Michigan football: George Helow talks Kalel Mullings RB experiment, Junior Colson's role

Michigan Wolverines football might be a bit short-handed at the inside linebacker spot in the season opener against Colorado State Saturday. Junior Nikhai Hill-Green, who started six games and registered 50 tackles last season, is dealing with a soft-tissue injury and is questionable.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday that he hopes to know Hill-Green’s status by “midweek,” but position coach George Helow said Wednesday that he’s still unsure.

The Wolverines have had a couple players step up, adding to what was considered a thin position group heading into fall camp.

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Junior Kalel Mullings has made just 12 career tackles and struggled to find his way onto the field for meaningful snaps at linebacker. Back in spring ball, Michigan began playing him on both sides of the ball, also at running back, and that continued early in fall camp. Now, though, he’s emerged at linebacker, and Helow said he’s spending most of his time on defense.

“Well, first thing is, we want what’s best for the team,” Helow said, explaining that he’s not lobbying for Mullings to stay on the Michigan defense. “Kalel has been doing a good job. He’s been taking a lot of the reps at MIKE, and he’s really doing a great job.

“Certain times, they’ll grab him for a few things [on offense]. But he’s been getting a lot of reps on defense.”

Another who can play the MIKE is graduate Michael Barrett, who’s actually the team’s leader in career tackles (71) despite being relegated to more of a reserve and sub-package role in 2021. He played in 432 snaps, starting all six games, in 2020, compared to just 187 plays in 14 contests a year ago.

“Mike’s had a great camp, really good,” Helow remarked. “He understands the defense, being year two in it. He really runs to the ball, knows what’s going on. I’m really pleased with what Mike has done and how he’s attacked fall camp.”

Helow is confident in what he has even after losing Josh Ross, now a Baltimore Raven, who captained the Michigan crew in 2021.

“We’ve had some guys step up, like [sophomore] Junior [Colson], Mike Barrett. Kalel, Nikhai,” Helow commented. “We’re cross training people to know all the spots. They learned a lot from Josh last year, and we’ve continued to take the things that we learned last year and kept applying them to this year, and we’ve gotten a lot better, I think.”

Junior Colson’s role, linebackers generating pressure

It’s no secret that Michigan lost most of its pass-rush production from last season, with former edge rushers Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo combining for 25 sacks. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Colson and others have explained that Michigan’s inside linebackers may get more opportunity to blitz, something they feel can replace some of what the EDGEs did.

“When we hit a blitz, we’re going to hit it with speed and intensity, and go, if Jesse calls it,” Helow said. “Other than that, I feel like we’ve got guys that are trained to roll. I know we lost some guys, but there are guys that were behind those guys last year that we lost that did really well too. I’m just excited to go out there and watch these guys get an opportunity to play, go compete.”

At 6-2, 235 pounds, Colson’s combination of size and speed makes him a potential weapon as a blitzer for Michigan.

“He’s a big, powerful dude that can run, so if he’s hitting a pressure, he’s going,” Helow revealed.

Helow has been pleased with what Colson has brought in his second season at Michigan. He’s become more vocal and a better leader, much needed with Ross no longer in Ann Arbor.

“He’s good. He’s comfortable with all of the closing of the front rules and setting the front,” Helow explained. “Every day, I feel like he’s continuing to get better and more confident with the reps he gets in practice and in games to allow him to get better at it. Really feeling good about Junior. “

The Michigan assistant can’t wait to see what Colson does Saturday and the rest of the season.

“He’s had an awesome camp,” Helow said. “I just like his energy. … He’s a big guy, big-chested dude. He takes very good notes. He takes stuff from the classroom and applies it on the practice field all throughout fall camp. He knows what’s going on. Really excited for Junior, and looking forward to see what he can do this year.”