Michigan DT Mason Graham feels 'good,' plans to play and is ready to 'destroy games'
Michigan Wolverines football defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said junior defensive tackle Mason Graham was “banged up” during fall camp, but he’s scheduled to play Saturday. Graham didn’t go into specifics on what he was dealing with but did say he’s trending positively.
“I feel good,” Graham said Tuesday night after practice. “I was full speed today, so just doing everything I can.
“I was just dealing with some stuff, day to day.”
Graham and fellow junior defensive tackle Kenneth Grant have been focused on conditioning this season, knowing that their roles will be bigger than they were last season. Grant has said he’d be ready to play 50-60 snaps per game, and Graham said he’ll be ready for whatever the coaches throw at him.
“We’re always focused on that. We’re just trying to play as many plays as we can,” Graham said.
Graham (7.5) and Grant (5) combined for 12.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage last season, but both have more to show.
“Probably just destroying games, not letting anything happen within that front or whatever we can do to stop all plays that they want to run,” the Michigan defensive lineman said of what the next level is for the duo. “Or if it’s getting triple teamed, double teamed, it doesn’t matter — we’re still going to do our job at the end of the day.”
Graham, a 6-foot-3, 320-pound Anaheim, Calif., native, was a unanimous pick for preseason first-team All-America honors this offseason, but he hasn’t been focused on the hype.
“Just the same thing I’ve always done,” Graham said of how he’s approached it. “I’ve always gotten praise. Everyone on our team gets a lot of praise. Our team gets a lot of praise. Just handling it like we have in the past, and me personally, just being humble and keeping my head down and working as hard as I can every day.
“I’m really not looking to prove other people right, just proving this team and myself and all my teammates right.”
Enow Etta, Ike Iwunnah will see significant snaps
Michigan sophomore defensive tackle Enow Etta began the offseason as an EDGE but made the transition inside. He went from 265 pounds to 308 and has impressed.
“Enow’s doing a lot of good stuff. I feel like he’s gonna be a player for us that is going to get a lot of snaps, and I feel like he’s ready to excel and show what he’s done this offseason and the whole time he’s been here,” Graham said.
“He latched on to a lot of us older guys, the coaches and really invested a lot of his time, and wanted a role inside. So that’s what he chose to do.”
Senior Ike Iwunnah, meanwhile, has never played a snap in a game at Michigan, but he’s primed to break through this season. Graham has noticed differences in his demeanor and level of play.
“First, he’s definitely changed his mindset,” Graham said of Iwunnah. “I feel like earlier in his years when he was a freshman, sophomore, even last year, he was always kind of doubting himself when he messed up or didn’t make a play or was out of his fit. But I feel like confidence is a big thing with him. He’s embraced that he’s going to play this year, and he knows he’s going to play. I feel like he’s gonna be ready for that challenge.
“It’s always cool whenever those guys get in the game. They really haven’t felt what it feels like yet, so I’m gonna be excited for those guys. I want to see everyone make plays, everyone be happy and come out with the win.”
