ANN ARBOR — The University of Michigan Football Awards Show, presented by the U-M Club of Greater Detroit, was held in a Sunday evening (Dec. 17) banquet at U-M’s Crisler Center. The team award winners were recognized during the ceremony and senior student-athletes were celebrated before receiving their coveted ‘M’ rings, among other awards.
For the first time, staff members who had worked with Michigan Football for the required length of time (on-field coaches, five years; additional staff, 10 years) were presented with honorary ‘M’ rings.
Long-standing team awards were also distributed for the first time under their new names, including the Dierdorf-Hutchinson Award (formerly Hugh H. Rader Award) for the top offensive lineman, the Woodley-Graham Award (formerly Richard Katcher Award) for the top defensive lineman or outside linebacker, and the Humphries-Miller Scholarship Award (formerly Dr. Arthur D. Robinson Award) presented to the top senior student-athlete.
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy was voted BO SCHEMBECHLER MOST VALUABLE PLAYER by his teammates. A finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and The Manning Quarterback Award, McCarthy became U-M’s first passer to be named the Griese-Brees Big Ten Quarterback of the Year, and he was voted a consensus first-team all-conference pick. McCarthy is the nation’s second-most accurate passer with a 74.2 percent completion rate, and he ranks sixth in pass efficiency with 22 total touchdowns (19 passing) on the year. Some of his most memorable games came against ECU, Minnesota, Michigan State, and Purdue. Michigan is 25-1 in his 26 career starts, scoring points on 59.1 percent of all drives, and McCarthy is the program’s career leader in yards per play (7.85).
The team’s DIERDORF-HUTCHINSON AWARD was presented to Zak Zinter. Zinter has been recognized as a unanimous first-team All-American. He was also named first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media for the second year in a row. With his steady play anchoring the offensive line, the unit allowed only 14 sacks across 12 games. It was his third straight season starting on a line that helped produce a 1,000-yard running back (Hassan Haskins, 2021; Blake Corum, 2022-23). An offensive captain, Zinter was a semifinalist for the Outland and Lombardi Trophies.
Zinter was also awarded the HUMPHRIES-MILLER SCHOLARSHIP AWARD winner as the team’s top student-athlete. A CSC Academic All-American (second team, 2022), Zinter was also named a William V. Campbell Trophy Finalist as a National Football Foundation (NFF) Scholar-Athlete. He is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree as a sport management major in U-M’s School of Kinesiology.
The WOODLEY-GRAHAM AWARD was shared by Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant. Graham, who earned first-team all-league honors from the coaches, tied for second on the roster with 6.5 tackles for loss and added 3.0 sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. He tied for the lead among all interior defensive players with 29 total tackles. Grant was a second-team all-league pick by the coaches after posting 4.0 tackles for loss including 2.5 sacks among 22 total stops. He was second among all Wolverines with six quarterback hurries, recovered one fumble, and tied for third on the team with five pass breakups, including his first career interception. Together, the duo was part of a top-notch U-M defensive line that supports a defense ranked fifth nationally in rushing yards per game allowed (86.6) and second in total defense (239.2 yards per game). Active in all phases, the defensive line accounted for 27 percent of all pass breakups and interceptions.
The ROGER ZATKOFF AWARD was given to Michael Barrett. The team’s second-leading tackler (52), Barrett added a team-leading three forced fumbles and recovered two as well. A third-team All-Big Ten pick and defensive captain, he also posted 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, five quarterback hurries, and two pass breakups. With Barrett roaming the middle of the defense, the Wolverines led the nation with 12.7 first downs allowed per game and 1.5 red zone trips allowed per game. He made his biggest plays against Bowling Green, Indiana, and Maryland.
Running back Blake Corum (above) was named the Offensive Player of the Year. A first-team All-American by the AFCA, Corum is the nation’s leading scorer and Michigan’s single-season record-holder with 24 rushing touchdowns this season. He is over 1,000 yards rushing for the second year in a row (1,028) with only 12 yards lost on 218 carries this season, and recently became the fourth back to capture the Big Ten Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year Award twice (2022, ’23). Captain of the AFCA Good Works Team and a finalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, Corum was also a Wuerffel Trophy Finalist and a semifinalist for the Maxwell and Doak Walker Awards. With 55 rushing touchdowns in his career, Corum needs just one more to become Michigan’s all-time leader.
The recipient of the Robert P. Ufer Bequest was Kris Jenkins. The embodiment of ‘enthusiasm unknown to mankind’, Jenkins’ infectious energy and love for Michigan and his teammates made him a defensive captain for Team 144. Jenkins was named a second-team All-American by the FWAA and a third-team pick by the AP. Jenkins was also a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award given to the nation’s best defensive player and received second-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and media. He posted 33 tackles to lead all U-M defensive linemen, including 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one recovered fumble (in the Big Ten Championship Game), and one interception (against Bowling Green). Jenkins was also named a co-recipient of the team’s Defensive Player of the Year award, along with defensive back Mike Sainristil and linebacker Junior Colson.
The team leader in interceptions (five) and pass breakups (11), the defensive captain Sainristil has added 30 tackles including four for loss with two sacks, and has also forced two fumbles. He stuffs the stat sheet in every category for the nation’s No. 1-ranked defense and was awarded with first-team All-Big Ten honors from the media. Sainristil’s two pick-sixes this year helped the Wolverines tie a single-season program record with four as a team, and memorable plays helped spur the team to victories over Rutgers, Michigan State, Maryland, and against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game, where he was awarded Griffin-Grange MVP honors.
Colson, who earned second-team All-Big Ten honors, has been a mainstay for Michigan’s defense as the team’s top tackler (35-44–79). He has been charged with only three missed tackles on more than 80 attempts and ranks No. 6 among all linebackers in tackling grade (90.3). A leader in the middle of the defense, Colson and the Wolverines posted multiple shutouts in a season for the first time since 2015 while limiting opponents to 1.5 red zone trips per game, the fewest in the nation. He was also named the winner of the Lott IMPACT Trophy earlier this month.
Michigan is preparing for the College Football Playoff semifinal. The Wolverines will play Alabama in the Rose Bowl presented by Pacific Life, set for a 4:30 p.m. kickoff on New Year’s Day (Jan. 1). The game will be televised on ESPN.
Following are the 2023 University of Michigan football team award winners:
Bo Schembechler MVP: J.J. McCarthy
Humphries-Miller Scholarship Award: Zak Zinter
Robert P. Ufer Bequest: Kris Jenkins
Roger Zatkoff Award: Michael Barrett
Woodley-Graham Award: Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant (co-recipients)
Dierdorf-Hutchinson Award: Zak Zinter
The above six are original team awards presented by the U-M Club of Greater Detroit
Toughest Player Award: Junior Colson
Blue Collar Award: Blake Corum
Rookie of the Year: Semaj Morgan
Offensive Player of the Year: Blake Corum
Defensive Player of the Year: Junior Colson, Kris Jenkins, Mike Sainristil (tri-recipients)
Special Teams Player of the Year: Caden Kolesar
Offensive Skill Player of the Year: Roman Wilson, Colston Loveland (co-recipients)
Defensive Skill Player of the Year: Mike Sainristil
Specialist of the Year: James Turner
Most Improved Player (Offense): Max Bredeson
Most Improved Player (Defense): Kenneth Grant
Most Improved Player (Special Teams): Tommy Doman
Scout Team Player of the Year (Offense): Raheem Anderson
Scout Team Player of the Year (Defense): Hayden Moore
Scout Team Player of the Year (Special Teams): Nico Andrighetto
