Michigan LB Cole Sullivan hit with the tough question: 'What did you like more, the pick or the sack?'

During a post-practice interview Tuesday evening, Michigan Wolverines football sophomore linebacker Cole Sullivan was asked what he called “a hard question.”

What did you like more, the pick or the sack?

It may be challenging to decide which one was better, but there’s really no wrong answer. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Pittsburgh, Pa., native had one of each in the Wolverines’ 34-17 victory over New Mexico to open the season, showing the talent that the U-M coaches and players have been raving about all offseason.

“The pick, I was more just starstruck in the moment,” Sullivan said. “But on the sack, I was a little more fired up afterwards. But they were both pretty fun.”

The interception was aided by a pressure and hit on the quarterback from freshman EDGE Nate Marshall, who’s being talked about the way Sullivan was last season. A year ago, Sullivan played special teams and hardly any on defense, but was being spoken about in glowing terms for his athleticism.

“Overall, he’s very impressive,” Sullivan said of the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Marshall. “Obviously, young guy. He’s got some things to clean up, but he’s a great athlete, a tremendous athlete.

“And on my interception, he was the one that caused it, so he’s really the one that made the play there.”

But Sullivan got to put on the famed ‘Turnover Buffs’ because he high-pointed the football and plucked it out of the air. That was one of two drives he stopped, with his sack coming on a fourth down.

“I was just so grateful, seeing how excited all of the guys were for me,” the Michigan linebacker said. “And just really in general, how excited our guys were for each other that whole game — not just for me, but for everyone making plays — that was just great to see out of our team.”

Michigan senior linebacker Jaishawn Barham was ejected for targeting in the second half — a questionable call — and will miss the first half of this weekend’s tilt at Oklahoma. Sullivan and others stepped up when he was out and will have to versus the Sooners, too.

“First of all, that was an unfortunate call for him,” Sullivan said. “I feel bad, just because he’s one of our leaders, and I hate to see him come out of the game. But, of course, I had to mentally prepare myself, because I figured maybe I would probably be getting some more reps at the end.

“I was already pretty ready to go. I was already thinking about getting in the game.”

Sullivan said regardless of if he opens the game or not, he’ll prepare this week as if he’s a starter.

And Barham is a part of that. Sullivan has learned from him and senior linebacker Ernest Hausmann, a team captain, ever since arriving at Michigan last spring.

“Pretty much everything,” Sullivan said of what he’s learned from those two veterans. “I mean, I learned how to be a pro with everything that I do, take care of my body. It’s not just on the field, but in my preparation — prehab and rehab. Those guys just do everything right.”

This spring, Sullivan realized that he was mentally and physically ready to play a role on the Michigan defense. He worked all offseason, taking his training and nutritional habits to another level, working closely with strength coach Justin Tress and dietician Abigail O’Connor.

“The two biggest things were just getting with the strength staff and the nutrition staff, work hard with them all offseason,” the Michigan standout said. “I was talking with Abigail pretty much every day, talking about getting body scans and figuring out what to eat. Same thing with Tress — we were doing summer workouts, but talking with him about what kind of extra things I should be doing, should I not be doing. Big shout out to them.”

Sullivan has changed his eating habits to the point of eating four or five meals per day.

“Adding more calories to my day, especially late night snack,” he said of the changes. “More protein, more carbs here and there, and staying consistent with it, too.

“I have to eat four meals with snacks in between, so breakfast, early lunch, late lunch, dinner and then almost another meal before I go to bed. I don’t track the calories.

“Usually just grab something here like banana bread or a protein shake, some fruit with it, maybe.”

Eat good, feel good, play good.