The Michigan Wolverines are nearing the start of a new era under the direction of second-year coach Sherrone Moore. With quarterback Bryce Underwood more than likely becoming the starter in his true freshman season, it's going to take a full effort on both sides of the ball to win in the trenches.
This is where defensive lineman Rayshaun Benny comes in, who enters his final year in Ann Arbor this fall. Despite registering 1.5 sacks this past season for the Wolverines, college football analyst and podcaster David Pollack has high hopes for the 6-foot-4, 296-pound in-state product.
“That’s why they’ve been so good and so dominant, and Rayshaun Benny is the next guy in the lineage that can really dominate football games from the inside out," Pollack said on "See Ball, Get Ball." "6-foot-4, 300 pounds. I mean, he’s just a problem.”
Pollack was quick to complement the tradition of Michigan excellence, saying Benny has a chance to add to such a legacy.
“Their colors and Maize and Blue, they’re one of the winningest programs in all of college football. And every year they got some G.A.Ms — some grown [expletive] men — they got guys at the defensive tackle spot year after year," Pollack said. "They just live in the weight room. They pound weights, they eat human beings alive up front year after year."
After winning a national title in 2023, the Wolverines regressed this past season but managed to win their bowl game against the Alabama Crimson Tide to cap off the season. Now, the expectations have been elevated.
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Whether the Wolverines return to College Football Playoff contention remains to be seen, but one thing remains certain that Benny is going to be a key vocal point.