Michael Barrett embraced opportunity for role change with Michigan football
Michigan football has its stars, but it also has role players that make up a group they hope has championship DNA. That was a major talking point on Monday afternoon inside Schembechler Hall.
One of those role players is redshirt sophomore linebacker Michael Barrett, who has carved out a niche in recent weeks.
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“We have a lot of great players on this team,” Barrett said. “We have a lot of great leaders and guys trying to win and like to play together. That togetherness and having those guys buying in and locking into it, that’s a championship team to me.
“You can feel it. With all the new changes and everyone coming together. A lot of guys feel like it’s a brotherhood. It’s a little different than it has been before.”
Barrett, who switched from VIPER to inside backer in Michigan’s new defense, had to wait his turn. He played only 41 snaps all season prior to last week’s game against Indiana. He has played 65 total snaps in the last two games.
Barrett has stayed ready so he did not have to get ready.
“I always say trust the process,” he said. “Try to lock in, buy-in and get better. Do everything I can to get better every day. Work my way up. I’ve always been a worker. I’ve told myself to lock in and good things will happen.”
The biggest reason for Barrett’s emergence was a response to substitution woes at Michigan State. The Spartans caught Michigan red-handed a few times as defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald scrambled to match personnel. Barrett gives Michigan the ability to leave a safety/linebacker hybrid on the field so it does not have to sub as much.
“The defense uses a lot of people’s abilities,” Barrett said. “It helps my ability. I’m like a small linebacker, big defensive back. I’m in the middle where I can play both. That spot uses me to be able to cover and play in the box.”
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Barrett was recruited to play the VIPER position under former coordinator Don Brown. Michigan football overhauled the defense this offseason, which brought about a scheme change. Barrett could have transferred out, but still saw a fit in Ann Arbor.
“I like to learn,” he said. “I felt like the coaches and everyone that came in brought a new spark. Felt like I could fit in somewhere. I could contribute and all my brothers around here told each other we were going to lock in and get a championship.”
Barrett stayed positive throughout the year despite falling behind freshmen Junior Colson and Nikhai Hill-Green on the depth chart at inside linebacker. The coaching staff made the call to get him involved more a few weeks back and the rest is history.
“You never know when your number is going to be called and you’ll be needed,” Barrett said. “I was learning different positions. The MIKE, the dime, the different formations and just lock into the defense and learn. They told me they had that spot and it was happening and they told me to just lock in.”
Michigan football’s next challenge comes on Saturday in a road game against Maryland. That contest will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET and be broadcast via Big Ten Network.
