The latest team meeting for the Michigan Wolverines occurred Friday night when the team voted for its captains for the upcoming season. The results? A pair of seniors will be directing traffic in the Michigan locker room.
Photo Credit: MGoBlog | FlickrYour 2017 Michigan Football Team Captains:
» @MasonCole52
» @BigPlayMcCray_9 #GoBlue 〽️🏈 pic.twitter.com/RM5cN9y1ZM— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) August 27, 2017
Senior left tackle Mason Cole has made 38 straight starts on the offensive line for the Wolverines. He started as a true freshman at left tackle, something that had never been done before in program history. The 6-5, 305-pound Cole made 25 starts at left tackle before switching to center last season, and he is expected to swing back outside to LT in 2017.
Cole is a 2-time All-Big Ten honoree through his first three seasons and has been named a preseason All-American by Sporting News. He’s also one of six linemen in the state of Michigan to be named to the Outland Trophy watch list. He had a chance to forego his senior season and perhaps be selected in a higher round of the NFL Draft, but he opted to return for one more season. Some believe that Cole’s NFL stock is higher at center than at left tackle.
Photo Credit: MGoBlog | FlickrFellow senior Mike McCray also decided in the offseason to return for a fifth season to Michigan. The native of Trotwood, Ohio logged 76 tackles, 12.5 for a loss, in 13 games played last season after seeing very minimal time on defense in the two seasons prior.
McCray has already been named to the Butkus Award preseason watch list. The 2016 All-Big Ten honorable mention will surely be the engine that makes the Wolverines’ defense run in 2017.
Cole, McCray and the rest of the Michigan squad will get their 2017 season underway this Saturday, September 2 against a depleted Florida Gators team down in Arlington, Texas.
