Michigan defensive end Carlo Kemp has followed the Chase Winovich path to success at U-M, but he seems to have found a home at defensive tackle.
Winovich, many will remember, started out as a linebacker, played tight end for a while and then became an outstanding defensive end. Kemp never dabbled on offense, but he also started out at linebacker before moving to defensive end … this spring he asked to move inside, and early returns have been very positive.
The Wolverines have struggled with injuries on the interior, but Kemp more than held his own against Western Michigan. He’ll get another shot when he starts today against SMU after being surprised with the start last week.
“Basically, you go through practices and go through the warm-up on game day, and then as it just so happens, coach puts you in that first series,” Kemp said. “That’s kind of that first moment of realizing like, ‘Okay … I guess it’s time to start this defensive series for the team.’
“It felt really good to get out there and play. It was my first time playing and having a majority of snaps during a football game. It just felt really good to be out there running around and get to really finally play football. It’s been a while since I got to play a lot of snaps.”
Now that he’s got a taste of it, he doesn’t want to let it go … and he shouldn’t have to anytime soon. Lawrence Marshall and Aubrey Solomon are both banged up, and Solomon at least isn’t expected back for a month or longer.
Kemp knew in spring he’d have competition to play whether he stayed at end or moved to tackle, but he chose to harder route, the one that entailed gaining 25 pounds. He’s now up to 295 and carrying it well.
“I wanted to give it a try and help the team in any way possible, and even if meant being a backup, just letting coach [Greg] Mattison know that, hey, I just want to learn it at least, just so he has that option,” Kemp said. “It was approaching spring ball, and I said, ‘Coach, you think I could just try it out?’ And I think he was okay with it.
“So in spring ball I was just taking three-tech and anchor reps and just trying to be the best at either one of them. And it was a grind. Not everything went smooth in spring ball trying to learn that and tried to improve on those things in camp and just keep working on it.”
On the inside, he said, a player has to be even more aggressive because he’s got 600 pounds on him (two linemen) every single play. Holding ground is one of the keys, and it’s all the harder when a third offensive linemen sometimes chips in.
In that sense, the move from end to tackle was much different.
“There are a lot of different responsibilities you’ve got to do,” Kemp said. “You’ve got to learn new footwork and new blocks and for me, I’ve never really played inside even in high school. … the transition in spring ball and then camp and these last couple weeks of finally getting to hone in on it, it’s been pretty new. You take it one day at a time and learn different things and keep working at it.
“For me it was tough just because I’ve never really done it, and it’s a whole lot faster. At the anchor position, which is what we call it, you’ve just got to watch that tight end and then whatever he does you just play off it. If you try to mirror anyone’s footwork inside you’re going to end up 10 yards running into your linebackers messing up the whole defensive play.”
But he’s off to a great start. Today he’ll get another shot to prove he’s one of the dependable guys going forward, and that he’ll be up to the task when the Big Ten’s best show up on the schedule.
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