Michigan DL coach Lou Esposito on 'uncommon' DTs Kenneth Grant, Mason Graham, how he motivates players to 'run through a wall' for him

Michigan Wolverines football will lean on its defensive line this season, which is being coached by Lou Esposito, who joined the team in the spring following a short stint at Memphis. After taking the job, Esposito watched his linemen play during spring practices and also studied tape from last season. Needless to say, the former Western Michigan coordinator (2017-23) was impressed.

“Unbelievable toughness, physicality,” Esposito said on the ‘In The Trenches’ podcast with host Jon Jansen. “Great traits of athleticism. Each guy on that front line brings something different that you need to be a great defense, whether it’s Stew’s [senior EDGE Josaiah Stewart] ability to be physical rushing the passer and drop into coverage, D-Mo’s [junior EDGE Derrick Moore] job of being able to be an elite edge-setter, rush the passer, drop into coverage, play with great effort. [Junior defensive tackle] Mason [Graham] and KG’s [junior defensive tackle Kenneth Grant] ability to just stone at the line of scrimmage and create a wall.

“I think since I’ve been here I’ve heard [Michigan head] Coach [Sherrone] Moore talk about it all the time — and I didn’t hear it before I got here — ’we’re gonna create a run wall.’ And that’s what those guys do, and they take pride in that, and it’s something special. Those guys work and do things that are uncommon to most people at their position.”

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Esposito has appreciated the warm welcome from the Michigan defensive line room and feels he’s making an impact.

“They’re really good,” he said. “I feel like there are some things that I’ve said, like it’s hard when you come in and take over a room that has been so talented and been so successful. I think I say things sometimes differently, that maybe was the same point but they grasp it a little bit better. There are some things that I’ve given them just in film breakdown and how to watch opponents that are different than what they’ve done in the past that has really helped them. So it’s been awesome.

“And the biggest thing to me is they coach the young guys like I coach them. So it’s pretty cool to watch that, because they’ve all either come in young and had to learn quick and play or had some time to grow and then they’re teaching these guys the same techniques, the same things that I’m teaching them, which has been awesome. It’s like having coaches in the meeting room.”

Grant (29 tackles, 5 TFL, 3.5 sacks in 2023) and Graham (35 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 3 sacks) make up what’s been regarded as the best defensive line duo in the country. Esposito raved about the impact the pair have, especially when they’re on the field together.

“I think when you put those two guys together, they command double teams,” Esposito said. “You can’t single block those guys, and when they do, you have to make them pay for that. Which, in turn, good defenses are built from the middle back. You build it from the front back, and it just helps everybody out. When they play well, everybody else plays well. When Mason and KG have a great practice, the whole defense has a great practice.

“And they can affect the games in so many different ways that never show up — batted balls, running to the football. Those are the things that I’ve been trying to get those guys to do all the time. KG has had that unbelievable play where he runs down the running back. Do that every time. Even though it’s not a running back, go chase a quarterback down, go run after the ball and make extra-effort plays. It’s been a big point that we’ve been talking about in camp. Knockbacks, extra effort. Knockbacks, extra effort. And those guys have been doing a great job of it all camp.”

How Lou Esposito motivates Michigan players

Esposito has a unique system in which he allows Michigan defensive linemen to find their motivation and share it with their position group. He believes it’ll help him coach his players this season and beyond.

“The first thing we did the very first meeting is we had a card, and on that card is like, ‘Hey, what are my camp goals, what are my season goals, what are my life goals?’ And then on the back of it is, ‘Why do you play football, and who’s the most important person in your life?’” Esposito revealed. “And everyone filled out those cards, and just randomly I’ll pick a guy every meeting, and he’ll just take the card out and he’ll read it in front of the whole group. And we tack it on the wall, so if you go in the D-line room, you’ll see a bunch of these cards on the wall.

“And the reason I do that is because if you know somebody’s ‘why,’ you can motivate them however you want. Like, hey, these are your words. You put these goals down. You’re not working toward this goal right now. I shouldn’t have to scream and yell for you to do that. These are your words. That person who’s the most important person in your life, if they just watched you play with bad hands and stand straight up and peek in the backfield, what are they gonna say? You want to be able to reach your goals and get every ounce out of football that you can, this is what you have to do.

“And when you do it like that, it kinda flips a switch for the kids like, ‘Oh, yeah, that’s right.’ And it makes them want to do more, because at the end of the day, everyone talks about, ‘Hey, kids are different. They’re not as tough as they used to be.’ That’s a bunch of BS. Kids are just as tough, they’re just as strong, they’re just as fast, they’re just as big. The difference is kids walk around with a phone that they can type a question in and get an answer at any point, so you have to tell them the ‘why.’ And if they know you love them, they’ll run through a wall for you.

“It’s all about the relationships, and I think that’s where Coach Moore does a great job, better than anyone I’ve ever been around — the relationships with the players. And if they love you, they’ll work their ass off for you.”