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Michigan’s defense has a lot to replace when it comes to defensive tackle. Maurice “Mo” Hurst, soon to be an NFL draft pick, had 61 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks from the position a year ago.
Junior defensive tackle Michael Dwumfour could be the man to replace him.
He played in nine games in 2017, recording four tackles, one tackle for loss and half a sack. The stats come from limited playing time, since Hurst obviously took most of the snaps at one of the tackle spots and current sophomore Aubrey Solomon took many at the other. But now it’s time for Dwumfour to shine.
Coaches have been raving about his development and have even compared him to Hurst because of his quickness off the ball.
Sophomore center Cesar Ruiz, who faces Dwumfour frequently in practice, as another believer in Dwumfour.
“Mike is a baller. I can say that right now, Mike’s a baller,” Ruiz said. “He’s going to turn a lot of heads this year.”
There figures to be somewhat of a rotation between players at defensive tackle next to Solomon, but based on the way people are raving about Dwumfour, he appears to be the leader for the other starting job right now.
He said he feels more mature and has a new respect for the game of football.
“I took a different approach this offseason when we started, I think it was January with workouts,” Dwumfour said. “I just took a different approach from there and brought it to spring ball.”
His new goal: to be dominant in everything he does.
“I think I’ve gotten to a certain point where I can dominate now instead of thinking, and just go and do my job,” Dwumfour said.
That quickness and being able to make plays without thinking is something Hurst was able to do last fall. Dwumfour knew he had to mature and learn everything he could to be able to compete for that role.
“To take somebody’s spot like Mo, you have to know what you’re doing,” Dwumfour said. “I had to mature as a football player and understand the game more. Now I’m able to play faster.”
Defensive line coach Greg Mattison always asks the defensive line how good they can be each day. His goal is to coach the best defensive line in the country — something he has a chance to do this fall.
Dwumfour has had a number of former players take him under their wing during his three years at Michigan. Ryan Glasgow, Matt Godin, Chris Wormley, Bryan Mone and Hurst have all played that role. He still texts Glasgow every now and then. He credits him with teaching him some of the little things that he still finds helpful today.
He feels that since December, he’s taken that next step needed to see the field. Bowl game practices were crucial and he now has increased his strength through winter workouts.
“It means a lot just to put on the Michigan winged helmet,” Dwumfour said. “To take somebody’s spot like Mo, I know what he did was special last season, that’s not what I use to motivate myself. What I use to motivate myself is to go out there and let my coaches that we have a three-tech. I just try to play how my coach wants me to play.”
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