Michigan Football: 3 players to watch in the Outback Bowl

If Hurst sits, Solomon will get a golden opportunity

One bit of news that is hanging over the Michigan football team right now, is the potential absence of All-American defensive tackle Maurice Hurst. Hurst, who also earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors, said he might sit out the game.

If he does, he would join a growing trend of highly-touted draft prospects skipping bowl games to protect against injury. Whether it’s a good idea or not, that’s a debate for another day, although I tackled it here earlier this month.

Yet, if Hurst does sit out, there is a potential upside for the Wolverines and that will be the chance for freshman Aubrey Solomon to get more playing time.

Solomon was the top-ranked defensive tackle in the 2017 recruiting class. And like Rashan Gary in 2016, he had a solid, but not spectacular debut, notching 17 tackles and two tackles for loss. Against Wisconsin, he had four tackles and one for tackle for loss.

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With Hurst gone next season, he will be counted on to fill that void and he certainly has the talent to. Gary and Solomon give the Wolverines two of the most talented defensive lineman in America. Now it’s time to see what they can do. And if Hurst sits, the Outback Bowl could give us our first glimpse.