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It took longer than expected for everything to come to fruition, but the Michigan football defense ended up being one of the best in the country last season. The Wolverines were suffocating in their huge upset victories over Ohio State and Alabama to end the season. The Buckeyes were only able to score 10 points on the Michigan D, and the Crimson Tide didn't do much better as they finished with 13.
The Michigan football defense is expected to be one of the best in 2025 as well, but the Wolverines have a lot of talent to replace along the defensive line. Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant were the two stars last season, but they are both heading to the NFL. TJ Guy and Derrick Moore will need to pick up the slack, and Guy has high expectations for the duo.
“We can be scary,” TJ Guy said, according to an article from Maize N Brew. “We’re going to work with each other very well with how we rush as two different types of players,” Guy said. “I think we’re going to complement each other very well. I see a lot of production.”
The Alabama game was a sneak-peek at what this defense is going to look like next year. Graham, Grant and Josiah Stewart were all out, and Michigan still dominated the Crimson Tide.
“There were huge pieces that we lost on our defensive line, so we know what we have to do to still be a good defense,” Guy added. “We know that no matter how the season goes, we take pride in our defense. That’s just how our DNA is built.”
Guy's role is going to look a lot different on the field next season, but his responsibilities off the field are just as important.
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“One of my coaches told me that leadership defines you,” he said. “I’m not thinking too much about how my role is going to change, but more about the impact I have on my new and young teammates, and being a good example for them.”
Being a good leader is important to guy, and Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito has already seen that taking place.
“They’ve played so much football here, they’ve seen so many different things, and the thing that has jumped out to me is the leadership,” Esposito said. “They’ve done an unbelievable job with leadership. Derrick Moore is calling the defense up, TJ Guy is calling the defense up. Those guys have been great leaders, and they feel the same way we do — at the end of the day last year, we didn’t perform to where we wanna be, and they’re gonna do everything in their power so that doesn’t happen again, which has been great.”
TJ Guy knows that the duo of him and Derrick Moore can be a special one, and Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore feels the same way.
“Huge for the experience, and from a talent standpoint and a leadership standpoint,” Sherrone Moore said. “I’m very proud of them, and it was important that we got both of those guys back. I think they will be a dynamic duo next year.”
With a revamped quarterback room, the Michigan football team should be able to return to their place among the nation's best college football teams in 2025 if the defense can continue to dominate like they have in recent years.
