Michigan defensive lineman Kris Jenkins is affectionately referred to as 'The Mutant' by his teammates and staff inside Schembechler Hall.

For someone with that kind of nickname, you had better hope it's because of his size, strength and ability on the football field. Thanks to strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert, that's exactly how the nickname originated.

“That came from, I want to say about a year ago, going into fall camp last year,” Jenkins said. “Coach Herb, he was talking about each player individually, how they did in a weight session and he just gave me the nickname, ‘The Mutant' and it kind of stuck ever since then. We’ve just been keeping it up.

“They say it’s because of my size you wouldn’t think that I’m strong or I can move as fast as I can, or as strong as I am. So, that’s the meaning behind that. So, I really liked it because it kind of pressures me to live up to it.”

While he will be able to showcase his abilities on the field this season, Jenkins' plan is to also provide a source of energy for his teammates this season.

The opportunity is there for the taking.

"This year I'm trying to bring a lot more juice, a lot more energy," Jenkins said. "Last year, we had a lot of juice across the board and that really helped us thrive, especially in tight-game situations. Trying to bring that energy and have a lot of fun with the team as we go on is what I'm trying to do more this year."

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