ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Thirteen players on the undefeated Michigan football team earned All-Big Ten defensive or special teams honors this season.
The conference announced its defensive and special teams awards Tuesday (Nov. 29), and the Wolverines were well-represented.
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Michigan award winners
Defensive linemen Mike Morris and Mazi Smith were named to the All-Big Ten First Team by both media and coaches. Morris was named the conference’s Defensive Lineman of the Year -- the second year in a row that Michigan has taken home the award (Aidan Hutchinson in 2021).
Linebacker Junior Colson and defensive back D.J. Turner earned Second-Team honors from the coaches and Third-Team honors from the media.
Linebacker Michael Barrett was named to the Third-Team by the coaches and earned an honorable mention from the media.
Defensive backs Gemon Green and Mike Sainristil, as well as defensive lineman Kris Jenkins earned honorable mentions from both the coaches and media. Defensive backs Makari Paige and Rod Moore, as well as defensive lineman Jaylen Harrell, earned honorable mentions from the media.
Jake Moody won the conference’s Kicker of the Year award for the second season in a row. He was also named to the First-Team by coaches and media.
Wide receiver A.J. Henning made the Second-Team as a return specialist.
Jake Moody
Moody leads the nation in scoring with 131 points and is seven points away from tying Michigan’s single-season scoring record, which is held by Desmond Howard.
He also leads the country with 26 made field goals in 32 attempts.
Moody made all four field goals against Penn State and did the same against Illinois, including a game-winner in the final seconds to keep Michigan unbeaten. he went a perfect 5-for-5 against Michigan State.
On kickoffs, Moody leads the country with 68 combined touchbacks and fair catches.
Mike Morris
This is the sixth time a Michigan player has won Defensive Lineman of the Year in the Big Ten.
While leading a group that just lost Hutchinson and David Ojabo to the NFL, Morris has racked up 7.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss. He also has 21 tackles.
Mazi Smith
The interior of Michigan’s defensive line has been excellent against the run (No. 3 in the nation), largely thanks to Smith, who has 43 tackles and 21 solo tackles.
Second- and Third-Team honorees
Colson and Barrett are Michigan’s top two tacklers with 80 and 57, respectively.
Colson has made 34 solo tackles, six tackles for loss, and two sacks.
Barrett has made 30 solo tackles, three tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions. His pick-six against Rutgers helped Michigan erase its first halftime deficit of the season.
Turner has made 29 tackles and 23 solo tackles while breaking up nine passes. He has one interception and a fumble return touchdown.
Henning averages 7.4 yards per punt return and has one 61-yard touchdown.
