Jim Harbaugh calls Michael Dwumfour “very Mo Hurst-like”

The spring game is just days away. I don’t know about you, but this winter flew by. Maybe it’s because Michigan basketball and hockey kept us entertained throughout all the snowy garbage we’ve suffered through, but it’s crazy to think spring football is actually here.

And with spring ball comes plenty of updates on players and positions. It’s not uncommon to hear coaches rattle off names of players that have made strides in practice this spring, but one player receiving more praise than any other player has been junior defensive tackle Michael Dwumfour.

Everyone from Don Brown to Greg Mattison to even J.T. Rogan has put in their two cents about Dwumfour’s improvements, and now the head ball coach has mentioned Dwumfour’s name unprompted.

On this week’s Attack Each Day: The Harbaughs’ Podcast, Jim Harbaugh and Rogan opened the show by talking about Michigan’s spring practices so far. Without even being asked specifically about Dwumfour, here is what Harbaugh said about his junior defensive tackle:

“I would really point to Mike Dwumfour as somebody who’s really come on the scene and is gonna make a big impact. We already know about Rashan Gary, he’s arguably our best player, no doubt about it. Chase Winovich is having a great spring as well, and Bryan Mone. Aubrey Solomon has really stepped up, but if I had to put my stamp on one guy that’s really emerged to be a(n) outstanding player that wasn’t a full-time player last year, Michael Dwumfour, that defensive tackle position has been awful, awful tough to block. Has been very disruptive, very Mo Hurst-like and I think he’s poised to have a great year. He’s putting it together every day, too. Back to back to back practices. It’d be huge for our team.

“This is Mike’s time and he is responding very well.”

For a guy who played in nine games last season and had just four tackles (all assisted), one tackle for loss and half a sack, that is insanely high praise coming from Harbaugh. Being in the same breath as a player like Maurice Hurst doesn’t happen very often, so it’s fair to say we are going to see a lot of Dwumfour in 2018.

Michigan was going to need a defensive tackle step up this season to help replace Hurst, especially since the Wolverines did not land a true defensive tackle prospect in their 2018 class. Dwumfour being able to do crucial work on the line with Solomon and Mone would be absolutely huge for the Wolverines in 2018 and beyond.