The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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LB Big Ten Rankings Players 1. Max Bullough, Sr., Michigan State — A throwback in the middle, Bullough has made a career of devouring ball carriers for the Spartans. Entering his third year as MSU's middle linebacker, he has amassed 223 career tackles and has been in the starting lineup for 27 straight games. 2. Ryan Shazier, Jr., Ohio State — The junior from Plantation, Fla., finished third in the conference with 115 tackles in 2012. The versatile athlete also forced three fumbles, recorded eight sacks, broke up 11 passes and intercepted a pass as a sophomore. 3. Chris Borland, 5th-Sr., Wisconsin — Borland capped his firstteam All-Big Ten 2012 campaign with a team-best nine stops in the Rose Bowl. He finished the year with 104 tackles, including 10 for loss and 4.5 sacks, and forced three fumbles. 4. Jake Ryan, R-Jr., Michigan — The emerging pass rusher suffered a torn ACL during spring practice, but is on the road to recovery and could return to the field as early as Max Bullough (shown making an in- mid-October. Ryan earned secondterception versus U-M) is entering team All-Big Ten honors last season his third season as Michigan State's after stockpiling 88 tackles, includstarting middle linebacker. ing 16 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, photo by lon horwedel and forcing four fumbles. 5. Jonathan Brown, Sr., Illinois — The veteran linebacker, who has recorded 198 stops and 30.5 tackles for loss in his career, was plagued with shoulder injuries that resulted in him missing the final three games of last season. After an offseason of recovery, he is expected to regain his menacing presence on the outside for the Illini. 6. Anthony Hitchens, Sr., Iowa — Hitchens grew into one of the top sideline-tosideline 'backers in the Big Ten in 2012 and led the conference with 124 tackles in his first year as a collegiate starter. 7. Denicos Allen, 5th-Sr., Michigan State — The four-year starter at the Sam linebacker slot should once again wreak havoc in the backfield against opposing offenses. He currently sits 10th in MSU history with 14 career sacks and 11th with 29.5 career tackles for loss. 8. Damien Proby, 5th-Sr., Northwestern — NU's senior leader started all 13 games in 2012 and led the Wildcat defense with 112 total tackles. He has registered 192 tackles, including 8.5 for loss, in his career. 9. James Morris, Sr., Iowa — Morris tallied 110 tackles last season, good for third-best in the conference and 31st nationally, and his 293 career stops rank 16th in Iowa history. 10. Chi Chi Ariguzo, R-Jr., Northwestern — Ariguzo consistently made big plays for a Northwestern squad that finished in the top five in the Big Ten in total defense. He notched a team-best 10.5 tackles for loss, including 3.0 sacks, alongside four fumble recoveries and two interceptions. UNITS 1. Michigan State — The Spartans possess the top linebacker duo in the conference in Max Bullough and Denicos Allen, and talented youngsters Taiwan Jones and Jairus Jones both appear ready to step in and produce at the weakside 'backer spot. 2. Wisconsin — Incumbents Chris Borland and Mike Taylor are at the center of the physical group, and former walk-on Ethan Armstrong adds further experience. However, the Badgers must add athleticism while they transition to a 3-4 defensive front under a new coaching staff. 3. Iowa — Iowa returns all three starters from 2012, each of whom recorded at least 95 tackles. Christian Kirksey, James Morris and Anthony Hitchens will undoubtedly be the leaders for a Hawkeye defense that finished ninth in the conference in yielding 381.6 yards per game a year ago. 4. Ohio State — Ryan Shazier is a legitimate All-American candidate, but the inexperienced unit still has much to prove, and will be dependent upon the emergence of former five-star middle linebacker prospect Curtis Grant to solidify the troops. 5. Northwestern — Damien Proby and Chi Chi Ariguzo, who combined for 203 tackles last season, provide a sound and productive base for the NU defense, but the Wildcats are still in search of candidates for the third linebacker spot. 150 ■ The Wolverine 2013 Football Preview "He has a pre-snap idea of what he's looking for much better than he did a year ago, when he was a true freshman trying to play." Sophomore Royce Jenkins-Stone (6-2, 215) saw plenty of action on special teams as a rookie last fall and groomed at the Mike. Now he's backing up at the Will, fitting in with the coaches' desire to have the inside linebackers be interchangeable. "Royce is a very athletic kid that can run," Smith said. "That's what you look for a little more at your Will position, a guy that can run and make plays for you. He's covered up a little more and doesn't have to take on blockers as much. "We just felt like Royce would fit better at the Will than at the Mike. That's proven true. He improved a lot during spring. He still has a long way to go as far as understanding everything he's supposed to do consistently, but I'm really excited about Royce." Meanwhile, Smith appreciates the quality of his linebackers while hoping to boost the quantity in the near future. That happens this fall in the form of 6-3, 215-pound Ben Gedeon and 6-4, 230-pound Mike McCray. Those two freshmen will certainly add to the depth, Smith noted. One doesn't have to look far in the past to see that freshman linebackers can carve out substantial time on the field as well. Gedeon looks more like a Will linebacker at this point, Smith said, but wherever he winds up, he'll bring plenty of tools to the workplace. "We had Ben in camp between his junior and senior years," Smith said. "One of the things you noticed right away was for a kid his age, he's very physically developed — very strong, very put together. He's going to bring a lot of the physical tools he needs right away when he gets here. "He's extremely intelligent when it comes to schoolwork and his grades. You hope that translates into football intelligence. "Obviously, you never know until kids get here, when these freshmen show up and have to go through the rigors of two-a-days and through their first college season. We think Ben's got a bright future." McCray could play either inside or outside linebacker, according to Smith. The coaches will have a better handle on his fit when they get him into fall camp. "That's kind of a compliment to Mike, that you have the ability to play him inside or outside," Smith said. "He is a taller, rangier-type player that can play the Sam position. He's athletic enough to play out in the open spaces like Jake, Cam and Brennen Beyer. "Whether he plays inside or outside, we'll determine that when we get into camp a little bit more. That's the nice thing about some of these kids we're starting to recruit. They have a little more size, a little more length, and they have flexibility to play different positions. It's not, 'Okay, I'm just an inside 'backer,' or 'I'm just an outside 'backer.' They can be either one." Ryan's Return There's one 'backer everyone wants back. Head coach Brady Hoke mentioned Ryan possibly returning as early as the middle of October. That sounds optimistic for an ACL tear, but Hoke says some heal faster than others, and that Ryan is a special athlete. Manning can't disagree. "Being around Jake, anyone knows that he's going to work his tail off and do an overabundance of whatever he has to do to get back on that field and be out there playing ball," Manning said. "He's truly a guy that loves the game of football and loves being out there. He enjoys the grit and all those tough things about football. He loves that stuff. "He's a competitor, and I expect he'll come back sooner than we all are assuming." The Wolverines and the football season won't wait, of course, but that's not a bad late-season addition to any roster. ❑