The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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54 THE WOLVERINE SEPTEMBER 2017 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL Bednarik Award, which goes to col- lege football's defensive player of the year. He's also on the watch list for the Walter Camp Player of the Year award. • Fifth-year senior linebacker Mike McCray — McCray made the Butkus Award watch list, after recording 76 tackles with 12.5 tackles for loss a year ago. The Butkus award goes to college football's top linebacker. • Redshirt sophomore tight end Ty- rone Wheatley — Wheatley is on the watch list for the John Mackey Award, won by U-M's Jake Butt last season and annually awarded to the best tight end in the nation, following three recep- tions for 35 yards and a touchdown in his first on-field experience last season. • Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Maurice Hurst Jr. — Hurst's career numbers of 19.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks have him on the Bednarik Award watch list. Last year he re- corded 34 tackles, including 11.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks, forced a fumble and recovered another. HARBAUGH LIKES HIS LINEBACKERS Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is now in the submarine with his team … before he submerged, though, he talked about his linebackers, a group with high expectations despite limited experience. Fifth-year senior Mike Mc- Cray is the lone returning starter on the entire unit, and he's expected to vie for All-Big Ten honors. There are high hopes, too, for sophomore Devin Bush. "I expect him to be a starter," Har- baugh said. "He's got to continue to ce- ment that every day, put a hammer lock down on that starting position. He's got the license and ability to do that. "[Former walk-on Mike] Wro- blewski is also going to be in the mix. I would think some of the freshmen would be in the mix, too … Drew Sin- gleton, Kwity Paye and Luiji Vilian look impressive, though they're not the inside 'backer Devin is. It's a three-per- son race for two starting jobs between Mike, Devin and Mike." That was subject to change in the early stages of camp. Vilain has the speed to play at a number of positions in the front seven, though he's likely a defensive end. "He could provide some speed on the edge," Harbaugh said. Paye looks like he's gained 20 pounds since the coach saw him at National Signing Day in February — "and not the fat kind, either," Har- baugh added. "There's a story for each guy," he said. "[Vilain] has been one of our top five guys in the classroom during sum- mer school … he's taking care of busi- ness there. Watch him run … he can run. He's been acquitting himself well in the workouts. All those bode well for him. "People are raving about him, the strength and conditioning staff. It gets me excited when I hear those reports, and the academic reports." NEXT SPRING'S TRIP ABROAD SET Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh acknowledged at the Big Ten football meetings in Chicago that next year's spring trip with the team will not in- volve London, as originally discussed. The Wolverines will still be headed to Paris and Normandy, France, and Har- baugh noted he wanted to do justice to those places and not be stretched too thin by heading for another venue. "There is so much to do in Paris," Harbaugh said. "You talk to some of the experts and travel planners. If you want to spend time in Paris … you need a week. I've been to Paris and didn't get close to everything done in one week. That will be the way we'll lean as we're starting to prepare for this trip." Harbaugh also noted the continuing reverberations from Michigan's ini- tial trip this past spring to Rome. He's heard from plenty of critics along the way — many of them coaches trying to gain an advantage or rival media — but not following the Rome sojourn. He's hearing all positive comments and urging those who think about mak- ing such a journey to move forward with enthusiasm unknown to travelers. He recalled: "Even some of our competitors have come up to me and said, 'That trip was phenomenal. It was awesome. We've been trying, as a staff, to poke holes in it, and we can't. There's nothing we can poke holes in…' "Well, instead of doing that, do it. Take your team on an educational trip. It's phenomenal for all involved." MISCELLANEOUS NOTES • Head coach Jim Harbaugh noted at the Big Ten football meetings in Chicago he loves the beginning of fall camp, be- cause of all it reveals. Players have been confronted with an equal opportunity to hone their craft over the summer, get in better shape, study playbooks, etc. Now what they put into it usually shows up, he said. "It all happens on the football field, in the most honest manner possible," Harbaugh noted. "The truth must be told when you step out on the football field. You can no longer bullcrap, email somebody … you've got to actually go out there and prove it, what your talent is, what your effort is and how you've Fifth-year senior Mike McCray earned a spot on the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, which is given to the top linebacker in the country. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN