Michigan’s linebackers in 2018 are expected to be one of the strengths of the team — and junior Devin Bush Jr. is the leader of that group.
The returning starter was the team’s leading tackler a year ago, and is hoping to accomplish that two years in a row. However, life throws obstacles in the way sometimes.
According to Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown, Bush Jr. had a personal issue arise back home last week and had the opportunity to return to Florida to be with his family for several days, but instead chose to remain in Ann Arbor with the football team. He wouldn’t provide any details on what the issue was.
“This Devin Bush Jr., he’s a special guy now,” Brown said. “That’s all I’m going to say. It’s a private story, but this guy stayed with his team and he could’ve easily checked out for three or four days and everybody would’ve understood, but he didn’t. I think we’re talking about a guy whose character is completely off the charts.”
He expanded on those comments a few minutes later, again praising the linebacker.
“He had a personal mishap and he had a chance to go home and nobody would’ve said a word about it,” Brown said. “Those kinds of things get left sometime when people are evaluating a young man, he’s got a strong dad and family, and obviously he made the decision to stay here. Either way was fine with me, he’s just a different cut of guy. It impresses me.”
Bush Jr. himself didn’t say exactly what happened, but he did clarify that it would’ve only meant missing a few days of practice and meant nothing else.
“It was just a little family issue we had,” Bush Jr. said. “I could’ve gone home, and I was kind of caught in between of going home to be with my family during this time and staying here. I picked to stay here. I feel like I’m needed here, my guys need me. I need to be here for them and for the younger guys as well. They’re going to need my help throughout this whole year. I feel like it was a big decision for me to stay here.”
He talked to his dad about the situation, and he told him that he was a man and could do whatever he felt was right.
More Notes:
• Bush Jr. talked about what it’s like playing with sophomore fullback Ben Mason, who is getting a little run at linebacker this spring. He will be the starting fullback, but coach Jim Harbaugh loves Mason as a player.
“He’s just going to go get it,” Bush Jr. said. “He’s our go get it guy. He’s that hammerhead that every team has. He’s just going to run into a wall if you tell him to.”
• It’s well known that the majority of team struggles came on offense last year. Despite that, Bush Jr. said it’s important to not place blame on any one player or part of the team. It is after all, a team sport.
“We’re a team,” Bush Jr. said. “We are going to win as a team and lose as a team. You can’t give the defense a win and the offense a loss. We take that loss as a team. You just have to keep your spirits high and keep moving.”
• Harbaugh said he felt rejuvenated the other day, and his players seem to have noticed. A newfound level of awareness may be what the program needed.
“Just the other day he was talking about keeping positive energy going around this building,” Bush Jr. said. “He’s just always talking about our energy. He’s just bringing energy to practice off the field and on the field. He’s made changes off the field that we love, and changes on the field that we love. I think he’s become more aware of how things go into our perspective and how we feel about things.”
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