Defensive Line Grows Up in First Test

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Being his first game, he had to take a look around.

Seeing 109,575 people in the stands was stunning, but Mukendi Wa-Kalonji had to soak in the moment.

"I was out there, I saw a lot of people and thought this is amazing," the redshirt freshman said. "I'm out here, and now I'm trying to make a name for myself. It was fun."

His classmate Tyler Quinn was very much in the same boat, but not as awed. Both of them were about to see their first game action, but Quinn, hailing from Texas, has played in front of big crowds before. He actually didn't think Michigan Stadium was as big as it was made out to be.

Not that he didn't have a lot going around in his head, at least at first. But it was an important first step for both of them and they now they both enter Saturday's game with Middle Tennessee with a better understanding

"There was just a lot in my head. After I got out of my head, it was just normal for me," Quinn said. "It was a great gauge of where I'm at, going against that caliber of an O-line, just to see. I know we probably won't face another O-line that good the rest of the year, so it was good to be gauged on that."

Defensive line coach Buddha Williams saw what he needed to see from not only those two, but from the rotation of his defensive line. The Rams were short on game experience, especially with Devin Phillips not playing, leaving Mohamed Kamara and C.J. Onyechi as the two players who had seen the most action. Cam Bariteau made his first start. So did Grady Kelly. Getting their fair share of snaps were Troy Golden, James Mitchell and Teivis Tuioti.

"That was the most fun part to be honest with you. Just seeing guys just how they react to the first time," Williams said. "That's the toughest part, seeing how guys perform in their first game, especially in that type of environment. I thought those guys really played really well and did a good job for their first outing. We got a lot of confidence in those guys.

"Now you'll see from week one to week two their growth. Obviously just the playing experience of playing against that front is really huge. I think we'll be able to learn from that and you'll see a lot of growth from that."

What Wa-Kalonji shared with Quinn was the same feeling of thinking too much during the game. It was his first game and the last thing he wanted to do was make a critical mistake. He wanted to be perfect.

What they both learned is they don't have to, and now they've been thrown to the Wolverines, they understand a bit better what the coaches have been telling them all along. It's the most important lesson both of them learned.

"Not to think too much. That's the first thing I was doing, trying to think too much, trying to be perfect, not mess up," Wa-Kalonji said. "I realized it's better just to go, and I might mess up here, but then still cause something to happen rather than just thinking too much and not being a factor."
What Williams wanted was to see the youngest of his group gain some experience and pick up some confidence. One might think it would be hard to do so in a lopsided loss, but he said they all took away the right lessons from the experience.

He saw it on film. He could tell the moment wasn't took big for them, and he knows they now understand they belong on the field physically. He proved it to them by showing them plays of when they did things correctly how they succeeded.

Seeing for all of them is believing.

"You see yourself in some of the plays you might have left on the field. Then you go back to the drawing board on Sunday and Monday, and you watch with those guys, and they see where they could have made plays," Williams said. "You have a bitter taste in your mouth because of the outcome and you didn't make the play, but also you look at the other side, next time I'm making that play. You gain confidence in that area."

For both of them, Monday's practice felt different. Knowing they have to stay out of their own way mentally was the first hurdle to climb, and on the practice field, they felt the change starting to take hold.

By thinking less, they reacted quicker, which is what they want to carry into Saturday.

"It was just my speed of play. I was good with the plays, just doing it faster and faster and not thinking so much," Quinn said. "I get another chance to prove what I can do, so I know I can focus on that, rather than just everything else."

Williams knew there was so much his group could learn from the game, which he felt they did. As the season plays out, the rotation on the front will start to pay dividends for the defensive play, and he feels they can rotate even more as experience is gained.

There were things they did well in the game, Williams said. He also believes they'll continue to get better, so he's sticking with his preseason assessment the defensive line can be a strength for the unit.

"We're even more confident. As we keep going, we're just developing more depth, guys who can come in and play in short bursts – a couple snaps at a time but playing 1,000-miles per hour and doing their job while playing 1,000 miles per hour," he said. "I thought we actually got really good knock-back on the line of scrimmage and getting off of the blocks and not getting tied up and not being able to shed blocks. I thought we got off of blocks pretty well, and we rushed pretty well, but I think we can always continue to get better at pass rush and be more consistent in winning one of ones."

The first moment was a doozy, be it the first time on the field or the first extended action for some of them. Now it's in the rear-view, Williams expects to see open lanes ahead of them.

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Cam Bariteau

Troy Golden

Mohamed Kamara

Grady Kelly

James Mitchell

Tyler Quinn

Teivis Tuioti

Mukendi Wa-Kalonji

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