The Michigan Wolverines had a tall task at hand this offseason with needing to find replacements for both Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant. When looking to replace their irreplaceable production, Michigan focused on the transfer portal and looked at the current room to assess who had what it took to step into a bigger role.
Head coach Sherrone Moore is making it known there is an under-the-radar guy within the defensive tackle unit that is ready for a breakout campaign.
“I think the other guy up front
is Trey Pierce,” Moore said. “Trey Pierce has taken steps to make himself one of the top D-tackles and possibly an All-Big Ten D-tackle. I remember I was in a defensive line meeting, and they all had their goals written up, and he said that was one of his goals. He’s taken himself and put himself in that position to do that, to be in line to be one of the better D-tackles in the conference. I’m really excited to watch Trey.”
Pierce has waited patiently his first two seasons in Ann Arbor, coming into a room that consisted of Graham, Grant, Rayshaun Benny and Kris Jenkins in 2023. With a lot of talent to learn from and grow under, Pierce was productive in his limited opportunities as a reliever, totaling nine tackles in 25 games across two seasons.
Pierce made his first career start in the ReliaQuest Bowl and played well in the victory over Alabama, setting himself up for a potential starting role this year.
“(The Alabama game) was my first time starting to play that many snaps, so it gave me like a benchmarker,” Pierce told the media on Tuesday. “‘Okay, this is what this is what it looks like at this level.’ So it gave me something to go off and see what I need to get better at to play at that high level … I think I had that moment during prep for the Alabama game — I was like, ‘Okay, like I can do it with these guys.’”
The 6-foot-2, 310-pounder brings a ton of versatility, playing primarily three technique in most packages but working at the five technique against the run. He has been labeled as a “tone-setter” by Moore and may have made the biggest jump in camp.
“It’s hard to pin down one (tone-setter),” Moore said. “But probably in my mind, the guy that jumps out the most is the guy that’s been here is Trey Pierce. Trey Pierce has really taken those leaps that we needed him to be a guy.”
The Wolverines filled the gap at the position by pairing Benny and Pierce with transfers Tré Williams and Damon Payne Jr. However, Pierce has particularly turned heads of his teammates and coaches by staying healthy and improving his mind and body in the weight room and the film room.
“Really just all around his game,” Benny said of Pierce. “Not just focusing on one thing, the stuff that used to bother him in the past doesn’t bother him. He doesn’t really get his head hung up on plays. If it’s a good play, good. If it’s a bad play, let’s get the next play and make it good. So just being able to move on from the next play. And I talked to Trey pretty much saying my junior year was kind of my year where I felt like I came into my full self. And just letting them know that we got high expectations out of him.”
Fifth-year senior center Greg Crippen also spoke of Pierce’s growth and emergence from witnessing it on the other side of the line.
“When you initially block him, (Pierce) does a good job of countering and shedding the block,” Crippen said. “I think that’s been a really big area of his growth. And, obviously, our defense is really good, so they twist and move a lot. I think he does a good job of staying in his gap and able to – once you stick on him, he does a good job of shedding off, going and making a play.”
Health and attrition are what set the best teams apart from their competition in college football. Whether Pierce starts every game or not, his experience and willingness to eat up minutes could be pivotal down the stretch once the Wolverines get into their tough conference stretch through October and into late November.
Competition and opportunity have the ability to bring out the best in people, and for Pierce, his best season could come in 2025.
