Depth, Rotation, and Physicality Drive Michigan’s Defensive Line in 2025

As Michigan Football heads into year two under head coach Sherrone Moore and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, the defensive line remains a pillar of the program’s identity. Defensive line coach Lou Esposito met with the media on Wednesday and emphasized three core themes that will define the Wolverines’ front in 2025: depth, rotation, and physicality.

Defensive Line Depth

“I think the biggest thing with the depth is those guys have to continue to keep getting better,” Esposito said. “They can’t just assume that, hey, I’m going to be the starter. There are guys in there that are all very, very close, that all bring a unique aspect to what they do.”

That competition is already playing out in fall camp. With returning veterans like Damon Payne and Tre Williams battling it out with emerging talents such as Trey Pierce, Ike Iwunnah, and Enow Etta, Esposito said the rotation is still fluid.

“There have been days where Damon Payne’s been good, days where Tre Williams has been good, days where Trey Pierce has been good, Ike (Iwunnah) has been good, and Enow (Etta) has been good,” he said. “We move them throughout the periods, so we’re mixing and matching guys to get the best out of them.”

The coaching staff is not only rotating players to evaluate performance, but also using that depth as a motivational tool. “That’s the good thing when you have depth,” Esposito explained. “If guys aren’t getting it or aren’t doing what you need them to do, you can move guys around. The other thing is you reward guys for what they’re doing.”

The Wolverines aren’t just searching for warm bodies—they’re building the defensive identity through effort and violence at the point of attack.

“The biggest thing with those guys is they all have to be physical,” Esposito said. “They all have to play with knockback, and they all have to play with great effort.”

Esposito and the defensive staff are working to instill those traits as second nature throughout the remainder of camp. “We’ve got to keep working that in camp—keep bringing that in, bringing that in—so it just becomes second nature for those guys,” he said. “But we’re excited about them.”

With an aggressive scheme led by Martindale and a deep, versatile room of interior linemen competing daily, the Wolverines appear well-positioned to reload up front. While the rotation may still be taking shape, the physical identity Esposito demands is already setting the tone.