ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan football lost two generational talents on the interior of the defensive line in Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, but the room is perhaps deeper entering 2025.
While the high-end talent may not be as much, last season, the Wolverines had to rely heavily on the aforementioned duo while more inexperienced players (Enow Etta, Trey Pierce, and Ike Iwunnah) got acclimated and Rayshaun Benny came back from the injury he suffered in the Rose Bowl.
Graham and Grant dominated against Ohio State but perhaps the big surprise was that with both sitting out for the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama, the four who did come in also dominated. Considering all four are back this season, that's a boon for the maize and blue. And then you add in the two transfers -- Tre Williams from Clemson and Damon Payne from Alabama -- and now Michigan is cooking with gas on the defensive interior.
"What the bowl did for those guys, it proved that they do belong," defensive line coach Lou Esposito said. "Alabama's two guards are going to be first or second-round draft picks, and they held their own and won a bunch versus those guys. So, it was good to see that. And it was good for some of those guys to come out of their shell and realize, hey, we're depending on you.
"Like, it's one thing to be a player and know you have guys in front of you -- hey, I'm in the rotation, I'm going to play, but I'm not going to be counted on like some of these other guys do. And now, all of a sudden, the rug's pulled out. Hey, we're depending on you. And those guys really stepped up. Ike and Trey Pierce and Enow really, really did a good job. And now you add some of those other guys into the mix -- especially on edge with Dom Nichols getting in there and doing a great job. And now you add Trey and Mr. Payne in, and they've been pretty solid all spring for us. So, we're excited about that."
Last season, it was essentially a four-man rotation, although sometimes it would go a little deeper or shallower, depending on the game. This year, there's six men that will be cycling in and out, which should make the legs fresher, while making it difficult for opposing offenses as the Michigan defensive front comes in waves.
"Benny coming back, Trey Pierce, Enow, and Ike, you felt good with," Esposito said. "And then you add Tre Williams and Mr. Payne back, and you feel really, really good. It'll be more of waves than it'll be, hey, we're going to ride these guys out and let them play as long as they can and then put you in for a little bit. And then when they're back, we put them in.
"I mean, we're being very systematic in how we do our rotations. I tell them all the time they're all starters. Depending on what period you watch, one group will be in with the ones, and the next group is in three plays later. And that's how we're going to have to train those guys. And one, it gives guys a bunch of reps. And two, you're starting to see combinations happen. Because just like you talk about an offensive line, you've got to have five guys jelling. You've got to have those guys up front, whether we're playing four down linemen or five down linemen, you've got to have those guys knowing who they're playing against, or playing with, rather."
Fans will get an opportunity to see the new-look defensive tackle group in action on April 19 in the annual spring game, which will be broadcast eight days later on ...
