Michigan Tuesday: Backups on the DLine Could Be Starters on other Teams

Chase, Rashan, Mo, and Bryan are locked into starting roles on Michigan's defensive line.   Those are the best of the best and the only time that's important is on the depth chart.   Defensive Line coach Greg Mattison is known for his rotation of a number of players on the defensive line and the starters and the backups will get a ton of snaps each game.   This is the best way to keep players fresh and put consistent pressure on the QB and the running game of the other team.


Since we know who the starters are, who are guys that will be in the rotation?  Coach Mattison mentioned a guy we really haven't heard about in a few years:  “I hate saying this because you jinx them sometimes… I've been waiting for this for three years… Lawrence Marshall has had a very, very good camp. He's up to about 290-pounds, he worked really hard in the weight program, and he's a young man that I think will be able to play some 3-technique and be able to give Mo some work. He's done well. There's two things that are different… he's a lot stronger, his weight is up where it should be to play in there, and I think he's bought totally in. Let's be real honest… he's always been a guy that has played a little bit, and now I think he's bought in. I think he really wants to contribute to this front and he showed it. Like I said, I don't want to jinx him but every practice he's looked better that way."


Other guys that coach mentions is Carlo Kemp and Mike Dwumfour.  Carlo has been getting a lot of buzz since Spring Practice and if you saw the BTN camp update, had a huge wrap on his hand.   He is expected to be 100% healthy for the Florida game.  Mike had a shoulder injury from high school that he decided to get surgery on last year.  He has had to work hard to get the strength back in that arm and he should be ready to play a lot of snaps this year.  


We haven't even gotten to true freshman like 5 star Aubrey Solomon, DIB, Kwity Paye, Donovan Jeter or Luiji Vilain yet.   That is going to be a deep rotation!

• Josh Jackson the son of Fred Jackson was named the starting QB for Virginia Tech.  He is a red shirt freshman and if you ask Fred, Josh has the release of Marino, the smarts of Brady, the body of Cam Newton, the deep ball of Rodgers and the speed of Denard.  :)