Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Friday, January 15, 2016 — 7

Season Review: Defensive Line

Despite numerous 
injuries, unit turned 

in strong season

By JAKE LOURIM

Managing Sports Editor

Editor’s 
Note: 
With 
the 

Michigan football team’s 2015 
regular season in the books, 
the Daily looks back at the 
performance of each unit this year 
and looks ahead to the future in 
2016. In this edition: linebackers.

The Michigan defensive line 

suffered injury after injury after 
injury throughout the season, 
starting in fall camp all the way 
to Week 5 and Week 9. As the 
year wore on, the health issues 
tested the unit’s depth. And still, 
the line ended up being one of the 
best in college football.

Before the season started, 

the unit looked like it could be 
one of the country’s elite units. 
It returned all but two players 
from a strong 2014 group. Its 
top players, like redshirt juniors 
Chris Wormley and Willie Henry, 
were finally seasoned and ready 
to step up. The defensive line 
maintained the only holdover 
from the 2014 coaching staff, 
Greg Mattison.

When the Wolverines entered 

fall camp, they unleashed a 
bevy of familiar names: Henry, 
Wormley, senior Mario Ojemudia 
and junior Taco Charlton on 
the ends; redshirt junior Ryan 
Glasgow, 
sophomore 
Bryan 

Mone, 
redshirt 
sophomore 

Maurice Hurst and redshirt 
junior Matt Godin on the interior.

As it turned out, Michigan 

needed every one of them. All but 
Mone — who missed the entire 
season with an injury — started a 
game up front.

And the Wolverines lived up 

to their billing. They made 2.5 
sacks and 6.8 tackles for loss per 
game. They disrupted opposing 
backfields all season long, playing 
their best football in a five-game 
stretch early in the season, in 
which they gave up 14 total 
points. And on an elite defense, 
perhaps the line featured the 
most playmakers: Wormley (14.5 

tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks), 
Henry (10 and 6.5), Charlton (8.5 
and 5.5) and Hurst (6.5 and three).

Even when Michigan’s line 

struggled, those stars were a 
handful for opponents. Mone’s 
injury depleted the Wolverines’ 
depth, but the starting core was 
still intact. But then Ojemudia 
tore his Achilles at Maryland on 
Oct. 3, and senior Royce Jenkins-
Stone filled in at the hybrid buck 
position. Finally, redshirt junior 
Ryan Glasgow injured his shoulder 
against Rutgers on Nov. 7. After 
three 
season-ending 
injuries, 

Michigan had to head into its 
toughest stretch of the season, 
playing fatigued at the end of the 
year with its fewest personnel.

The losses finally showed. 

After giving up fewer than 100 
rushing yards in six of the first 
nine games and averaging 2.7 
sacks in that span, the Wolverines 
trailed off in November before 
finishing with another strong 
performance in the Citrus Bowl 
victory against Florida.

HIGH POINT: It’s tough to 

pick out one individual game in 
the first half of the season because 
Michigan’s defensive front was so 
dominant throughout the season. 
But the line’s best performance 
may have come Oct. 10 against 

Northwestern.

Just 
the 
week 
before, 

Ojemudia 
was 
lost 
for 
the 

season, yet Jenkins-Stone filled 
in seamlessly. The Wolverines 
tied a season high with four 
sacks and totaled eight tackles 
for loss. And while offense 
wasn’t 
the 
Wildcats’ 
strong 

suit, Michigan still pulled off its 
third straight shutout against a 
ranked opponent in a dominant 
38-0 
victory 
at 
Michigan 

Stadium. That win helped build 
the Wolverines’ national hype 
perhaps more than any other 
this season.

LOW 
POINT: 
While 

Michigan gave up its most 
rushing yards of the season Nov. 
28 against Ohio State, the more 
shocking 
performance 
came 

two weeks earlier at Indiana. 
Playing without Glasgow for the 
first time, the Wolverines had no 
answers for the Hoosiers’ spread 
rushing 
attack, 
surrendering 

307 yards rushing on 55 carries. 
Their thin defensive line showed 
as Indiana ran zone-read plays 
repeatedly for the duration of 
the game.

Only when the Wolverines 

came up with a goal-line stand 
in double overtime did Michigan 
secure a victory against the 

Hoosiers, who finished 6-7.

THE 
FUTURE: 
Michigan 

made do with makeshift lineups 
up front for most of this season. 
Next year, with almost everyone 
returning, and if they can stay 
healthy, the Wolverines should 
be even better.

The 
loss 
of 
Henry, 
who 

announced 
Wednesday 
night 

on Twitter that he will forgo 
his senior season and enter the 
NFL Draft, will leave a hole. 
As well, Ojemudia’s eligibility 
has also been exhausted. But if 
Michigan learned one thing this 
season, it’s that it can overcome 
personnel losses on its defensive 
line. Wormley, the leader of the 
group for most of the season, will 
return. If Mone and Glasgow 
come back healthy, they can help 
fill in the losses.

Depending on the scheme 

new defensive coordinator Don 
Brown runs, a rough defensive 
front 
could 
start 
Wormley, 

Charlton, Hurst and Glasgow. 
Mone, 
Godin 
and 
redshirt 

sophomore Lawrence Marshall, 
and Michigan is still in the mix 
for five-star recruit Rashan Gary.

And with Mattison returning 

for another year coaching the 
line, the unit is in good shape for 
the future. 

ALLISON FARRAND/Daily

Redshirt junior defensive lineman Chris Wormley (43) was one of the highlights on Michigan’s elite defensive line.

‘M’ heads into Columbus 
on four-game win streak

By JASON RUBINSTEIN

Daily Sports Editor

After its sweep of in-state 

rival Michigan State, the No. 6 
Michigan hockey team regained 
its spot as the 
nation’s 
best 

offense.

The 

Wolverines 
are 
currently 

averaging 
4.68 goals — a 
number 
that 

grew after this 
past 
weekend, 

when 
they 

scored 15 goals 
in two contests 
against 
the 

Spartans.

Now, a week 

later, the next 
team 
to 
try 

and 
stymie 

Michigan’s 
electrifying offense is Ohio State. 
Struggling out of the gate, the 
Buckeyes 
started 
the 
season 

winning just four of their first 
15 contests. But recently, the 
Buckeyes have looked like a 
different team.

Over Winter Break, Ohio 

State traveled to Florida and 
beat then-No. 4 Boston College, 
3-2, before crushing then-No. 8 
Cornell, 8-0, to win the Florida 
College Classic title.

“Ohio State had a big couple 

wins down in Florida, and they’re 
hot right now, so we’re not taking 
them lightly,” said sophomore 
forward Dexter Dancs. “That’s 
for sure.”

But the Wolverines are also 

currently playing what seems like 
their best hockey at this point. 
They have scored 22 goals in 
their last four games, conceding 

just nine.

Their offense has caught fire 

lately for multiple reasons — 
mainly due to the first line of 
junior forwards Tyler Motte 
and JT Compher and freshman 
forward Kyle Connor.

The trio has been unstoppable 

since it started playing on the 
same line, and Big Ten statistics 
support this. Connor, Compher 
and Motte are first, second 
and third, respectively, in the 
Big Ten point-scoring race. 
Connor has been particularly 
sensational, notching 15 points 
in his last six games. His 31 
points on the season are good 
for fourth in the country.

Despite the star trio, it has 

been the play of the fourth line — 
sophomore forward Dexter Dancs 
and junior forward Max Shuart 
— that has helped carry some of 
the load lately. Dancs notched two 
tallies against the Spartans, and 

said most of his and the team’s 
success stems from their tight 
bond.

“We’re having a ton of fun,” he 

said. “The team is extremely tight, 
the boys love coming to the rink 
and it’s the best part of the day for 
us. Right now, everything is just 
fun, even the lifts.”

Michigan has also seen a jolt 

from 
sophomore 
defenseman 

Zach 
Werenski, 
who 
played 

last weekend in his first series 
since 
captaining 
the 
United 

States World Junior team in the 
World Junior Championships in 
Helsinki.

Werenski 
registered 
two 

goals and an assist against 
the Spartans. After one of 
his goals, he paid his dues to 
former Wolverine Carl Hagelin, 
celebrating the goal by playing 
the violin on his arm with his 
stick.

Dancs 
said 
Werenski 
can 

get by with celebrating goals 
like that because he is just that 
skilled. Werenski said he still 
got a message from coach Red 
Berenson about going overboard 
with celebrations.

It wouldn’t be surprising if 

this Friday’s game in Columbus 
is high-scoring. After all, the 
first time the two teams met in 
Columbus last season, Michigan 
won a wild 10-6 contest, and its 
offense is just as good as last 
year. It’s no longer shocking if 
the Wolverines score five-plus 
goals a night.

“I think something pretty 

similar to (Michigan) State,” 
Werenski 
said 
about 
his 

expectations of the upcoming 
series. “I’d guess the games would 
be a little bit closer. They are a 
good team, block a lot of shots and 
it will be a battle.

“I hope we score 10 and they 

score none.”

JAMES COLLER/Daily

Zach Werenski has fully readjusted after spending almost a month in Helsinki for the World Junior Championships.

Wolverines to host 
meet Saturday for 
autism awareness

By PAIGE VOEFFRAY

For the Daily

The 
Michigan 
women’s 

gymnastics team is competing 
against Ohio State on Saturday, 
but 
for 
the 

Wolverines, 
it’s 
all 
about 

Johnny Leone.

For the third 

straight 
year, 

Michigan 
is 

pairing 
with 

the Ted Lindsay 
Foundation 
and 
Autism 

Speaks to hold 
an 
autism 

awareness 
meet. 
The 

Wolverines 
feel autism is often overlooked, 
though it is gaining awareness 
throughout the country. Michigan 
had an opportunity to get to know 
someone with autism, 18-year-old 
Leone, giving the team insight 
into the disorder.

“We’ve been able to meet a 

ton of really great and talented 
kids through the process of 
doing this autism meet for the 
past three years, so it’s always 
something 
we 
really 
look 

forward to,” said senior Lindsay 
Williams. “With all that we’ve 
learned about it, we’re really 
excited to help everyone who 
comes out to the meet to learn 
about it as well.”

The Michigan men’s hockey 

team will also be in attendance 
at the upcoming meet to help 
support the cause. In October, 
the hockey team had an autism 
awareness game, and some of 
the women from the gymnastics 
team went to support the hockey 
team and their cause.

“I don’t think gymnastics 

and hockey are two sports 
that you would think would 
be associated together,” said 
senior Briley Casanova. “I think 
it’s great that we have two very 
different sports supporting each 
other and also having a common 
goal in spreading awareness 
about one cause.”

That’s not to say the Wolverines 

won’t be focused on winning the 
meet. The team is tied for No. 1 in 
the nation in just its second week 
of the season – the challenge now 
shifts to staying there.

“It’s a really nice motivation 

to our team to get them to really 
believe that they deserve to be 
competing with the very top teams 
in the country and they’re capable 
of doing that,” said Michigan 
coach Bev Plocki. “We’ve really 
talked about the fact that we need 
to expect ourselves to be at the 
Super Six, and we need to believe 
that we have the ability to win the 
National Championship.”

The team has set the standard 

high for the rest of the season. 
After multiple athletes achieved 
personal-best 
scores 
against 

then-No. 9 Georgia on Saturday 
to go with a team win, they are 
excited for what the rest of the 
season has to offer.

But the Wolverines did not 

come away from their meet 
against Georgia unscathed. At 
each event an athlete fell early 
within 
the 
rotation, 
adding 

pressure 
on 
the 
women 
to 

perform their routines cleanly. 
Going 
into 
Saturday’s 
meet 

against the Buckeyes, Michigan 
hopes to work on its consistency 
and keep the positive energy up 
throughout the meet. 

And most importantly, the 

team hopes spectators will come 
not just for gymnastics, but also 
for the cause. 

Ohio State 
at Michigan

Matchup: 
Ohio State 1-0; 
Michigan 2-0

When: 
Saturday 
4 P.M.

Where: Crisler 
Center

TV/Radio: 
MGoBlueTV

LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily

Bev Plocki’s team is tied for No. 1 in the nation in this week’s poll.

Partridge hired as 
full-time assistant

By MAX BULTMAN

Managing Sports Editor

Chris Partridge has been 

named the Michigan football 
team’s 
special 
teams 
and 

linebackers coach, the team 
announced 
Thursday 
via 
a 

press release.

Partridge had been the team’s 

director of player personnel 
for the 2015 season, but he also 
served as its linebackers coach 
for the Citrus Bowl after former 
defensive 
coordinator 
and 

linebackers coach D.J. Durkin 
left to become the head coach at 
Maryland.

After Michigan lost Durkin to 

the Terrapins and former special 
teams coordinator John Baxter 
to Southern California last week, 
Partridge will fill both vacancies.

“Chris has a proven track 

record as a successful coach,” said 
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh 
via the release. “He has brought 
a lot of energy and enthusiasm to 
his work as our director of player 
personnel. I know that same 
passion will be exhibited in his 

work with our student-athletes.”

Prior to coming to Michigan, 

Partridge worked from 2010 to 
2014 as the head coach at Paramus 
Catholic High School in Paramus, 
N.J., the alma mater of redshirt 
freshman safety Jabrill Peppers 
and the current home of the 
nation’s No. 1 recruit, defensive 
tackle Rashan Gary.

Partridge received positive 

reviews from players for his work 
as interim linebackers coach for 
the Citrus Bowl. He inherits a 
group of linebackers that will 
lose three starters going into 
next year, and a special teams 
group that finished the season 
tied for 12th in special teams 
efficiency under Baxter.

“I came to Michigan because 

I wanted to work with the 
best and learn from the best,” 
Partridge said in the release. “I 
couldn’t have a better mentor 
than 
coach 
Harbaugh 
who 

shares my vision that the student 
athletes come first. I am honored 
by his confidence and for the 
opportunity to continue to serve 
this incredibility (sic) institution.”

FOOTBALL

Michigan at 
Ohio State

Matchup: 
Michigan 
13-3-3; Ohio 
State 6-11-1

When: Friday 
6:30 P.M., 
Saturday 
5:05 P.M.

Where: Friday 
at Value 
City Arena, 
Sunday at Yost 
Ice Arena

TV/Radio: 
Fox Sports 
Detroit

