Michigan Wolverines football defensive tackle Mazi Smith was all the talk of his teammates at Big Ten Media Day, and for good reason. Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald said the praise was warranted after a spring and summer in which Smith put on some great weight.
Nose tackle is hugely important in a 3-4 scheme — while the Wolverines will be multiple in their sets, that’s the likely base, and Smith will be in the middle of it.
“Mazi’s had a great offseason, and he’s in a great state of mind,” Macdonald said Thursday, a day before fall camp opens. “Talking to him, I think he’s ready to roll. We’re counting on that for a year for us, a great training camp. I think he had a great spring. You could see his takeoff, and there’s a great trajectory for him.
“We’re expecting a lot out of him. He looks great, and I think he’s ready to roll.”
Smith is weighing in at a solid 326 pounds.
Cade McNamara: 'Focus This Summer Highest Ever'
Former five-star Chris Hinton got off to a slower start, but the sophomore has a high ceiling.
“Chris is the same way. I forget what the hiccup was in the spring was, but toward the end of spring he started to catch on,” Macdonald said. “It’s a little foreign to him, the things were trying to do and train him.
“But he’s a talented guy. He’s very sharp, and he’s another guy we’re really counting on to hold down the middle of the defense for us. I’m really excited about Chris.”
In the middle, the linebackers have plenty of responsibility of their own and a lot to prove. Redshirt sophomore Michael Barrett moves from Viper, while veteran Josh Ross — now cut and 225 pounds of muscle — is the leader of the group.
“I’m very excited about him, but really more excited about the type of person he is,” Macdonald said. “ I think his personality really came out at Media Days … I was just shocked listening to him. This guy could just skip right to the media right now. He’s pretty sharp. He’s got great control of what we’re doing on defense. I’m fired up about Josh.
"The thing about Mike Barrett … I didn’t know before I got here as he was a former quarterback at a big time program. He understands football. The transition from being out in space a little more to being in the box, maybe the first couple days it’s getting used to it, but he’s put on some good weight right now, rocked up, ready to roll. I’m expecting big things from Mike. We’re counting on him.”
Barrett now weighs 239 pounds.
Young linebackers Nikhai Hill-Green and Junior Colson are stars in the making, per teammates. They’ll likely play plenty this fall, including special teams.
“Nikhai is a Michigan man. I love listening to what he has to say about things — his perspective, anybody we bring in in recruiting," Macdonald said. "He sees it through our lens. I think you see that in how he’s changed his body over the last few months.
“He’s one of the guys that really understands both inside ‘backer positions. People say hey, inside backer, mike, will whatever you want to call it’s the same. It’s really two different worlds. It’s a testament to him that he’s really able to play both right now.”
Colson, a true frosh, is the future, junior end Aidan Hutchinson said last month.
“He’s really attacked it since he got here. He’s always asking for advice, always having conversations about anything,” Macdonald said. “Harry Potten … he sends me books to read.
“He’s an interesting guy. He loves football, loves Michigan. I think he’s got a great future. He’s a great young person.”
