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Sitting at 5-5, no one expected much of note for the Michigan Wolverines for the rest of the way in 2024. Considered a favorite, but not by much, against Northwestern, the maize and blue took that game before shocking the world with a win in Columbus against Ohio State. The Wolverines then finished off the run with another surprising win, this time against Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
The final three wins were indications that Sherrone Moore hadn’t lost his team. But what’s more than that, linebacker Ernest Hausmann says (when asked about beating OSU), the team came together with the common denominator being toughness.
“We always pride ourselves on being the most toughest team out there on every single field. And, when you get to November, that’s what it’s about,” Hausmann said at Big Ten media days. “It’s about who is the toughest team because it’s a product, when you get to November, about your offseason training, really. Because every single team is banged up. Every team is hurting, everyone’s going through something that late in the season.
“And so really, who really took the offseason training to have your body right, in a good enough condition where you can execute, and still be playing with the principles and the foundation of what we’re built on. And that’s toughness. And we hang our hats on that. But we have to do that each and every day to make sure we still strive for that.”
Now a leader on the Wolverines, Hausmann is working to instill that same mentality in the younger players who are on the defense and in his room. The proof is in the pudding: being able to out-tough opponents works, and though there were some speed bumps on the way to the final wins of 2024, being able to handle adversity mixed with physicality is the path to success.
“I hope the young guys understand that, because it’s huge that, those last couple of games, even if we talk about Ohio State first game, understanding that it’s a long season,” Hausmann said. “It’s a very long season. And to see the growth that we took — I’m just talking from a defensive standpoint, the people in my room — and just seeing how as players, you have a responsibility to find a way to adjust, right? If something’s not working, we’re not having the success that we want, you have to find a way to adjust. The world’s going to keep going on. You still have a game that Saturday, and you yourself have to figure out what you’ve got to do differently, and to be able to change that. And I think we did that well as a defense and really paid dividends for our successes towards the end of the season.”
Fans will get an opportunity to see the new-look Wolverines on August 30 when Michigan hosts New Mexico for the 2025 season opener.
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