Michigan edge gets new jersey number, returning to ’round out game’

admin | April 3, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

Josaiah Stewart was one of Michigan’s four edge rushers last season, and he still had an impact.

The Coastal Carolina transfer led all Wolverines defensive lineman in tackles (38) while also contributing 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in a supporting role behind future NFL draft picks Jaylen Harrell and Braiden McGregor.

With those two gone, and him now wearing the No. 0 jersey, Stewart hopes to make that leap and become a full-time starter.

“Just really rounding out my game,” Stewart said when asked about his choice to return on Tuesday. “Any flaws I believed I had last season, I just sharpened them every day. Just becoming the best player I can be, both on and off the field, being where I’m supposed to be, managing my business, and having another year to become a pro.”

The 6-foot-1, 245-pound Stewart will have to deal with a completely new coaching staff. Not only does he have a new head coach (Sherrone Moore) and a new defensive coordinator (Don “Wink” Martindale), but his defensive line coach has changed twice in the last few months.

Lou Esposito of Memphis, a former defensive coordinator at Western Michigan, will come in to teach the tackles and assist with the edge rushers.

“Just having that one year under my belt, getting my feet wet, getting my first season, I’m just taking the experiences from that year,” Stewart said of his Michigan debut. “All my flaws, errors, all my wins, losses, taking them to next season and building on that.”

Stewart, a 6-foot-1, 245-pound true freshman at Coastal Carolina, led the Sun Belt in sacks with 12.5 in 2021. His numbers dropped slightly in ’22, but he brought to Michigan his ability to get to the quarterback — a quality that the college football world witnessed on the final play of the Rose Bowl, when Stewart crashed on the line and helped bring down Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe on fourth-and-goal in overtime.

“I probably see it like twice a day,” Stewart joked. “But that’s a great play for the whole defense. Every time I watch it, I watch a different player each time. I watch Derrick (Moore), I watch Mason (Graham), I watch (Kenneth Grant), Mike (Sainristil) flying up the field. I even watch the Alabama players.”

Several of the guys Stewart named are expected to return to help Michigan defend its national championship. The unit is likely to retain much of its outstanding talent, including Graham, Grant, Moore, and even All-American cornerback Will Johnson, making it a definite strength for this squad.

The good news, at least for now, is that not much has changed under Martindale, the self-proclaimed architect of the Michigan defense, which was implemented by Mike Macdonald in 2021 and continued under prior coordinator Jesse Minter.

Martindale prefers to blitz more, and that remains a very real prospect, which plays directly into Stewart’s strengths.

“I mean, it’s great,” Stewart added. “We can create explosive defensive plays with those movements. I’m intrigued to see how he approaches that over the season.”

Regarding the jersey switch, Stewart claims he wore No. 0 at Coastal Carolina and tried to persuade Mike Sainristil to give it up last year.

“But he wasn’t budging, so I had to wait a year,” he said. “He says it’s cool. I got to keep that same standard up I guess. I’ll do me, though.”