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Michigan football podcast: The Balas and Skene Show, post-Purdue

Chris Balasby: Chris Balas11/03/25Balas_Wolverine
Oct 4, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines linebacker Jaishawn Barham (1) reacts in the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Oct 4, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines linebacker Jaishawn Barham (1) reacts in the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Michigan got by Purdue, 21-16, despite struggling much of the game, and now heads into a bye week with a chance to heal. The Wolverines got a huge game from running back Jordan Marshall and enough from the defense to hold off the pesky Boilermakers.

The Michigan defense was down linebackers Cole Sullivan and Jimmy Rolder and lost edge Jaishawn Barham early in the game, having to rely on freshmen and backups.

“It’s always hard when you lose a player like Jaishawn Barham to see the likeability he has, the presence he has on the defense, the poise and obviously experience, right?” linebacker Ernest Hausmann said after the game .”So, losing a key player like that, it’s obviously always hard for defense, but we understand for us leaders, we want to get everybody up. That one of our goals. Rayshaun Benny, we talked about the defense unit early in the year. He said, we won’t have the same 11 out there on the field. No matter who’s on the field, we want the same 11 … like, the offense will know who’s out there on the field, no matter who’s out there.

“That’s a goal we discussed early on, as a defense unit, as all players.  We knew going into this game, right, we’re late in the season … we’re in November, and you know people are going to be banged up through this year. It’s hard. It’s a gruesome year. You play the Big Ten, it’s going to be tough like that, but we know that everybody has got to step up.”

They do their part to lift everyone, he said, before they play.

“We have discussed all the time as players … how everybody’s feeling?” the Michigan linebacker continued. “We know how everybody’s feeling, so we kind of [trade] ideas so when things like that happen, it’s not surprising because we communicate players-wise. We know kind of what’s going on. We know who’s next up, and they’re ready to go.

“I’m really proud of our guys who stepped up today. It’s huge. It’s confidence building because as leaders, when you have guys on the field that can execute the defense out there and crucial moments like this, it just builds confidence for the units. So, I’m really proud of our guys.”

TheWolverine.com’s Chris Balas and former Michigan offensive lineman Doug Skene break it all down in today’s podcast.