The Wolverine

September 2017

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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SEPTEMBER 2017 THE WOLVERINE 35 pens," Hurst said of taking on more of a leadership position. "You find your- self in that role, holding everyone ac- countable. I had great leaders last year in Chris Wormley and Jake Butt. "Just seeing how they handled things, how they were in control in the locker room with the problems that were between anyone or anything that was going wrong, you get to piggy- back off what they were doing and continue that tradition of great leader- ship for our team." As for his own drive to produce a memorable final season at Michigan, it couldn't be higher, he insists. "That's always been my goal since I've been here, to leave my legacy at Michigan and leave my legacy in col- lege football," he said. "It's something I envision and something I'm definitely capable of doing now that I'm on that platform. It's something that I really want to make happen." Hurst harkens back to Michigan's time in Rome, where he felt the team coming together in ways that might not have been accomplished other- wise. He spoke of traveling to breath- taking historical sites, but also of the time invested in each other — travel- ing on the bus, hanging around each other, talking. Those moments, he noted, could im- pact the 2017 Wolverines as much as the inspiration from the Colosseum itself. "It's so nice to spend so much down time with someone you might not have known too well before," he said. "It's just great to do all the things we did and experience so many things together. It just brings you closer as a team." It's also great to compete in an arena featuring the sort of passion carried forward over the centuries, Hurst ac- knowledged. Or, as Maximus might have put it: Whatever comes out of these gates, we've got a better chance of survival if we work together. Do you understand? If we stay together, we survive. It's survival of a different sense, Hurst well understands. Regardless, urgency, defiance and pride prevail. "The gladiators have died out, and football is kind of a replacement," he said. "There's no death. It's cool. It's a violent sport, and it's fun." The chance for glory is also fleeting. This senior figures to enter the arena without fear and with a purpose. ❏ The Top Five Wolverines From Massachusetts Michigan's list of standout performers from the state of Massachusetts isn't lengthy. The few and the proud from that particular state stand out. U-M fifth-year senior Maurice Hurst Jr. has joined the crew, in anticipation of a strong final season in a winged helmet. Here's our ranking of the top five to date: 1. RB Jamie Morris; 1984-87; Ayer, Mass. — There's not much to debate about the top of the list. Morris moved his 5-7 frame west from the East Coast as a con- temporary of Jim Harbaugh and wound up Michigan's all-time top rusher at the end of his career. He broke records for rushing yards in a season (1,703) and a career (4,392) while managing 6,201 all-purpose yards, including 99 receptions for 756 yards. Morris also helped Harbaugh make good on a certain guarantee, rushing for 210 yards and two touchdowns in Michigan's 26-24 victory at Ohio State in 1986. 2. WR Greg McMurtry; 1986-89; Brockton, Mass. — McMurtry started 39 games for Bo Schembechler teams that recorded three Big Ten championships and three trips to the Rose Bowl. McMurtry caught 111 passes for 2,163 yards and 15 touchdowns during his career. He enjoyed his best year as a senior, mak- ing 41 catches for 711 yards and seven touchdowns for the Big Ten champs, before playing five seasons in the NFL. 3. QB Todd Collins; 1991-94; Walpole, Mass. — Collins started at quarterback in his final two seasons with the Wolverines, becoming Michigan's all-time leader in completion percentage (64.3). He was 457-of-711 passing for 5,858 yards, No. 6 on U-M's all-time list, with 37 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. 4. FB Bob Perryman; 1983-86; Buzzard's Bay, Mass. — Perryman proved a formidable blocker for Schembechler's squads of the mid-1980s, but also dem- onstrated plenty of skill at the position. A four-year performer, Perryman rushed 274 times for 1,247 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also caught 20 passes for 199 yards and one TD, prior to playing six years in the NFL. 5. DT Maurice Hurst Jr.; 2013-17; Westwood, Mass. — Hurst has a chance to more than solidify his status in this group during the 2017 season. He's already posted 19.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks in his Michigan career, and has made the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award twice, in 2015 and 2017. The best should be yet to come. — John Borton Running back Jamie Morris was a co-captain and the team MVP of the 1987 Michigan squad that went 8-4 and finished No. 19 in the Associated Press poll. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

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