Kris Jenkins discusses up-and-comers, 'no-star defense'
Michigan football defensive tackle Kris Jenkins will be taking on more of a leadership role during his senior season. A likely team captain, Jenkins is now tasked with being one of the tone-setters on the Wolverine defense.
There are snaps up for grabs up front with Mazi Smith‘s departure to the NFL. Junior Rayshaun Benny and sophomores Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant are all expected to step in, and Jenkins expects big things.
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“I’m not gonna hype them up too much” Jenkins said at Big Ten Football Media Days. “But Rayshaun, Kenneth Grant, and Mason Graham, they’re absolute dogs. They’re animals. The biggest thing I love about ’em is that they continue to work they’re hungry. They love getting better. They love learning from their mistakes and becoming better defensive tackles.
“I think you’re gonna see a lot of improvement and they’re definitely making a lot of statements this year. They’re definitely really coming to their own and I’m really excited and proud of them with how far they come and they’re gonna continue to grow.”
A few times this offseason, it has come up that Michigan’s defensive tackles and EDGE rushers did not communicate as well as they would have liked last season. That has been a point of emphasis throughout the last few months, and something that the Wolverines hope improves in fall camp.
Jenkins detailed how Michigan has taken steps to address it. Whether it be extracurriculars, or simply learning more about the other guy’s job, they figure to be in a much better place.
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“Improving our communication on the field and our culture and chemistry off the field,” Jenkins said. “Working with each other more off the field, spending extra time with each other and trying to learn each other’s position more. So we could really get a different perspective on the game and a better perspective of what’s going on. So we could do more to affect the game.”
The book is out on a lot of Michigan’s defenders. The unit has plenty of future pros on it, but Jenkins still feels the group fits the “no-star defense” mentality that head coach Jim Harbaugh referred to last season.
“We continue to embody that, Jenkins said. “We play as a unit. We play together. We’re not gonna separate ourselves based on whatever. We always play together. There’s so many dogs and talented players we have going on this defense. But we play for each other.
“We play for each other and not ourselves. Looking forward to dominating with each other and go from there.”
