Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale wants his 11 best players on the field. It sounds simple, but talent isn’t always evenly distributed throughout position groups. Sometimes, then, you just have to move players around.
It’s no secret that the Wolverines linebacker room is stacked. To start the season, there was senior Ernest Hausmann, senior Jaishawn Barham, senior Jimmy Rolder, sophomore Cole Sullivan, and even freshman Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng all competing for playing time. And in Martindale’s "best 11" philosophy, he needed to get more of them onto the field.
So, he moved Barham to edge rusher full-time. And Barham has thrived.
For the first two weeks of the season, Barham took the vast majority of his snaps at the linebacker position, with a few packages with him as an edge rusher sprinkled in. But in Week 3 against Central Michigan, Barham’s shift to a full-time edge rusher began, collecting two sacks off the defensive line. In the last two games, Barham has been listed as a starting edge rusher.
For Barham’s skill set, it’s been nearly a perfect match. There’s no doubt that Barham was, and still is, a very good linebacker, but his explosiveness and hard-hitting ability make him an unenviable matchup for any offensive line.
Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesHe’s still learning the position, certainly, but so far, he’s been quite impactful. In his three games taking significant snaps lined up on the defensive line, he’s collected three sacks alongside nine quarterback pressures.
Because of his skill set at the edge, Barham has generated some significant draft buzz. Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule even thinks Barham is a top-10 pick in the NFL draft. While Martindale isn’t commenting on where Barham will go in the draft, he thinks Barham is just getting started.
“I just know he’s a good football player,” Martindale said in a press conference Oct. 1. “I don’t think that he has a ceiling. I think he’s just going to keep getting better, and I know he loves playing in this defense.”
Not only has Barham’s move to edge rusher resulted in increasing production at his new position, but it has also helped out his old position. Michigan would love to have a clone of Barham so he can play both of his positions, but the Wolverines’ depth at the linebacker spot has made it so the defense didn’t skip a beat.
Hausmann was always going to be a starter, but Sullivan and Rolder were fighting for playing time when Barham was still playing linebacker. Now, both Rolder and Sullivan have seen an increase in their snaps and made the most of their opportunities. Rolder saw the most defensive snaps on the team against Wisconsin at 41, and Sullivan has both an interception and a fumble recovery.
Now, Martindale inches closer to having his 11 best players roaming on defense, and Barham’s move is a major part of that.
“He hits,” Martindale said. “And those guys are unique, so enjoy it while you’re seeing it.”
The Wolverine faithful certainly have been enjoying watching Barham flying around the field, and as long as he stays on the field, they’ll continue to be excited by his play.
