Michigan football: This quote shows why Ben Mason is the perfect teammate and leader
By John Buhler
Ben Mason puts Michigan football ahead of himself as a great leader and teammate.
Players like Ben Mason are why Michigan football could have itself a great 2020 season.
The senior fullback is tasked with mostly blocking for his teammates like quarterback Joe Milton and running back Zach Charbonnet to have success. Even though he scored an incredible eight-yard touchdown in Michigan’s season-opening win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers, his quote before the game tells you everything you need to know about his character as a man.
Jim Harbaugh says FB Ben Mason addressed the team before Joe Milton's first start. The message: "Joe, this is your night. We're going to block, we’re going to catch, we’re going to do everything in our power to make you successful."
— Austin Meek (@byAustinMeek) October 26, 2020
By not making it about himself, Ben Mason was rewarded for his sacrifice
By telling Milton Saturday night was about doing whatever it took for him to have success, it gave the new Michigan starting quarterback all the confidence in the world to go out and blow out an excellent Minnesota team on their turf in Minneapolis. Milton completed 15-of-22 passes for 225 yards, including the eight-yard strike to Mason out of the backfield. Michigan won easily, 49-24.
Saturday night was a game Michigan could have easily lost. Minnesota has an excellent trio at quarterback, wide receiver and head coach with Tanner Morgan, Rashod Bateman and P.J. Fleck These are two of the five best teams in the Big Ten. A lesser Michigan team wouldn’t have won this game, much less dominated a quality Minnesota team throughout. Mason was a tone-setter.
When you have senior leadership like Michigan has with Mason, it trickles down to the rest of the football team. If he can buy in and block for a quarterback who has never started a game before vs. a top-25 team on the road with no doubt he’s going to succeed, it lights a fire inside of Milton, who may have needed that extra boost to do the improbable. It built on itself in a fantastic way.
Overall, Michigan looked like the second-best team in the Big Ten in its opening weekend behind only the arch-rival Ohio State Buckeyes. They will meet in late November like they always do. While Ohio State will be favored over Michigan in The Horseshoe, the Buckeyes may need to prepare themselves to face a Wolverines playing with great confidence behind their new quarterback.
Mason won’t get the credit he deserves, but we can see the positive impact he has on his team.
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