Michigan Football Notebook: Taco Charlton Dominating
Michigan’s defensive line is deep and talented – one of the reasons the cornerbacks have a chance to be the nation’s best in coverage this year, senior corner Channing Stribling said Wednesday. It starts with pass rush, and fifth-year senior Chris Wormley said that begins with senior end Taco Charlton.
Charlton, down 10 pounds to 274, has been a nightmare study for young left tackles Grant Newsome and Ben Bredeson in practice.
“Grant’s in his sophomore year, still working and battling it out for that spot,” Charlton said. “He’s doing a good job battling. Afterwards sometimes he’ll pull me to the side to ask me things to help him out, things I see and use to get him to see what he can do better. He loves to learn and he’s a smart kid. I think he’ll be fine, too.”
But that’s where the sympathy ends. At the end of the day, Charlton added, his group worries about the d-line, theirs the o-line.
“And we just worry about dominating,” he said with a grin. “We’re in practice battling, and it counts nothing until Saturdays come. Ten more days until gameday and a long season.
“Both of those guys are good. I’m a veteran, so I came in my freshman year going against Taylor Lewan. I’ve seen some great ones. They’ll be good in the future, and they’re working hard trying to get everything together.”
Charlton has more than adjusted to losing 10 pounds.
“It feels good. I’m a lot faster,” he said. “Saturdays you’ll be able to see a little bit. I like it so far. I like the end position in this defense, how everything is forming up.
“People’s expectations of me … my expectation is to be the best defensive end in this country. In practice I’ve done a great job coming out with that mindset, but I have to prove it every day Saturday. But I appreciate Chris saying that. That’s my brother over there.”
Notes
• Freshman Rashan Gary continues to learn and play well on the strongside edge behind Wormley, sometimes next to him. Wormley has played every position on the line during practice except weakside end, depending on the formation.
“I like him,” Wormley said. “He’s a freshman, and I think a lot of people forget about that, especially us. As Taco and I talk about how Rashan should be a superstar already, but he’s a freshman, coming off high school just like everybody else is. In the transition period, we expect a lot of good thing s from everyone. With the name he has and what he’s done in high school, we expect him to be the best freshman on our team. He’s picking it up fast, a fast learner, and I’m excited to see what he can do.
“As camp goes on, he’s realizing what he can do and his potential when he’s going against starters on the offensive line and then beating them hopefully more times than not throughout camp … it’s exciting to see.”
• Michigan hasn’t won a Big Ten title since 2004, and the reminder is on the wall in the defensive meeting room. The seniors see it every day, Wormley said.
“In the defensive team meeting room we have big chain links,” Wormley said. “Every senior class that wins a Big Ten Championship signs it, and it’s been since 2004. It’s to the right of me as I sit listening to Coach [Don] Brown talk. It’s a reminder every day we haven’t won one in 12 years, so that’s definitely our main focus as a season goal, but our first task is Hawaii.”