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Monday, August 1, 2011
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
' aims to remedy defense Campbell expecting
By TIM RO HANbreay
Daily Spurts Editor u j n o y ar
CHICAGO - Mike Martin and
the rest of the Michigan defen-
sive line wanted to show their new
coaches what they were capable
of, and, what exactly two former
defensive line coaches would have
to start the heart of their defense
with.
Brady Hoke and Greg Mattison
had returned to Michigan, one hav-
ing left to build Ball State and San
Diego State into winning football
programs, while the other molded
successful defenses all over the.
country at the college and profes-
sional level.
Soon after they arrived, Martin
and his defensive linemates were
going through their first workout
of their winter conditioning and the
coaches watched, not saying much.
"We were all going hard, obvi-
ously," Martin said. "(This) was our
first impression on the coach."
After the workout, Mattison
pulled Martin aside and warned
him: "That was terrible. That was
completely terrible. You guys have to
do much better."
"I thought we did pretty good,"
Martin thought to himself
Ever since Hoke and Mattison
took over, the expectations are
higher around the Michigan foot-
ball team, and that has carried over
into summer workouts.
"I feel like that we didn't know
how a championship team really
functioned," Martin said. "That's
why coach Hoke and coach Matti-
son and the rest of the staff are so
vital and a huge asset, because they
know what it takes. They've been
around teams that have won. They
tell us. Before they came in, we
thought we were working hard. We
weren't.
"They've putcthe bar way higher."
The seniors have led "optional"
workouts throughout the summer
and 7-on-7 passing drills for skill-
position players. They may be listed
as "optional," but with the help the
new accountable attitude Hoke has
instilled, there has been a 100-per-
cent participation rate.
"All of them wanted to show up,"
junior quarterback Denard Robin-
son said. "Everybody wanted to do
better this year."
Last year, Tate Forcier fell out
of favor with his teammates for
not showing up for summer work-
outs, while Robinson did. Now the
unquestioned team leader, Rob-
inson created a list of every play-
STEPHEN J.NESBITT/Daily
Senior defensive end Mike Martin will be expected to anchor the defensive line.
ers' phone number and made calls explained that they're not only
to get players to come out to the accountable to each other by show-
7-on-7 drills. The fifth-year seniors ing up, but by also giving it their all
told Robinson they need to act as a in the weight room.
"third coach" in leading the team. "It's really intense," said Mar-
Martin has gone to great lengths tin, who can bench more than 500
to get everyone to come. If guys pounds and squat more than 700
aren't there, seniors would drive pounds. "It's a failure thing. So
to the absent player's house, bang you'll get to a point where you can't
on his door, get him out of bed - lift your arms anymore, but you've
"whatever it takes," Martin said. got to somehow, someway, find
When the troops are finally at a way to get that next rep to do it.
attention, senior tight end Kevin You've got to do it. You don't want
Koger said that they even take roll to let your teammates down, that's
call, then that's when the real fun the consequence. Because you've
begins. got your guys around you, cheering
"We have a saying that goes: 'To you up and trying to get you hyped
be successful, we have to do the up. There's just a lot of intensity and
things that we haven't done in the guys have gotten a lot stronger."
past,'" Martin said. All-Big Ten talents like Martin
Hoke was happy with the prog- are leading the way with the dirty
ress the Wolverines made as far as work to show the younger players
learning the technique that Hoke that this is the price that they need
and Mattison drilled into them. to payto win.
But he was clear that they were not They're also getting a full dose
were he wanted them physically. of an outspoken leader in Robinson.
"Well, the workouts are execut- "I just approached it as (if) I'm
ed in a way that there's purpose," going out and having fun with my
Martin explained. "We attack our teammates. And whatever it takes
workouts. We attack - we're not to win, that's what I'll do," Robin-
just going through the motions. son said.
But there's a lot of enthusiasm. "Just because (Robinson's) a
And we're getting better and we're junior doesn't mean he can't tell a
pushing each other. The worst thing senior what to do, or where to go,"
to do is practice the wrong things or Koger added. "That's leadership.
be lackadaisical and go through the Sometimes you've got to do what
motions. So when you don't do that, you're uncomfortable doing."
that's something I would say is dif- Working out at 6 a.m. may be as
ferent." uncomfortable as it gets. With the
Aaron Wellman, a new strength right direction, Michigan's seniors
and conditioning coach who came and Robinson have masterfully
with Hoke, has instituted a new orchestrated a successful summer
strength training system based of sweat.
around machines rather than Olym- "If you don't want me knock-
pic free weights. The important dis- ing on your door, make sure you're
tinction is the balance the players there on time," Martin said.
have to maintain between adding
the weight Hoke wants them to, and
keeping that speed and flexibility See a multimedia piece about this
Rich Rodriguez recruited. Martin story on MichiganDaily.com
By STEPHEN J. NESBITT
Daily Sports Editor
CHICAGO - Junior defensive
tackle William Campbell's con-
tribution to the Michigan football
team can be summed up pretty
simply.
Underwhelming.
In two seasons, the five-star
recruit from Cass Tech High
School in Detroit has just five tack-
les and three pass break-ups to
his name. Little numbers for "Big
Will"
After flip-flopping between the
offensive and defensive lines last
season - something he also did in
high school - Campbell will play
the key role of three-technique
defensive tackle in 2011.
"His attitude and his mindset
has totally changed and gotten
better," senior defensive tackle
Mike Martin said Friday at the Big
Ten Media Days in Chicago. "And
he knows that he's in a spot where
he has to step up and be a big
part of this defense - our three-
technique. (Defensive coordina-
tor Greg) Mattison stressed when
he got here that if we don't have a
three-tech that can step up, we're
not going to be able to run the
defense. If we can't run it well,
we're not going to run it."
During the transition from for-
mer defensive coordinator Greg
Robinson's 3-3-5 defense to Mat-
tison's 4-3 set, Campbell has a big
spot to fill.
"He put the burden right on ....
Big Will and pretty much said, 'You
gotta do what you gotta do,' "Mar-
tin said. "Will has really stepped
up and answered the call. His work
ethic is as high as I've seen it, and
he's got his mind right."
Campbell becomes the defen-
sive tackle tasked with breaking
down the line of scrimmage with
his big body and eliminating the
risk of double teams on his line-
mate Martin, something the All-
Big Ten nose tackle can appreciate.
"It makes it easier onus,because
they can't double everyone," Mar-
tin said. "Someone's going to have
a one-on-one, when the pass comes
around. Someone's goingto be free
and has to get to the ball."
And if all goes according to plan,
opposing backs may find them-
selves in a world of hurt when they
hit the line this fall.
"When you've got guys getting
to the ball, it'slike, 'Who you gonna
block?"' Martin said.
Perhaps Campbell's most glar-
ing weakness is his fitness.
He's very mucha defensive line-
man trapped in an offensive line-
man's body.
"I think his whole mental aspect
is a defensive mind, but his ath-
leticism puts him on the offensive
line," Cass Tech coach Thomas
Wilcher said this month. "I love
his big body, I love his work ethic.
I know he's goingto be agreat foot-
ball player."
Added Martin: "He's a brick
house. That kid's really strong.
When I went against him when he
was on the scout team on offense,
he gave us a great look. I'm glad
we got him on our side of the ball
now."
Weight training this summer
has keyed on players' condition-
ing. And according to Martin*
and Michigan coach Brady Hoke,
Campbell has bought into the
training regimen and is seeing it
pay dividends.
The junior is listed at 6-foot-5,
333 pounds, but Hoke said Camp-
bell has dropped 17 or 18 pounds 0
already.
Hoke mentioned that he would
be happy toland at 320 pounds by
the season opener on Sept. 3.
"Still, I think that Will Campbell
will bump up our average weight
on the defensive line a little bit,"
Martin added.
Campbell was recruited as an
explosive, bruising rusher on the
line, and while that image has been
somewhat marred at Michigan,
Hoke knowsthe shinestillremains
somewhere underneath on this
blue-chip talent.
"I think Will has a tremen-
dous ability that's been a little bit
untapped - part of that is mov-
ing back and forth on both sides
of the ball and never really finding 6
a home," Hoke said. "I think he's
made strides, and if he continues,
he'll be a big part of our football
team."
It's hard for a 330-pound line-
man to go unnoticed. And Martin
will make certain that doesn't hap- *
pen - in workouts or on the field.
"I've always thought, 'Why
don't we have this guy incthe game,'
" Martin said. "(Campbell's) got no
excuses. He's going to be playing.
I'm in his ear all the time (saying)
I'm counting on him."