Michigan football names six captains for 2023 season
As determined by a player vote, Michigan Wolverines football named six captains for the 2023 season Thursday morning, nine days before the Maize and Blue open the season against East Carolina (Sept. 2 at The Big House). Only seniors and graduates were eligible to be picked. The players elected graduate defensive back and returning captain Mike Sainristil, graduate left guard Trevor Keegan, graduate linebacker Michael Barrett, senior running back Blake Corum, senior defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and senior right guard Zak Zinter.
This marks the second-most Michigan has elected in a season behind 2020, when the Wolverines had seven. They named five in 2022 and four in 2021.
Sainristil is one of seven two-time captains in the program’s nine years under head coach Jim Harbaugh. He led the defensive backfield last season and delivered a now-famous speech in the second half against Ohio State, a 45-23 win in Columbus.
“The natty starts now,” Sainristil yelled, after pointing to the Ohio State sideline and telling his fellow defenders the Buckeyes would fold. Michigan outscored its bitter rival, 28-3, in the second half of a blowout win.
The converted wide receiver is regarded as one of the most selfless players on the team, saying on numerous occasions that he would play center if he had to. The 5-10, 182-pounder made 58 tackles, including 6.5 for loss and 2 sacks, last season, with 1 interception.
Keegan is a two-time All-Big Ten selection who earned first-team honors from the coaches in 2022, helping lead Michigan’s offensive line to the Joe Moore Award. He’s started 23 of his 30 career contests and decided to return for his fifth season.
Zinter and Keegan have taken a “balcony view” of understanding the entire offense and everybody’s job instead of just the line this season, they’ve said. Both have stepped up as leaders for the Michigan offense. Zinter was a consensus first-team All-Big Ten honoree last season and has opened 31 of his 33 contests as a Wolverine.
Corum is one of the premier players in the sport, having earned unanimous All-America honors and finished seventh in Heisman Trophy voting last season. The 5-8, 213-pounder rushed for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns, earning team MVP recognition. Corum suffered a season-ending knee injury last November, spent the majority of the offseason rehabbing and was back full-go for fall camp, which concludes this week. Harbaugh, Corum is “bigger, faster, quicker” than last season. He’s also established himself as an even better leader, one of his goals coming into the year after shocking the college football world by returning.
“When he talks, you listen,” Michigan junior tight end Max Bredeson said.
Jenkins has stepped up as a vocal leader for the Michigan defense. He’s always brought the energy — “like a kid in a candy store,” Harbaugh says — but he’s taken things to another level ahead of the 2023 campaign. The 6-3, 305-pounder was an honorable mention All-Big Ten standout a year ago, starting all 14 games and leading the Michigan defensive line with 54 tackles, 3.5 stops for loss and 2 sacks.
The old man in the room, he jokes, Barrett decided to return for his sixth season at Michigan. He’s seen the highest of highs, winning two Big Ten championships, and some low times as well, including the dismal 2020 campaign that saw the Wolverines post a 2-4 record. He’s switched positions (from ‘viper’ to inside linebacker, after playing quarterback in high school) and accepted both reserve and starting roles. Barrett had his best season in 2022, when he started 13 games and finished second on the team with 72 tackles, including 5 for loss, 3.5 sacks, 3 pass breakups and 2 interceptions.
