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Wolverine TV: Jesse Minter, Grant Newsome talk Michigan football heading into stretch run

clayton-sayfieby:Clayton Sayfie•11/01/23•

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Jesse Minter
(Photo by Clayton Sayfie / TheWolverine.com)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines football defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and tight ends coach Grant Newsome met with the media Wednesday afternoon coming off the bye week and heading into a showdown with Purdue. Watch video of Minter in the video player at the top of the screen and Newsome in the embed below. As always, follow our video content on The Wolverine’s YouTube channel.

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Minter was asked about Michigan senior defensive tackle Kris Jenkins receiving less snaps the last couple games, after head coach Jim Harbaugh said recently that he’s been dealing with a minor injury that’s limited him in practice. Minter said the snap counts aren’t necessarily due to the ailment.

“The snap counts, I think, have been really predicated off of our rotation, how the games have gone over the last month,” Minter pointed out. “Going into our last game, he definitely dealt with an issue that may have limited [him], just in that last game in particular. But any time you have a bye week, you have a chance to heal up and get healthy. The great thing is, the rotation in general, I think our guys are going to be really fresh down the stretch. I look forward to having Kris back at full strength.”

Michigan sophomore cornerback Will Johnson, meanwhile, was recovering from an injury most of the offseason and was limited at the start of the year. He’s been back full go for five games now and playing at a higher level.

“He’s right there,” Minter said of Johnson’s strength and rhythm. “I think the plan for him has worked out well for him to be able to get healthy, for him to be able to work his way. When a guy misses summer training and a lot of training camp, you can’t make that up. You can’t just go in to Week 2, Week 3, without having done all that and say that you’re going to be where you were [at the end of last season]. That’s four weeks of training camp — practice every day, drills every day. So, I think as he’s kind of been able to make up that time a little bit and get to his five, six week progression, he’s really starting to be the Will that we all know. I think he’ll be a huge factor for us down the stretch.

Harbaugh has often praised Newsome, including calling him essentially an offensive coordinator in waiting and future head coach. Newsome responded to those compliments.

“It means the world,” Newsome said. “Obviously, he’s someone that’s been instrumental in my life — not only as a player, but also when I made the transition to a coach. I owe everything I have in this profession to him and his trust and the guidance he’s given me. It’s really easy for myself and I imagine for the rest of the staff to come in and observe him and how he coaches the guys, how he interacts with the guys and how he leads the program.”

Michigan and Purdue will play the 76th night game in U-M history Saturday night.

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