The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 109 LINEBACKERS among three tackles in 10 games last season. "The tape showed that he was an incred- ible pass rusher," Wroblewski assured. "But in practice, he could do much more than that. He could cover guys, and he could defend the run. I'm sure he'll step up more in games to do more jobs. "He was great at his one job. Once he gets more, he'll be even better at all those other jobs." Freshman Cameron McGrone joins the crew over the summer, and the highly re- garded inside linebacker out of Indianapo- lis hopes to make some noise in fall camp. Brown and Washington are anxious to see what he brings to the mix. As for the rest, Wroblewski battled on the practice field with them every day last year, as well as taking the field in all 13 Michigan games. He likes what he sees with this lineback- ing corps. "The talent is 100 percent there," he said. "The depth is there as well. The depth grows when you're practicing all spring, and you've got all that time with the guys. "We had four-hour practices every spring, and you just get tremendously better as a football player. That adds depth in itself, just becoming a better player. No matter who you are, you're getting a ton of reps and getting better each day." Michigan's rise to No. 3 in the nation in to- tal defense, despite a near complete turnover in starters from 2016, did not shock him. "It did not surprise me at all," Wroblewski said. "That's Coach Brown. He's a defensive genius, and no matter who he has, he's go- ing to coach the heck out of them and build chemistry, so they're all playing as one unit." Last year's experience should help the Wolverines finish games better this year. That's precisely what they need, according to one who saw it all from the inside. "That's huge," Wroblewski stressed. "Those games [Ohio State, the Outback Bowl] were won in the fourth quarter. Just that experience will help push them forward. It's like, 'Okay, we've been in this situation before, we've really got to pull it out. We've got to give it everything and finish.'" "We've got a chance," Brown said. "I just love our focus, love the way our guys go about doing their day-to-day [work]. I love our leadership, love our speed. "Obviously, with the first group, there's a reason they're the first group. But our second group can function, and there are guys in that third group that can function. I think we're deeper than we've been." ❏ Josh Ross Likes The Linebackers And His Own Progress Josh Ross doesn't equivocate about Michigan's 2018 linebacking corps — or much of anything else, for that matter. The sophomore who performed mostly on special teams as a rookie loves what he sees when the Wolverines take the field these days. "This linebacker group is going to be excellent this year," Ross insisted. "There is competition everywhere. Every day, we compete with each other and make each other better players by how we act, how we play, how we compete on the field. It's a great linebacker corps with great talent." Two-thirds of the starting linebacker lineup from the nation's No. 3 total defense returns, with juniors Devin Bush Jr. and Khaleke Hudson back for more. Ross would love to be the third starter. He's battling hard with redshirt sopho- more Devin Gil and redshirt freshman Drew Singleton for the chance to follow the graduated Mike McCray at the Will linebacker, while getting trained for playing Mike linebacker as well. The brother of former Wolverine James Ross is a character, when playfully describ- ing his capabilities. "I'm way better than he was," he laughingly said of his big brother. "He's fat, short, slow. I'm proud about it. I'll say it every day of the week. I did get bullied a lot, but now the table has turned." Turning serious, Ross acknowledged he's much more settled in than he was as a true freshman contributor, and ready to make an impact on the defense rather than just special teams like last season. "In the spring, I improved most in just being comfortable with the plays, knowing the playbook and everything that's going on," he said. "From last camp, I've improved in my movement. I was way more stiff in my first camp. Right now, I feel real fluid. I feel a lot better than I did in the past." Ross insists he can't help but improve, given the day-to-day challenge in practice. "Coming from high school, everything was lower level," he said. "Coming here, you've got to know what's going on around you before you can be comfortable at your position. We've got great receivers on our team. We've got great quarterbacks on our team. "It's tough in the coverage with so many great guys around you, but it makes you better as a player." So does new position coach Al Washington, Ross insisted. "Al Washington is a great coach," Ross observed. "The one thing he brings, that not a lot of other coaches bring, is that every-moment enthusiasm with everything. He's going to let you know how he feels. I love that about him." The sophomore also loves Michigan's overall defense, one that he hopes to contribute to mightily this season. If that happens, he'll further cement brotherly bragging rights that he's already claimed in good-natured jabs. — John Borton In April, fifth-year senior Noah Furbush was awarded the first- ever Bo Schembechler postgraduate scholarship by the National Football Foundation. He'll begin working on a one-year graduate degree in aerospace engineering this fall. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN