Michigan wing Isaiah Barnes bided his time during his freshman season. Like fellow freshman Will Tschetter, Barnes was forced to watch from the sidelines as he had to redshirt his first season in Ann Arbor.

The inner competitor in Barnes wasn't fond of the idea of sitting out but understood what needed to be done.

Now, heading into his second year in Ann Arbor, things are a bit different for Barnes. Poised to contribute to the program on a much grander scale, Barnes unique viewpoint of watching the game from the sidelines could help prove incredibly useful for his development this season.

Appearing on the latest episode of the "Defend the Block" podcast, Barnes discussed what it was like watching the game from the bench instead of being a participant.

"Honestly, watching from the sideline is kind of like watching film," Barnes said. "You're sitting by all the guys and they see certain things going on and they point out what you're not supposed to do. Like, what is he doing? He's not supposed to be there, he's not in his right spot. Stuff like that. You see it from a different view. When you're in a game, it's not really the same thing because you're in it and you might not see everything.

"When we watch film, it's stuff that I already saw. Watching it from the sideline. That's going to translate when I got on the court. Watch the guys play in our system for a whole season so I kind of know what we're looking for and what we're not trying to do and all that."

Now that seeing the court appears to be a real possibility for Barnes, what are his goals for his overall game this offseason?

He wants to showcase his skills, those that caught the attention of the U-M coaching staff during his recruitment process.

"Becoming a huge two-way player and just being an athlete," Barnes said. "Bringing a dog to the wing, I feel like that will really help us. Obviously, coming off screens, creating for others if I get the chance, knocking down shots is always a plus. Really, getting out in transition, showcasing my athleticism. All that good stuff."

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