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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- This offseason, Michigan football brought in a lot of help via the transfer portal, with both sides of the ball getting attention. Though the offense needs more work than the defense, the depth of the defensive side of the ball has been certainly bolstered -- even at positions of strength.
Take the linebacker position. The Wolverines return both starters from last year, as well as all of the reserves. Then you still have emerging linebackers like Cole Sullivan, and freshman Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, who very well could see the field in year one.
Regardless, Michigan added former four-star Troy Bowles, son of Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles, who started his career at Georgia. Senior starter, Ernest Hausmann, knows what it's like to transfer (as he started his career at Nebraska before coming to Ann Arbor in 2023) and he's liked what he's seen from Bowles thus far.
"He's done a really great job," Hausmann said. "He's been always in the room, working out, he's been really hard working out as well. We're impressed with him in just terms of just the maturity, coming to a transfer program, for him, him and me, being able to share the same experience doing that. So, he's been really great -- head down, asks questions."
Aside from safety, there's perhaps no position group as deep for the Wolverines as defensive line, and even there, the maize and blue strengthened the room.
Unlike at linebacker, the defensive line group lost two likely first-round tackles in Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, as well as edge rusher Josaiah Stewart. Though Rayshaun Benny, Trey Pierce, Ike Iwuannah, and Enow Etta all return (and they stood out in the bowl game against Alabama), the Wolverines added two key pieces in former Clemson tackle Tré Williams and former five-star Damon Payne, who spent the entirety of his career in Tuscaloosa.
Senior TJ Guy might play on the outside, but he's loved what he's seen from the two incoming defensive tackles, noting he's paid attention to what they've done in winter conditioning and even watched what they're capable of on tape.
"In the weight room, they're dogs," Guy said. "And they look the part. They look really talented. I watched their film. Their film's really good. So I think they're going to be very valuable for us. We're going to be very deep and talented this year."
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan veterans dish on Troy Bowles, Tré Williams and Damon Payne
Continue reading...
Take the linebacker position. The Wolverines return both starters from last year, as well as all of the reserves. Then you still have emerging linebackers like Cole Sullivan, and freshman Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, who very well could see the field in year one.
Regardless, Michigan added former four-star Troy Bowles, son of Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles, who started his career at Georgia. Senior starter, Ernest Hausmann, knows what it's like to transfer (as he started his career at Nebraska before coming to Ann Arbor in 2023) and he's liked what he's seen from Bowles thus far.
"He's done a really great job," Hausmann said. "He's been always in the room, working out, he's been really hard working out as well. We're impressed with him in just terms of just the maturity, coming to a transfer program, for him, him and me, being able to share the same experience doing that. So, he's been really great -- head down, asks questions."
Aside from safety, there's perhaps no position group as deep for the Wolverines as defensive line, and even there, the maize and blue strengthened the room.
Unlike at linebacker, the defensive line group lost two likely first-round tackles in Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, as well as edge rusher Josaiah Stewart. Though Rayshaun Benny, Trey Pierce, Ike Iwuannah, and Enow Etta all return (and they stood out in the bowl game against Alabama), the Wolverines added two key pieces in former Clemson tackle Tré Williams and former five-star Damon Payne, who spent the entirety of his career in Tuscaloosa.
Senior TJ Guy might play on the outside, but he's loved what he's seen from the two incoming defensive tackles, noting he's paid attention to what they've done in winter conditioning and even watched what they're capable of on tape.
"In the weight room, they're dogs," Guy said. "And they look the part. They look really talented. I watched their film. Their film's really good. So I think they're going to be very valuable for us. We're going to be very deep and talented this year."
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan veterans dish on Troy Bowles, Tré Williams and Damon Payne
Continue reading...
