before and simply reloaded, but this year was tougher. A lot of new players would start for him, and with two new defensive coaches underneath him, after both linebackers coach Al Washington and defensive line coach Greg Mattison left for Ohio State. Harbaugh would bring in Anthony Campanile from Boston College to coach the linebackers, and Shaun Nua from Arizona State to coach the defensive line.

The 2019 Michigan football defense was better than most people projected. Headed into the season Brown’s group wasn’t getting the respect they deserved. Even with new starters across the board and new coaches, they still had loads of talent and deserved to be a top-10 defense.

The defense would see new starters at every level. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson would get to start after waiting for his turn. Linebacker Khaleke Hudson sought out to redeem his poor 2018 season. Cornerback Lavert Hill would be the top cornerback alongside Ambry Thomas and Vincent Gray. Michigan would also get to see five-star freshman safety Daxton Hill debut.

Special Teams even had an interesting battle at kicker between Quinn Nordin and Jake Moody as last season ended with a debacle between who would start.

While the defense did better than expected, in the end, it just wasn’t enough as they couldn’t slow down the offenses of Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Alabama. They were given a tough challenge of Army early on in the season too and needed double overtime to take down the Black Knights

With that said, it’s time to review how each position, including head coach and coordinators, did in the 2019 season. I already broke down the offense earlier as it’s the defenses turn to get graded on their performance.

Defensive Line: C

Michigan’s defensive ends would see some new faces start for them. Aidan Hutchinson would be one of them and his sophomore season was a good one, finishing with 69 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, six pass deflections, three and a half sacks, and three forced fumbles. His partner in crime, and the other new starting defensive end, was Kwity Paye, who finished the season with 50 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and six and a half sacks.

While the ends were performing well, the defensive tackles are where Michigan had some trouble creating pressure. Carlo Kemp would be one of the starters and finished with 40 total tackles, four and a half tackles for loss, two sacks, and a fumble recovery. Michael Dwumfour would be playing through an injury for most of the season according to Dwumfour, and his play was affected greatly, finishing with just nine total tackles, two pass deflections, one and a half tackles for loss and just half a sack in the seven games he played in.

The depth behind the players wasn’t as rich as years past. Defensive tackle Chris Hinton would play in Dwumfours absence and didn’t have much production either, finishing with just 10 total tackles and half a tackle for loss. Defensive end Mike Danna, a transfer from Central Michigan, would play and help out with his veteran presence, finishing with 38 total tackles, three tackles for loss, three sacks, and a forced fumble. Defensive end Luiji Vilan would finally see the field after missing two seasons with injuries, and he had seven total tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, and a forced fumble this year.

Linebacker: B
Josh Uche would continue to build himself up for the NFL, finishing the season with 33 total tackles, 10.5 tackle for loss, team-high seven and a half sacks, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble, and a pass deflection. Devin Gil saw a step back in playtime, only appearing in six games and finishing with nine total tackles and a half a tackle for loss.
The biggest thing about the group this year was the emergence of Cam McGrone. Josh Ross was starting before him and finished the year with 18 total tackles in just three games before getting injured. McGrone stepped in for Ross and ever since then Ross hasn’t seen the field, despite being healthy enough to play. McGrone finished the year with 65 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, two and a half sacks, one forced fumble, and a pass deflection.
Cornerback: B-

Michigan got a boost for its secondary this year with Lavert Hill deciding to return for his senior year last year, and it ended up being the right choice in the end. Hill finished the year with 16 total tackles, nine pass deflections, three interceptions, and a tackle for loss. While it wasn’t an eye-popping season, he still overall played well.

The real star was Ambry Thomas, who overcame colitis in August, after not knowing when he’d return, and had a huge sophomore season, finishing with 38 total tackles, three tackles for loss, three pass deflections, and three interceptions, along with two fumble recoveries. With Thomas moving up to second-string, Vincent Gray would be moved up to third and overall had a quiet season. He finished with 20 total tackles, five pass deflections, and a tackle and a half for loss.

Safety: B-

Safety Josh Metellus made the right choice in returning to Michigan in 2019 for his senior year also, as he had a career-high 74 total tackles this season, along with five pass deflections, four tackles for loss, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery. Brad Hawkins was his original starting partner, finishing the season with 53 total tackles, and a pass deflection. An injury to Hawkins would force him to miss some time, but in the meantime, his playing time would get reduced due to five-star freshman Daxton Hill taking over in his absence.

Hill had an interesting year. While he would start the year on special teams, with Hawkins injury he moved towards defense and his role at safety. While Hill didn’t blow up the stat sheet like many were hoping for, along with showing signs of being a freshman, he was able to impress during his playtime. He had 36 total tackles, three pass deflections, two fumble recoveries, and an interception.

Now onto the special teams and coaching…
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