Michigan DT Trey Pierce on playing behind Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant: 'It really shows me what it takes'
Michigan Wolverines football sophomore defensive tackle Trey Pierce is in the midst of an important stretch in his career. Senior Rayshaun Benny — the Wolverines’ primary backup on the interior of the defensive line — has been out the last two games. Pierce has played a combined 55 of his 86 total defensive snaps for the season over the last two weeks.
The 6-foot-2, 315-pounder out of Chicago Brother Rice impressed behind the scenes last season, and he contributed in mop-up duty and on special teams. Now, he’s attempting to burst onto the scene, and he believes he’s made some big strides from now to then.
“Just letting the game slow down for me, knowing that I can compete with the guys out there,” Pierce sad. “Confidence and slowing the game down.
“Reps. The more and more practice I get, the more experience I get in the game, it just seems like the games come easier. You read blocks faster, you recognize players faster, things like that.”
Playing behind some talented defensive tackles over the last two seasons has certainly helped.
“I really appreciate how the whole room has embraced me,” Pierce said. “Specifically, I want to shout out Cam Goode from last year, shout out Benny, shout out KG [junior Kenneth Grant] and [junior] Mason [Graham], Kris [Jenkins], of course. Really the whole room helps each other out, so I really appreciate that.”
Graham and Grant — who’ve combined for 10.5 tackles for loss this season — are both projected first-round NFL Draft picks. Watching them work on a daily basis has been a positive for Pierce.
“Those guys are every bit as elite as you see on TV,” the Michigan sophomore said. “Every day, they bring an attitude to the facility. It really shows me what it takes.”
While the two play different positions, albeit along the same Michigan defensive line, Pierce has also drawn from senior Josaiah Stewart, who has 6.5 sacks on the season despite being undersized for an edge rusher.
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“He’s ridiculous. Everybody’s seeing it now, but you see that guy get off the ball, you see him taking on blocks,” Pierce said of Stewart. “It’s not like he’s the biggest guy, but man, I don’t think it matters. He’s a freak.
“I don’t think there’s anybody I’ve ever seen in my life, in person, who’s more explosive than Josaiah.
“Josaiah, I kinda feel like I kinda see myself as a guy like Josaiah — not as long and lengthy. So seeing him work hard to really overcome the places where he’s deficient really does inspire me to be better.”
Michigan held in-state rival MSU to 17 points in a 24-17 win last weekend, and the Wolverines are heading into a clash with the No. 1 team in the country, Oregon.
“Huge for us,” Pierce said of the victory over the Spartans. “It’s always good to beat up on our rival like that. Especially defensively, how we did it, it’s a good confidence boost.
“The mood, I think, is confident. We’re coming off that Michigan State win. As a team, we feel like we can do it. We can compete with the best teams. We just gotta put that out there.”
