Patience has been the name of the game for linebacker Jimmy Rolder in his Michigan career. The Chicagoland native came to Michigan as a freshman back in 2022 and and has seen more than a handful of great
players keep him buried on the depth chart.
NFL players like Michael Barrett and Junior Colson starred on Michigan’s national championship team, while Jaishawn Barham and Ernest Hausmann led the middle of the defense in 2024. Now, with some reshuffling of the defensive lineup, Rolder is getting his chance to shine — and shine he did on Saturday night in Michigan’s 31-20 victory over Michigan State.
Rolder’s number of snaps has been growing throughout 2025, as has the impact he’s been having on the team. He recorded an interception that helped seal the game for Michigan last week vs Washington, but had a whole highlight reel’s worth of plays that were pivotal at MSU.
On MSU’s first drive of the game, Aidan Chiles fumbled while scrambling for a first down and Rolder scooped up the ball in Spartan territory, ultimately setting up Michigan’s first three points of the game. He also recorded a sack to stall a Spartan drive in the second quarter, but was only just getting started.
It wasn’t until the fourth quarter he made his biggest plays of the day. With the Spartans still hanging around and threatening to make it a one-score game, Rolder broke up a Chiles pass to the flat to force a turnover on downs. Of the many plays he made in the game, he told reporters after the game the pass breakup was his favorite.
Shortly thereafter, MSU was presented with another 4th-and-short opportunity to extend the game — but it was Rolder again getting into the backfield to shut down a Chiles rush attempt. He credited a teammate for getting him in position to make a play when asked what he saw.
“Just great communication from my teammates, especially Ernest Hausmann,” Rolder said. “I’m not going to take any credit for that play.”
Altogether, Rolder deserves some credit for the performance, as he finished with 10 total tackles, including two for a loss, one sack and one quarterback hit.
Even after a big performance like this one, Rolder’s humility is reflective of the mindset he’s carried into this season and throughout his time at Michigan. With the odds seemingly stacked against him that he’d ever get major playing time, Rolder bided his time instead of hitting the transfer portal. His desire to stay stemmed from a sense of loyalty to the program and confidence in his abilities.
“I stayed just because I love Michigan and I always believed in myself,” Rolder said. “I knew I was gonna be able to play here. It’s a blessing to be out there starting with my guys out there.”
In a rivalry game, teams need to be able to get the most out of their more experienced players. That was all the more important on Saturday, as Michigan lost sophomore linebacker Cole Sullivan to an injury early in the first half. That pressed Rolder into a bigger role, and he made the most of his opportunity.
Heading into the final third of the season, the Wolverines aren’t exactly going to have their hands full defensively with games against Purdue, Northwestern and Maryland. However, Rolder’s emergence as a reliable and productive player in the middle of the defense is a positive development as the team ramps up for a big end-of-season test against Ohio State. Particularly with his ever-developing skills in coverage, he could be a big asset to try and defend one of the nation’s premier passing attacks.
For now, though, Rolder and his teammates will take celebrate their win over an in-state rival to help set the tone for the stretch run ahead.
