Michigan Football: Wolverines make perfect captains selections

Michigan football has announced its picks for captains for the 2019 season, and the selections are precisely what this team needed.

Michigan football has selected Ben Bredeson, Khaleke Hudson, Carlo Kemp as the captains for the 2019 season and those picks could not have been more perfect.

Bredeson brings experience to the captain position as he served in the role last season. His terrific play earned him two All-Big Ten selections (17-18), and he was the receipt of the 2018 Toughest player award. Ben’s a vocal leader who joined Jim Harbaugh in Chicago for Big Ten Media days where he carried himself with the utmost professionalism.

Hudson has appeared in 39 games and has started in 24 of them at the Viper position. The three-time letterman earned a second-team and honorable mentions for All-Big Ten teams throughout his career which Khaleke could make first-team once he completes his final season. Hudson accompanied Bredeson and Harbaugh at the Media Days where he brought his unique revenge-esque attitude.

“Michigan football has unfinished business,” Hudson wrote in a Tweet. “While we had some great moments this past season, we’re just scratching the surface. We want more. I have unfinished business on and off the field. I want to continue to be a leader and example for my teammates. I want to improve my game. I want to work toward my degree. I want to play again for Wolverine fans across the country. I’m excited to return for my senior season at Michigan. The best is yet to come.”

Hudson’s biggest supporter is arguably Matt Dudek, Michigan’s Director of Recruiting who praised the selections giving special attention to Hudson.

"3 INCREDIBLE MICHIGAN MEN! #GoBlue #LeadersAndBest (Side note: So proud of @KhalekeHudson, representing our hometown of McKeesport, PA…the whole city should be representing the Block M this season! #ThePort)"

Kemp was the final selection. Last year, Carlo earned the team’s Most Improved Player Award for the defense where he will start on the defensive line.

As the nephew of the Colts head coach Chuck Pagano, and Chargers defensive coordinator, John Pagano, Carlo comes from a long line of great football players and coaches, and he’s using those natural coaching abilities to teach the young men on the line.

“Stronger, way faster, confident body language, the whole deal, leadership,” Brown said of Kemp. “[He’s] really playing at a high level.”

Kemp recognized that as a senior leader, it became imperative for him to show the younger guys how the game is supposed to be played at UM.

“The biggest thing I’m trying to do now that I’m in my fourth year is just share all the wisdom that I’ve learned with all the guys, especially the younger guys,” Kemp said. “You just don’t get those moments back.

“In the blink of an eye, here you are, it’s your fourth year, and you’ve got one last opportunity to make everything count. You don’t get do-overs. You don’t get to be like, ‘Let’s use that motivation and that pain and that suffering for next year.’ You don’t get that. You’ve got to use everything that you’ve got right now. I’ve just been trying to stress that. You get one shot at history.”

That last shot for these Michigan football players starts Aug. 31 against Middle Tennessee State.