Braiden McGregor Details Road Back From Injury, Aidan Hutchinson As Mentor

The Michigan Wolverines have been enjoying a return to form season so far in 2021, piling up victories and setting themselves up for contending football down the stretch. It has also been a return to normalcy for sophomore linebacker Braiden McGregor, who is finally 100% healthy and back on the field.

McGregor tore his ACL during his senior season of high school and went through an arduous rehabilitation process to get back to his old self.

“Last year was obviously tough with not being able to play," McGregor told the media on Monday. "I love football, so being away from it and learning how to be a better teammate and be there for guys when you aren’t playing really sucked. Being able to play this year is awesome. Being so close to the guys and coached up by older guys, it’s a great experience this year.”

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McGregor had surgery on his knee in Oct. 2019 and rehabbed until he arrived on campus in Jan. 2020. He continued to work on-campus, but the COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench in his road back.

"I was rehabbing here until COVID hit, and then I went home and was still doing rehab all of last year," he said. "I finally stopped in January of this year. It was a year and a half, pretty much. It’s all good now.”

It was a grueling process, but he did as much as he could possibly do to turn the page from the injury.

“It started out being at home with my treatment process and rehab," he said. "I was going to a normal rehab facility with people who weren’t athletes, which was kind of weird. I was in there for as much as I could do at that time. I wasn’t able to bend it or put any weight on it for the first month, it was hard going to school on crutches.

"Then got here, and I was here for almost the whole day besides classes when I first enrolled. It was a lot of stuff. Every day in here and then during the season before practice and after practice. And this year getting cleared just before spring ball, I was excited I didn’t have to spend as much time in the training room.”

One of the benefits of sitting on the sidelines is the ability to take the game in as an observer and learn the intricacies from a different view. McGregor said he took advantage of that opportunity.

“(My knowledge of the game) expanded a lot with being able to sit there and watch every game and not be able to play," he said. "I got to see the tendency of o-lines and what tackles do so I can read them better. I got to watch the footwork of (Aidan Hutchinson) and (Kwity Paye) last year. I learned a lot more about my position and things like that.”

Hutchinson, a senior captain and team leader, has been a tone-setter for the 2021 Wolverines. McGregor is taking every opportunity to learn from him given he could be the next to fill his shoes.

“Aidan’s like a big brother to me," he said. "When I first came here, he took me under his wing with a couple of other guys. This year, he has even more with him leaving after this year. He’s wanting to help out as much as he can. Looking at Aidan, he’s one of the top guys at our position and I get to be in the room with him every day. It’s really beneficial for me. I love it. He’s such a good guy and teaches me so much. And watching him it’s just like, wow. He’s one of the best players in the country at his position.”

One of the major narratives developing with Michigan this season is an improved culture that welcomes every challenge. McGregor feels it and knows that this year is different.

“One of our things is ‘don’t flinch.’ That’s one of those things that’s different," McGregor said. "We don’t flinch. When something doesn’t go our way, we’re all going to rally together as a group and talk about what’s going on and fix it. We’re just never going to stop. Nebraska, that game showed that we don’t stop no matter what and we’re going to the end. That’s the main thing about us. We don’t stop.”

McGregor was one of several players that had a decision to make about his future with the arrival of a new defensive coaching staff. That shifted his responsibilities from a defensive end to more of a linebacker role, similar to Hutchinson.

The thought of leaving never once crossed his mind.

"I’m here and this is where I want to be," McGregor said. "I don’t want to be anywhere else. This is the best place in the country. When they came in, I got to know them the best I can just like I do with the whole coaching staff. Got to know them really well and didn’t think there was much of a change for me.

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