The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2014 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 157 LB PLAYER BIOS POSITION COACH Greg Mattison begins his first year as Michigan's linebackers coach and his fourth year as the Wolverines' de- fensive coordinator. In his first two seasons, he helped Michigan's defense improve from 110th nationally in total defense (450.8 yards allowed per game) and 108th in scoring defense (35.2 points surrendered per game) in 2010 to 17th (322.2) and sixth (17.4) in 2011, and 13th (320.0) and 20th (19.9) in 2012. Prior to coming to Michigan, Mattison was the de - fensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens (2008-10) and Florida (2005-07). Before that, he was a defensive line coach from 1977-96 with Cornell, Northwestern, Western Michigan, Navy, Texas A&M and Michigan. He was also the defensive line coach for Notre Dame from 2002-04. RETURNING PLAYERS NICK BENDA • LB R-So. • Champion, Mich. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 219 Career Highlights: Did not see game action in 2013. Prep: Attended Westwood High School … Earned first-team All-Mid- Peninsula Conference honors at tight end as a senior. Personal: Born Nick Benda on Jan. 23, 1994 … High school teammate of freshman defensive back Francois Montbrun. JOE BOLDEN• LB Jr. • Cincinnati Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 225 Career Highlights: Appeared in all 13 games with four starts in 2013 … Posted 54 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks … In 2012, played in 12 games as a reserve linebacker and all 13 games on special teams … Named to the ESPN. com and BTN.com All-Big Ten Freshman teams … Tallied 31 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack and one fumble recovery … Racked up a career-high 10 tackles versus Air Force … Made career debut against Alabama. Prep: Attended Colerain High School … Tallied 86 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, one forced fumble and an interception return for a touchdown as a senior … Posted 93 hits, 17 tackles for loss, four sacks and two interceptions as a junior … Earned first-team All-Ohio recognition … Elected a team captain at the Under Ar- mour All-America Game … Rated a four-star prospect, the No. 7 player in Ohio, the No. 7 outside linebacker prospect in the country and the No. 111 overall recruit nationally by Rivals.com. Personal: Born Joseph Daniel Bolden on Aug. 19, 1993 … Father, Dan, played football at Hanover College … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, major undeclared. Year GP/GS Solo Asst. Total TFL Sacks Int. 2012 13/0 16 15 31 4 0 0 2013 13/4 28 26 54 4 2 0 Totals 26/4 44 41 85 8 2 0 ALLEN GANT • LB R-So. • Sylvania, Ohio Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 222 Career Highlights: Switched from safety to outside linebacker before the 2014 spring practice period … Did not see the field on defense in 2013, but was a regular contributor on special teams … Redshirted in 2012. Prep: Attended Sylvania Southview High School … Posted 79 tackles, seven stops for loss, three passes bro- ken up, one interception and one forced fumble as a senior … Tallied 419 receiving yards and scored four touchdowns … Made 56 tackles, intercepted three passes and forced two fumbles as a junior … Listed as a three- star prospect, the No. 57 player in the state of Ohio and the No. 45 cornerback nationally by Rivals.com. Personal: Born Allen Trail Gant on Oct. 6, 1993 … Father, Tony, played safety at Michigan (1982-86) … En- rolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, major undeclared. BEN GEDEON • LB So. • Hudson, Ohio Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 236 Career Highlights: Earned his way into the regular linebacker rotation midway through the 2013 season … Appeared in six games on defense and all 13 as a special teams player … Finished with 14 tackles, one tackle for loss and a sack. Prep: Attended Hudson High School … Rushed for more than 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior … Tallied 120 tackles, 1,418 rushing yards and 27 rush- ing touchdowns as a junior … Named to the Associated Press Division I All-Ohio first team as a junior … Rated a four-star prospect, the No. 16 player in Ohio and the No. 17 middle linebacker nationally by Rivals.com. Personal: Born Benjamin James Gedeon on Oct. 16, 1994. BOBBY HENDERSON • LB R-So. • Hopewell Junction, N.Y. Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 239 Career Highlights: Played special teams in one game in 2013, making collegiate debut at Michigan State … Did not see game action in 2012. Prep: Three-year varsity letterman at John Jay High School … Earned first-team all-confer- ence honors as a running back as a junior and senior … Also lettered in basketball, hockey and lacrosse. Personal: Born Robert Douglas Henderson on Oct. 19, 1993 … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, major undeclared. ROYCE JENKINS-STONE• LB Jr. • Detroit Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 221 Career Highlights: Appeared in one game as a reserve linebacker and all 13 on special teams in 2013 … Tallied five total tackles … Played in all 13 games on special teams and one on defense in 2012 … Made career debut versus Alabama. Prep: Helped Cass Technical High School capture a state title as a senior … Recorded 145 stops and five sacks as a senior, and also scored 12 rushing touchdowns … Compiled 90 tackles, five sacks and three picks as a junior … Named to both the Detroit News Blue Chip list and De- troit Free Press Dream Team as a senior, and participated in the U.S. Army All-American Game … Rated a four-star prospect, the No. 4 recruit in Michigan, the No. 9 inside linebacker in the land and the No. 184 overall player nationally by Rivals.com. Personal: Born Royce Edward Jenkins-Stone on Aug. 9, 1994 … Joined Michigan in the same recruiting class as high school teammate cornerback Terry Richardson … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, major undeclared. DAN LIESMAN• LB R-So. • Lansing, Mich. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 223 Career Highlights: Did not see game action in 2013 … Redshirted in 2012. Prep: Helped lead Catholic Central High School to the Michigan Division V state championship game. Personal: Born Daniel Ryan Liesman … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, major undeclared. MIKE MCCRAY • LB R-Fr. • Trotwood, Ohio Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 242 Career Highlights: Redshirted in 2013. Prep: Attended Trotwood-Madison High School … Recorded 121 tackles, 2.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two interceptions as a senior … Added 19 receptions for 369 yards and four touchdowns on offense … Named the Associated Press Ohio Division II Defensive Player of the Year … Earned AP Division II first-team All-Ohio honors ROSTER No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Year Elig. Hometown (High School) 31 Nick Benda LB 6-0 219 Jr. So. Champion, Mich. (Westwood) 35 Joe Bolden LB 6-3 225 Jr. Jr. Cincinnati (Colerain) 51 Michael Ferns LB 6-3 233 Fr. Fr. Saint Clairsville, Ohio (Saint Clairsville) — Noah Furbush LB 6-4 229 Fr. Fr. Kenton, Ohio (Kenton) 12 Allen Gant LB 6-2 222 Jr. So. Sylvania, Ohio (Southview) 42 Ben Gedeon LB 6-3 236 So. So. Hudson, Ohio (Hudson) 37 Bobby Henderson LB 5-11 239 Jr. So. Hopewell Junction, N.Y. (John Jay) 52 Royce Jenkins-Stone LB 6-2 221 Jr. Jr. Detroit (Cass Tech) 66 Dan Liesman LB 6-2 223 Jr. So. Lansing, Mich. (Lansing Catholic) 9 Mike McCray LB 6-4 242 So. Fr. Trotwood, Ohio (Trotwood-Madison) 48 Desmond Morgan LB 6-1 232 Sr. Sr. Holland, Mich. (West Ottawa) 15 James Ross III LB 6-1 225 Jr. Jr. Orchard Lake, Mich. (Saint Mary's Prep) 47 Jake Ryan LB 6-3 235 5th Sr. Westlake, Ohio (St. Ignatius) — Jared Wangler LB 6-2 215 Fr. Fr. Warren, Mich. (De La Salle) — Chase Winovich LB 6-3 216 Fr. Fr. Clairton, Pa. (Thomas Jefferson) 64 Michael Wroblewski LB 6-2 228 Fr. Fr. Saint Clair Shores, Mich. (Detroit Jesuit) 152-158.LBs.indd 157 6/20/14 9:24 AM