Michigan football players embrace grueling practice

When you hear about how Bo Schembechler transformed Michigan football back in 1969, you often heard about how practice was so much more grueling than the games. At times, that mentality has fallen off, but usually when the Wolverines have been good, that's been the report coming out of Schembechler Hall.

And that's the mentality that new head coach Kyle Whittingham is working to reinstall.

For defensive tackle Enow Etta, so far so good under Whittingham. While the games haven't happened yet, he's confident that once they get to the point where they're playing an opponent wearing a different helmet, these Wolverines will show up.

"He has a thing where practice is gonna be harder than the game," Etta said. "So we're practicing. I'm like, 'Man, I'm ready for the game.' You know what I mean? Because this is practice. The game is, you know. So, yeah, I think we're definitely excited. I mean, we're excited every year for the season to put that whole eight, nine months offseason of what you've done on display. I think everybody is. 

"We have a new – everybody knows we have a new staff. We have a new offense. We have a new defense. We've been working at it since January. I mean, it's about to be August, so that's eight months. So, I think we're excited. Everybody's confident in the product we have. So there's nothing else to do than just show it."

Etta is playing under new defensive coordinator Jay Hill, who says his defense is pretty much the same as what Jesse Minter had run in 2023 -- Etta's first year with the program. While there are enough differences for it to be challenging, Etta says the most important thing is for he and his cohorts to recognize it's still just football and they still just have to go out and execute it.

"We had this, because we played kind of within the same defense," Etta said. "But because the coordinators all came from, I guess, the same tree, you call it. But, I mean, yeah, with this new staff, it feels like, yeah, I would say it feels different. But it feels the same. I mean, we're just working. It's just work at the end of the day.

"I mean, for me, maybe some guys might say different. But at the end of the day, you get the call, do what you got to do. And, yeah, Coach Hill definitely puts us in the best positions to win. And I think that's something that a lot of guys can appreciate. So, yeah, it's defense. When you first get here, it's like, 'Oh, man, like it's a new playbook.' But you got to, man, not realize wherever you go, I mean, you're dealing with the NFL now on a new team every year. They got to wear a new playbook every year. So what you want to say, 'Oh, man, it's different.' Like you just go out there and do what you're told and play. And if every guy does that, I mean, we're in a good spot, you know."

So, how good can this team be this season? Etta says that there is no one missing -- this team is fully capable of going out and winning the big games.

"We can be as good as anybody," Etta said. "I mean, obviously, we can be as good as anybody. We got all the guys we need. I mean, I've never been down like, man, I wish we had this guy back, or this guy came one more year. Like we have everything. We have everyone that we need."

Fall camp will continue until September 5, when Michigan football hosts Western Michigan for the season opener at The Big House.

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan football players embrace grueling practice