Tag: Kenneth Grant

Michigan 35, UNLV 7

Defensive Tackle U. Michigan is putting together a nice crew of defensive tackles, and the least heralded one is the guy making plays most consistently, it seems. Sophomore Mason Graham made 5 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks against UNLV, eating up the interior offensive line repeatedly. The Rebels ended the game with 61 rushing yards on 31 attempts, which includes sacks, but still . . . the middle was stuffed up all day. Kris Jenkins made 5 tackles and 0.5 sacks and Kenneth Grant made 4 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and 1 pass breakup. The title of this section is a little facetious, but the defensive tackle play has been terrific.

Hit the jump for more.

Michigan vs. East Carolina Awards

Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . Trente Jones. I really like the way Trente Jones plays football. On Saturday he was used mostly as an extra lineman or a tight end, reprising his primary role from 2021. But he just bullies people in the run game and does a great job with his body positioning. I think his pass protection might be a little questionable at tackle, but I think he deserves to be on the field more.

Let’s see less of this guy on offense . . . Myles Hinton. Hinton earned the start in game one even though Jim Harbaugh suggested that he would start a different set of tackles in week two, presumably La’Darius Henderson at left tackle and Jones on the right side. Hinton is a mammoth at 6’6″ and 340 lbs., but he appeared to make several mental mistakes on Saturday, especially in the run game. He said in the post-game that he did not play well. I do still think he can be a good player, but perhaps he needs a little more time to adjust to Michigan’s scheme.

Hit the jump for more.

2023 Season Countdown: #18 Kenneth Grant

Name: Kenneth Grant
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 339 lbs.
High school: Merrillville (IN) Merrillville
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #78
Last year: I ranked Grant #87 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He made 8 tackles.
TTB Rating: 85

Instead of redshirting – as your author predicted – Grant played in all fourteen games last year. I thought he would take at least one year to get in shape, but the coaching staff decided to try to play him into shape, even though he was playing at nearly 360 pounds. Things went okay. Freshman defensive tackles rarely turn into immediate stars . . .

. . . unless his name is Mason Graham.

But I digress.

Anyway, Grant didn’t even have much of a chance to make a huge impact, because first round draft pick Mazi Smith was starting at nose tackle. That didn’t stop Jim Harbaugh from referring to Grant as “a gift from the football gods.”

So here we are in 2023, and it’s time for Michigan fans to open our present. A second-year player who was #87 last year jumping all the way to #18 might seem a bit odd – especially when he might be a backup to Mason Graham – but I think the nose tackle position could be a huge factor. When Smith was still around, Michigan had a 360 lb. nose tackle as the third guy and a former starter at UCF as the fourth guy. Now it’s Graham, Grant, Cam Goode, and then freshmen. I’m not so sure that Goode can hold up in the Big Ten, so if Graham and/or Grant were to go down, I think Michigan might struggle against the good running teams on the schedule, such as Penn State and perhaps an unnamed SEC team that could be a College Football Playoff opponent if Michigan is lucky enough to get that far. Michigan needs to be healthy up front if they have championship aspirations, and Grant could be a big part of reaching that goal.

Prediction: Backup nose tackle

Thoughts on 2023 Spring Game

Okay, it’s time to put some thoughts about the spring game on paper.

QUARTERBACK: We know what J.J. McCarthy brings to the table, and Michigan was never going to let him factor into the run game, so whatever. This comes down to thoughts on the backups. After watching Michigan have a good 1-2 punch the past two years with McCarthy and Cade McNamara, there is a big question mark at the #2 quarterback spot in 2023. I thought redshirt sophomore Davis Warren once again outplayed the competition, which comes from Alex Orji and Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle. Tuttle had a couple decent throws and showed some decent athleticism on the run, but Warren is more accurate and probably a better decision maker, despite the fact that Tuttle is a sixth-year player. Orji has decent arm strength but leaves something to be desired when it comes to his timing and accuracy; running is the best part of his game, and he’s a change-up guy. I would put him at #4 on the depth chart.

Hit the jump for more.

2022 Season Countdown: #87 Kenneth Grant

Name: Kenneth Grant
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 335 lbs.
High school: Merrillville (IN) Merrillville
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Grant was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 38 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 12 quarterback hurries, 4 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, and 8 blocked kicks (4 field goals, 2 extra points, 2 punts).
TTB Rating: 85

Grant is a high quality prospect. He moves with a lot of fluidity for a guy who’s 335 lbs. I’m surprised that he only ended up ranked as a 3-star, the #59 defensive lineman, and #444 overall in the 247 Composite. While he didn’t have a great offer list, some schools with pretty good pedigrees were after him, like Ohio State and Wisconsin.

My biggest concern with guys who enter college at 330+ pounds is their conditioning. You can no longer take any plays off in college like you did in high school. Furthermore, Michigan has a few guys they can plug into the middle of the defense, such as Mazi Smith, Cam Goode, and Rayshaun Benny. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Grant play some as a freshman – in fact, I fully expect him to appear in some games – but it takes a lot of big guys at least one year before they can adjust to the speed of the college game.

Prediction: Redshirt