Tag: Mason Graham

Michigan football DT Mason Graham shoots down transfer rumors

There was never anything to any of this. #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — If you scour the internet, particularly social media, you often find rumors about players leaving their current program in favor of a newer, flashier one.

It’s the new era of college football, where name, image, and likeness mixed with the transfer portal have created a new atmosphere across the sport. A position coach or head coach leaves? There are rumors that the star players are leaving. A player emerges from obscurity? Well, get ready (via rumors) that they will seek out a new program.

As for Michigan football, ever since Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL, despite only losing one starting-caliber player to the transfer portal in backup safety Keon Sabb, there have been rumors that all of the star players are on their way out. These rumors are exacerbated by rival fan accounts that are doing more wishful thinking than anything.

Take star defensive tackle Mason Graham, who has been the subject of said rival fan rumors. Ever since Sherrone Moore was hired as the new head coach, Graham has been subjected to conjecture that he’ll eventually be headed elsewhere. However, WolverinesWire asked Graham about this gossip on Monday and he says that it couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Man, I just feel like there’s always going to be rumors,” Graham said. “Michigan’s where I want to be, Michigan’s where I’ve been for the past two years. I’m comfortable here, I wanted to stay with all the guys that we went through battles with. So that’s where it all came down to — the teammates I’ve played with. And the program’s in good hands with Coach Moore.”

A big reason why, as Graham suggests, he’s not looking around is due to the culture built in Ann Arbor over the past few years. Unlike other programs that have been built on being transactional in the new college football environment, the Wolverines have built a strong base culturally where players are more likely to stick things out due to the brotherhood as well as the expectations of the program. That may have appeared to have reached a nadir following the national championship, yet the players who remain (and haven’t departed via the NFL draft) insist that the culture has only gotten stronger.

Naturally, even openly debunking these rumors will add fodder for the rival fan bases that insist ‘the hammer is coming down’ and ‘all of Michigan’s players are transferring.’ But the likelihood of either happening is scant, at best.

PFF says Mason Graham would be the best DT in draft this year

He’s so freaking good. #GoBlue

When Michigan football dipped into Anaheim (Calif.) Servite to nab a then-three-star prospect in Mason Graham, it knew it had pulled off something of a coup.

The wrestler-turned-football star was somewhat off the radar, but it didn’t last long. After flipping from Boise State to the Wolverines, Graham started getting some attention from the recruiting services and ended up as a four-star prospect. And once he arrived on campus as an early enrollee, it was obvious he’d be an early contributor, and he made good on his potential by having a solid role as a backup in his freshman year.

But in year two, he truly shined. So much so that PFF believes that Graham is the best player at his position — right now, even going back to last year.

Graham has another year before he’s eligible for the NFL draft, but if he were able to have declared as a sophomore, PFF analyst Max Chadwick says that he could have been the first defensive tackle selected in April.

That’s pretty high praise. PFF does have him as the top returning defensive tackle across the sport with his frontline compatriot Kenneth Grant listed as the No. 7 returning DT. The duo was so dominant that otherwise well thought of interior linemen — such as Washington’s Joe Moore Award-winning group — looked pedestrian against them.

Michigan football players push back on sign stealing scandal before championship game

Why is this still even a question? #GoBlue

Every time you think the Michigan football sign-stealing narrative has come to a close, it manages to pull itself up by its bootstraps.

Despite Connor Stalions having not been with the program since late-October, the Wolverines have kept winning — even without Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines for the three toughest regular season games to end the season.

Many critics reversed course about the severity of the allegations after Michigan beat Ohio State, and many of the holdouts finally gave in after the maize and blue took down the Crimson Tide on Monday. However, that doesn’t mean the questions aren’t persisting.

On Wednesday morning, Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham was asked about how annoyed the players are that the narrative persists. Because as the players have insisted, the allegations negate all of the hard work and film study that the Wolverines do while they didn’t have any knowledge of any illegal scheme or anything pertaining to it.

“I’d kind of just start it off, more the allegations are coming on the defensive side of the ball,” Graham said. “I feel like we just kind of watch film and we get tendencies from other teams, just like Trevor (Keegan) was saying, and we kind of just pick up on it. I feel like we just have a high football IQ here at Michigan. We go over specific situations multiple times a week, just kind of learning more about the game every day, every meeting, just kind of just building that IQ and being starter football players all around so we pick up on things faster, even if it’s in-game adjustments.

“I think little stuff like that, film study really helped us this year.”

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy agrees.

The junior star noted that conventional sign stealing is legal and that Michigan’s changes on that front were in reaction to a rival having all of the Wolverines’ signals. Beyond that, McCarthy reiterated the team really goes all-in when it comes to watching film and preparation, and that it’s not peculiar for teams to take advantage of what other teams’ tendencies are based off film study.

“Yeah, and I also feel like it’s so unfortunate because there’s probably — I don’t want to say a crazy number, but I’d say a good number, 80% of the teams in college football steal signs. It’s just a thing about football. It’s been around for years,” McCarthy said. “We actually had to adapt because in 2020 or 2019 when Ohio State was stealing our signs, which is legal and they were doing it, we had to get up to the level that they were at, and we had to make it an even playing field.

“I just feel like it sucks, just because like Mason said, we do work our butts off. We do watch so much film and look for those little tendencies and spend like 10, 15 minutes on one clip alone just looking at all the little details of the posture, of the linebackers or the D-ends, the safeties off levels, the corner to the field is press but the corner to the boundary is off, little stuff like that where it’s like, you could say it’s all sign stealing, but there’s a lot more that goes into play, and a lot of stuff that gets masked, a lot of work that gets masked just because of the outside perception of what sign stealing is all about.”

Michigan football can put all of this full to rest on Monday if it can beat Washington in the national championship game in Houston.

The Rose Bowl just means more to Mason Graham, for a few reasons

It’s a homecoming for the #Michigan Star. #GoBlue

Mason Graham is finishing his sophomore season at Michigan. The impressive underclassman has posted 55 total tackles, five and a half sacks, and nine tackles for loss so far in his career. Graham has been a part of two Ohio State victories and two playoff runs. Of course, this also means that he was on the losing end of last year’s heartbreaking game against TCU.

Graham thinks this year has a different feel, however. “We’re taking the stuff from last year and kinda just fine-tuning everything,” Graham said. “Knowing the expectation of what it’s like to be here and what it means to play in this game.”

Graham and his fellow teammates who were a part of last year’s loss (or even the year before that as well) are out for blood this time around. The fact that the opponent is Alabama just makes the fruit sweeter as well.

In addition to the heightened stakes, this game strikes home for Graham because, well, it is home. Graham played his high school football for Southern California powerhouse Servite High School, whose campus is located less than 45 minutes away from Rose Bowl Stadium.

“It feels good,” Graham noted. “Just a lot of family, friends reaching out. Just excited to see me play in this game.”

Though Graham is originally from the area, he was not an avid watcher of the game. “I watched this game a few times, but I wasn’t like too tuned into it.”

Graham should finally be fully healthy for the matchup as well. He suffered a hand injury early in the year and has been playing with a cast for much of the season, but that will change against Alabama.

Pustell’s Pick: Who takes home MVP against Minnesota

One player stood above the rest last week! #GoBlue

Mason Graham wanted revenge. Not against Minnesota in particular, just against the world of football for keeping him out of two games with a hand injury.

It just so happened that the Gophers were stuck in the wake of his fury.

Graham, of course, had a terrific performance. He led the team with six tackles, registered a dominant sack, and had two crucial TFLs (one of which was against the opposing QB and could have counted as a second sack). Graham also contributed to the stat sheet. He was the lead blocker for Will Johnson’s touchdown and caused major issues for the Minnesota offensive line all night long.

More than Graham’s on-field dominance was the clarity that he is one of the team’s emotional leaders. It’s obvious that his teammates, offense or defense, look up to him as a spark plug. When things are going well, Graham is there to celebrate. When someone makes a mistake, Graham is there to encourage them. There are a number of players at Michigan who demonstrate these same traits, but the fact that Graham has accomplished such status as just a Sophomore is special.

So why not not anyone else? Firstly, I do not consider QBs for this award. If I did, McCarthy would almost default a victory barring a legacy performance elsewhere, or uncharacteristic mistakes. Johnson has a convincing case as well, but I felt that Graham provided a more consistent game-changing presence.

The expectation is that Graham will continue to be a dominant force up front, and should find himself in more of these articles as the season moves on.

Michigan football defender on opposing offenses: ‘We know at some point they’re gonna break’

As Joel Klatt often says nowadays, ‘Good luck with #Michigan!’ #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football’s starters haven’t even played much in the fourth quarter — and have often been out in the middle of the third. But that’s because they’ve not just done their jobs efficiently in the early going, but they’ve broken other teams’ wills.

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt likened the Wolverines to a boa constrictor, noting that they’ll squeeze the life out of a team. It was a notion that Minnesota head coach PJ Fleck echoed on Saturday.

So what is it about this Michigan team that wears out other teams? Do the players notice in-game? Sophomore defensive tackle Mason Graham says they do.

“Yeah, I just see, like, we wear and tear on them,” Graham said. “And as the game goes on, we know they can’t hang with us for four quarters. So you know at some point they’re gonna break.”

While many thought that the Wolverines would look like Jim Harbaugh’s Stanford and San Francisco 49ers teams in a hurry, it took a little longer for the maize and blue to become a reflection of their head coach. But in the last three years, it’s been evident that this is, indeed, a team that squeezes the life out of their opponents.

Graham says that they’re just a reflection of their head coach, his philosophy, and his in-game demeanor. And that’s why we’re seeing teams tapping out early every game.

“I feel like that’s something that Coach Harbaugh preaches,” Graham said. “I feel like that’s the motto of our team, something he always leans on. So just I feel like that’s reflected on us.”

One of the reasons that the maize and blue have been so good on that front is conditioning. Anyone near the program will sing the praises of strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert unabated. But the Wolverines’ physicality also has to do with how the team prepares each week on the field, as physical practices against some of the best players in the nation help prepare the team to outwork their opponent every week.

“Yeah, I mean, Coach Harbaugh, he says the best way to get better is playing football. So that’s really what we do here,” Graham said. “We do it in practice, we do it all the time. So, reps and reps and we’re gonna get the best of the best so it just gets us ready for all the games.”

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.

Mason Graham details injury that had him miss two Michigan football games

The beast that is Mason Graham can play through whatever you throw at him! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It was something of a surprise three weeks ago when Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham was a scratch from the Rutgers game in Week 4. After missing two games, he returned to action in Week 6 at Minnesota and thrived.

Despite having missed the time and having a ‘club’ — a large cast — on his left hand, Graham led the team with six tackles, a sack, and two tackles for loss against the Gophers.

On Tuesday, Graham said that the club is, indeed, an impediment, but eager to get onto the field, he was willing to play through the pain.

“Obviously, I felt limited. But you’ve just got to do it,” Graham said. “You got to do it is what it is. Just trying to get more comfortable every day in practice so I can be more comfortable in the games.”

With a wrestling background, Graham knew he could play through the pain. But what happened? What is his injury exactly?

Graham says that he got hurt in Week 3 against Bowling Green, and immediately had to come out of the game.

“Yeah, I knew, like I came off the field. And my hand was throbbing and I knew something was wrong,” Graham said. “Just went to the trainers and then shortly after the game, checked it out, checked up on it, and then took some X-rays and found out (I had a) broken thumb.”

He hopes to back to full strength in a couple of weeks. And, while he’s wearing his club, he has no pain — it’s just to protect him from furthering any damage as he heals.

On Monday, his fellow defensive tackle Cam Goode joked that he also wanted a club because Graham could use it as a weapon. However, Graham says that has not been his intent, and it’s not how he’s played with it on.

“I don’t know, some people always come up to me are like, ‘Do you hit people with it?'” Graham said. “I’m like, ‘I try not to I just try to play as if I would have two hands still.’ Just not thinking about it so I could just play freely.”

Fans will get their next chance to see Graham in action on Saturday when Michigan football hosts Indiana for a noon game on Fox.

5 takeaways from Michigan football’s win over Minnesota

What a win! #GoBlue

It wasn’t ever in question, not for a moment.

Michigan stormed into the Gophers’ home and retained possession of the most important jug in all of football. Michigan dominated in a 52-10 performance that showed the college football world the Wolverines have a very strong case to be ranked first nationally.

The result was expected, but dominant wins will always feel good. Every part of the game was humming soundly. The passing attack hit its shots, all three backs looked good and the defense put on another great performance.

Let’s take a look at five things Wolverine fans can take away from Saturday’s win.

Jim Harbaugh addresses Mason Graham injury timeline

Good news in here. #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — If you tuned into Michigan football’s Week 4 contest against Rutgers, you may have been confused to not see starting defensive tackle Mason Graham not out there.

Hours before the game, the Wolverines released, via the Big Ten, their injury report, and Graham was reported as out. When he arrived with the team, he had some sort of protective covering or cast on his left wrist and hand area.

Regardless of Graham’s unavailability, it was a big news day for the maize and blue, with Jim Harbaugh returning to the sidelines after his three-game suspension, along with cornerback Will Johnson and safety Rod Moore getting back into the game after not playing previous to Saturday (Johnson played one series in Week 2).

RELATED: Things you may not have known about the win over Rutgers, ‘Cool Jim’ is now Jim Harbaugh’s alter ego

After the game, Harbaugh addressed those who returned from injury and also downplayed the severity of Graham’s seeming banging up.

“Maybe you thought me, Will and Rod Moore, we’re on a milk carton somewhere, you couldn’t find it, but we’ve been found!” Harbaugh said. “And we’re back playing. And great player, Mason Graham. should only be out for maybe another week and then he’ll be back. But I thought guys really stepped up without him there. I knew (Kenneth Grant) would have a big game. It’s awesome.”

While Graham appears to be unavailable for the upcoming game, next, Michigan football will travel to Nebraska to take on the Huskers. The game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast on Fox. He should, if he stays on schedule, be eligible to return for another road game, that time at Minnesota.

Additionally, Mike Sainristl hobbled to the medical tent near the end of the game, but he said afterwards that he’s fully healthy still and available for the next game.