Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
The senior spoke to the media after practice Friday and praised his new DC and freshman Michael Onwenu.
Football is a sport where things can change very quickly and careers can be altered with the snap of a finger.
Michigan senior defensive lineman Ryan Glasgow gained this perspective last season when he tore a pectoral muscle in the game against Rutgers, which caused him to miss the rest of the season and his absence was noticeable.
Now healthy and rehabilitated, Glasgow is not going to take his last season at Michigan for granted.
“It makes you think, this game does end,” Glasgow said after practice on Friday. “Having it taken away so abruptly … if I were a true senior, that could have been my last game, against Rutgers. It makes you take every day and cherish it, and not take the days for granted.
“The thing that bothered me was I felt like I was hanging my teammates out to dry. We played a lot of up-tempo teams. We need depth against those teams. You can’t expect four or five guys to go out there and play every snap against a team that’s snapping the ball every 15 seconds.
“I felt like I could have done more. That hurt pretty bad.”
Glasgow is healthy and says he is ready for the season opener on Sep. 3 against Hawaii. Like many of his teammates, he is ready for one last ride to leave a lasting legacy with the program.
“It’s great,” he said. “I really miss playing football. Mostly, I just miss the camaraderie. When you’re hurt, you’re not playing. You have to sit out. You don’t get to play with your friends.
“These guys are your best friends, your teammates, guys you work with all year to achieve your goals. Not being a part of that really hurts.”
Glasgow also is enjoying being coached by first-year defensive coordinator Don Brown, who has brought a ton of energy to practices in fall camp.
“He’s awesome,” Glasgow said. “It’s a little different being coached by him. He’s not as big a screamer as our last defensive coordinator (Maryland head coach DJ Durkin), but he gets the point across.
“He’s a great guy, and his defense is awesome. We’re excited to play in it this year.”
One of the storylines that many have been keeping an eye on during training camp is how the freshman class is progressing and practicing. Michael Onwenu, a former four-star prospect, is one of those players that is turning heads, and Glasgow praised what he has seen from him so far.
“He’s a mountain of a man,” he said. “He’s a big guy. When he was giving us looks as an offensive guard, you’re like, this kid is huge. And he picks up on everything really quickly.
“If you can play offensive and defensive line both, as a true freshman? And you’re rolling through both, whichever side of the ball they want you on, depending on the day? That’s pretty impressive.”