Don Brown Calls Linebackers ‘Unbelievable,’ Kwity Paye 'Elite'
Michigan’s spring practice has wrapped up, and there are still several question marks. Coordinator Don Brown alleviated some concerns when he broke down his defense.
Brown went into detail on several players, calling his linebackers “unbelievable” and saving his highest praise for junior defensive end Kwity Paye.
“Kwity might be, technically, the best football player in the country,” Brown said. “I’m just saying. That guy, he’s hard to fool. No concerns about him. It’s who is going to be sharing time.
“[Junior] Josh Uche is going to certainly give work in there. He’s getting time. [Redshirt sophomore] Luiji Vilian made it through the whole spring, all he did was go like this [up], developed confidence that his body is back. [after a knee injury]. That’s a good thing. [True freshman] Gabe Newburg is a talented guy, but he’s got to get bigger and stronger, faster, should be at prom. [Freshman] David Ojabo can fly. His development will be interesting.”
There will be eight or nine guys in the rotation like last year, though there’s plenty for them to prove with three or four starters having moved on, including a pair of ends in Chase Winovich and Rashan Gary who will be playing in the NFL.
Freshman Mazi Smith is around 330 pounds and has shown flashes on the interior, while redshirt junior Michael Dwumfour is back and contributing. The biggest key, Brown said, is Carlo Kemp at nose tackle. He’s now 290 pounds and more athletic than a year ago.
“I think he’s really brought a sense of maturity to the inside position,” he said. “And the guy who has probably made the biggest jump in one year is Donovan Jeter. He’s big, strong, always looked like a pro defensive tackle to me, but now he has his head screwed on, his body’s tight, he understands the position and is playing at a high level.”
"[Central Michigan transfer] Mike Danna is going to help us. Does he help us at end, anchor? I don’t know. At anchor, [sophomore] Aidan Hutchison is a big dude. Football is important to him, and he has a charismatic way about him. I just like the guy. He’s still working on some things get cleaned up in footwork, but his upper body, length [using his arms] … that’s hard to do. Not a lot of guys can do that.”
Converted fullback Ben Mason has been working on that aspect and coming on in the last few days, he added. He’s 260 pounds now, but he’s got all summer to get bigger, Brown noted.
The linebackers, meanwhile, might be the most impressive group, even in the absence of veteran Josh Ross (injury).
“Unbelievable. Right now I’m really excited about the direction that group’s gone,” Brown said. “[Senior] Khaleke Hudson is playing at a high level, which I knew he would. He was sick yesterday … [trainers said] he’s probably not going today and then he said, ‘Coach where am I from?' I’m like, ‘Mckeesport.’ He said, ‘I’m going today.’ I’m like, ‘okay then.’
“He’s playing well. His coverage skills are up, pressure mechanics and technique and fundamentals are excellent. He understands the linebacker rotation.”
Michael Barrett has made steps behind him and is “really doing a good job,” while Josh Uche is filing in there and all over the place, Brown’s “Swiss army knife.” He’ll play rush end, other positions and is doing everything asked of him really well.
Ross is the smartest linebacker, Brown continued, but Jordan Anthony has excelled in his absence. He’s barely missed any time and has played well.
“Cam McGrone is fast,” Brown said of the second-year guy. “Now I’m finally saying Cam McGrone is fast, and that means his brain is on, knows where he’s got to go, what to do. Now his ability to play fast is being met with concept understanding.”
Redshirt junior Devin Gil has been playing well at weakside linebacker, he added.
Devin is playing really solid, did a good job with his body,” Brown said. “He’s faster, never makes a misstep. But he’d better watch out because old [Jordan] Glasgow is making a lot of plays.”
Overall, Brown said, he couldn’t be more pleased.
“They can all jump in there and play. Now it’s going to be competition breeds success and we’ll see where fall takes us, because you can only play one at a time,” he said. “They’d better find a way to get in the rotation or win the job outright. That’s the exciting part. I’m excited about it, for sure.”
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