According to defensive line coach Lou Esposito, Damon Payne, a transfer from Alabama, was one of Michigan football's highest-graded players up front against New Mexico.
The 6-foot-4, 311-pounder who spent the past four years at Alabama, was stellar in his Michigan football debut with three tackles and a tackle for loss.
That's why Esposito was quick to praise Payne this week, when meeting with the media. The former five-star recruit was a little overlooked heading into the season, which is easy to happen on a defensive line as deep as Michigan's.
Yet, after a successful first outing, Payne is getting talked about, and in an interview with the local media, his D-line coach, Esposito, explained the difference between Michigan football and Alabama.
"I feel way better"
“We talked this week because we're playing Oklahoma. They played him last year when he was at Alabama, and there's a couple of clips of him on tape. And I said, ‘Man, you look different.’ And he goes:
‘Coach, we run a lot more here. We work out differently. I feel way better," Payne said via Alejandro Zuniga of 247 Sports.
Payne was one of the transfers added, along with Tre Williams, to help ease the burden left by the departures of Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, two top-15 picks in the 2025 NFL draft.
Asking hm to replace Grant or Graham would have been too much. Yet, Michigan football is just asking Payne to be part of a rotation that's one of the deepest in college football with Rayshaun Benny, Trey Pierce, Williams, Enow Etta, and Ike Iwunnah.
And since arriving at Michigan, Payne "looks different." He certainly looked much more disruptive in his Michigan debut than he did during most of his time with the Crimson Tide.
We'll see if it continues. It if does, it will be just another example of the Michigan difference, and of the good work being done by Coach Esposito.