Michigan EDGE Josaiah Stewart seeks to round out game, speaks on tweaks to defense
Michigan Wolverines soon-to-be senior edge rusher Josaiah Stewart came from Everett High School in Massachusetts, the same place that developed former captain and stalwart Mike Sainristil. Stewart now hopes that he will be the same type of foundational player for U-M.
Now donning Sainristil’s famous No. 0 jersey, which he tried to take from his peer last offseason, Stewart hopes to do it justice in 2024.
“I used to wear it back in my old school and I wore it when it first came out,” Stewart said. “I asked Mike actually when I came here. He wasn’t budging, so I had to wait a year. He says it’s cool. I just gotta keep that same standard up.”
Stewart, who had 38 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks last season, is expected to lead a Michigan pass rush that loses a pair of key contributors in Braiden McGregor and Jaylen Harrell to the NFL. A lot more responsibility falls on him as a potential leader of the rotation, and spring ball is all about him ironing out the finer points of his skill set.
“Just really rounding out my game,” Stewart said Tuesday afternoon, “Any flaw I thought I might have last season, I’m just sharpening it every day and becoming the best player I can on and off the field. Being where I’m supposed to be. Handling my business. Just having another year of really becoming a pro.”
Stewart and junior Derrick Moore should be the two starters on the edge, but there are also opportunities for others to crack the pass rush rotation this year. That could be good news for senior TJ Guy, who has flashed his potential on the field but was trapped behind several program stars on the depth chart.
“He’s been a guy in his program for years,” Stewart said. “He’s been waiting his turn being in a full room throughout his time here. But now I feel like this year he can really shine. A lot of people get to see that. Cameron Brandt is coming on and has some experience last year and I feel like he’s really putting it together this year. He’s really explosive and I can’t wait to see him this season [too].
Another standout in spring ball has been Enow Etta, who has been getting more work inside and could be a versatile piece of the Michigan defensive line room as a true sophomore.
“He’s done a bit of both. Kind of experimenting with injuries and whatnot with moving people around,” Stewart said. “His tenacity off the edge, his strength, his size, is different from some of the guys in the room. He’s more of a bulky guy, so like when guys come at him, they think power. He’s been working on his finesse moves and whatnot and kind of running out his game. He’s good.”
Stewart and his Michigan defensive teammates have a lot of chemistry and continuity together within the system, but there are some changes to the operation. The entire defensive coaching staff from last season turned over, and is now lead by defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale.
There has been some confusion about how similar or different Martindale’s defense is compared to his predecessors, but Stewart does not see a major adjustment.
“Small things,” Stewart said. “It’ll probably be like a technique, that he’ll call something different or like a type of coverage. But nothing major that we can’t just communicate on and adjust or keep it the same or just have it his way, whatever it is. It definitely feels like a continuation, but with Wink’s little tweaks, there’s some of his personality thrown into the scheme.”
Michigan’s camp concludes with the spring game on April 20 in Ann Arbor,.
