Michigan redshirt freshman defensive lineman Michael Dwumfour is finally 100 percent healthy, which means the big man from New Jersey has finally been able to contribute after missing time this spring with an injury.
He’s played in five games this season, and had two tackles and half a tackle for loss against Penn State — to whom he was once committed.
“I feel like I’ve come a long way and still have a long way to go,” Dwumfour said. “I just play my role on the team, whenever the coach needs me to go is when I have to be ready to go.”
He’s been focusing on improving fundamentals, staying low and being coachable this year.
“That was my main focus coming into camp,” Dwumfour said. “If you do what the coaches tell you to do, you’ll play. It’s a transition from high school to here, you need technique to beat the man in front of you.”
One guy that has clearly shown he has the techniques down is fifth-year senior defensive tackle Maurice “Mo” Hurst. Since getting to Michigan, Dwumfour has made sure he’s stuck close to Hurst.
“Mo is just phenomenal,” Dwumfour said. “I just try to mirror what he does. He’s like a big brother to me. … I do see comparisons but I’m trying to be like him. I’m trying to be better than him at some point, hopefully one day.”
He said Hurst’s intelligence is what makes him so good.
“His knowledge of the game. He has a high football IQ,” Dwumfour said. “He makes plays because he knows what’s going to happen before it happens.”
Sophomore defensive lineman Rashan Gary echoed that thought, saying that there’s been times where Hurst has told Gary the play is coming to him before the snap, and sure enough it does.
He also said he’s seen the improvement of Dwumfour — and understands the comparisons between him and Hurst.
“[Dwumfour’s] get off is up there with Mo Hurst. It’s crazy just watching him get off the ball,” Gary said. “He’s coming along well and doing what he has to do and taking it step by step, I’m proud of him.”
Gary said that Hurst and Dwumfour have snap races at each practice, and while Hurst wins most of the time, there are days where the younger player is able to steal a win.
Dwumfour said he’s “gotten with the program” this season and has been mentored by Hurst.
Like Gary and a number of players on Michigan’s roster, Dwumfour and the Wolverines will be playing against his home state college, Rutgers, this weekend.
“Being against my home state doesn’t make it more important,” Dwumfour said. “We need this win, so regardless of who we’re playing I would take the same approach.”
He has certainly noticed the pipeline of New Jersey players to Michigan and said it made coming to Michigan more comfortable, knowing there were other Jersey guys already here.
“Jersey guys, we like to win,” Dwumfour said. “Wherever fits us right and feels like home is where we want to be.
“We looked up to guys like Jabrill [Peppers] when I was a kid. When he made the move here, it definitely opened the eyes of guys like me in Jersey.”
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