Michigan football: Season two with Justin Tress starts with great results in the weight room

Michigan hasn’t even started fall camp yet — that will be next week Wednesday — but the Wolverines appear to have already made great progress toward a successful season.

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Strength coach Justin Tress was thrown into the fire last year when he took over for Ben Herbert, who joined Jim Harbaugh in Los Angeles, and some questioned whether he was ready for the job. Linebacker Ernest Hausmann told us Thursday from Big Ten Media Days that there was a learning curve of sorts, but added year two has been extremely productive with incredible gains from many.

Hausmann said he had reached personal bests in many areas, thanks in large part to the strength staff. He wasn’t alone, Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said.

“I think he’s taking full control of that team and full control of the locker room, and the respect that he has with the players on and off the field … you can see that permeate throughout the staff and throughout him,” Moore said of Tress. “So, he’s definitely taking the reins to that crew.”

Moore offered details on some of the more impressive gains, starting with Michigan linebacker Jaishawn Barham.

“Absolute freak show,” Moore continued. “At 6-3, 250 pounds, playing linebacker is really scary, but then he can play the edge. He can go inside and pass through situations and rush the passer, or outside and rush the passer. He’s the guy that gives you a lot of versatility with what he can do and how he can manipulate the defense.”

Michigan freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood has gone from 215 to 230 pounds of “good weight,” Moore added, lowering his body fat percentage and gaining lean muscle mass. Several others have followed his lead.

“[Michigan defensive lineman] Enow Etta, he’s 320 right now, came in at like 250,” Moore reported. “[Right tackle] Andrew Sprague, he’s another guy that’s changed his body. [Defensive lineman] Deyvid Palepale, a special shout-out to him. He was a guy that was 370. He’s down to 345 or 340, touching 338, and a lot of fat mass is gone.

“There are so many examples throughout the program that have really done a really good job. That’s a special shout-out to Justin Tress’s staff and Abigail O’Connor on our nutrition staff and what they’ve done. It’s incredible to watch it, so it’s going to be fun to watch them. It’s a big team, strong team, fast team, physical team, but we’ve all got to put it together on the field.”

Michigan team 146 appears to be off to a good start.