Morris, Moody, Smith Lead All-Big Ten Defensive, Special Teams Honorees

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan football team had 13 student-athletes named to the All-Big Ten Defensive and Special Teams ballots, the conference announced on Tuesday (Nov. 29). Defensive lineman Mike Morris was named the Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year, and for the second year in a row, kicker Jake Moody won the Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year award. Moody, Morris, and defensive lineman Mazi Smith were first-team picks on both the coaches and media ballots.

J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh won both Coach of the Year honors, collecting the Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year honor as voted by his fellow coaches and the Dave McClain Coach of the Year recognition as voted by the media. Under Harbaugh, U-M has reached 12-0 for the fourth time in program history and is one win shy of a single-season Michigan record. The program is seeking its first back-to-back Big Ten titles since 2003-04. The Wolverines clinched their second straight Big Ten East Division title last weekend by virtue of a win at Ohio State. U-M's 45-23 victory saw the Wolverines achieve their largest margin of victory in the rivalry since a 22-0 win in 1976.

U-M leads the nation in scoring differential (+27.2 points per game) and is joined only by Alabama among teams in the top 10 of both scoring offense and scoring defense. The Wolverines' 24 wins over the last two years are the most in program history.

Together, Wolverine honorees help construct the No. 2-ranked defense in the nation with top-five ranks in scoring defense, rushing defense, pass efficiency defense (third), and first downs allowed (fourth). No team has rushed for 150 yards against the Wolverines this year, and nine teams have been kept below 300 yards.

U-M's special teams have been critical to the team's success. Moody is the fourth two-time winner of the Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year Award, first issued in 2011, joining Nebraska's Brett Maher (2011-12), Northwestern's Jeff Budzien (2012-13) and Indiana's Griffin Oakes (2015-16).

Moody is the nation's No. 1 scorer (131 points), just seven points shy of the single-season scoring record at Michigan held by Desmond Howard. He leads the country in field goals made (26-of-32) and field goals per game (2.17) in addition to points scored. Four of his six misses have been from 50-plus yards and one kick was blocked. Moody has made multiple field goals in seven games, including going 4-for-4 against Penn State and Illinois (with a game-winning field goal) and 5-for-5 against Michigan State (17 total points). Also a weapon on kickoffs, Moody leads the nation in combined touchbacks (58) and fair catches (10) with 68.

Morris is Michigan's sixth player to be named the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, issued since 1991 and named the Smith-Brown edition of the award since 2011. Aidan Hutchinson won the honor last season in 2021, giving U-M back-to-back recipients for the first time. The Belle Glade, Fla., native leads the team with 10.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, ranking tied for second in the Big Ten in the latter category. He has posted 15 solo stops among 21 total tackles and added four quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, one field goal block and one forced fumble.

Smith has notched a career-best 21 solo tackles among 43 total stops to go with 2.5 tackles for loss and a share of a sack. The gap-plugging interior defender is a key reason U-M has the nation's No. 3 rushing defense and why U-M is allowing 5.4 second-half points per game, the lowest figure in the FBS.

Linebackers Junior Colson (second team, coaches; third team, media) and Michael Barrett (third team, coaches; honorable mention, media) were rewarded for career-best seasons as the team's top tacklers. Colson leads the defense with 80 stops (34 solo), and has posted six tackles for loss with two sacks while Barrett is second with 57 stops (30 solo), adding three tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions.

Defensive back DJ Turner is the defense's highest-awarded defensive back (second team, coaches; third team, media). Turner has notched 29 tackles (23 solo) with nine pass breakups on the season. He has one interception and returned a fumble recovery 45 yards for a touchdown while permitting a 64.0-NFL passer rating against from opposing quarterbacks.

Gemon Green, Kris Jenkins and Mike Sainristil were given honorable mention recognition on both ballots. Jaylen Harrell, Makari Paige and Rod Moore (media ballot) also were named honorable mention.

Return man A.J. Henning was named to the media's second team and the coaches third team. Henning has averaged 7.4 yards per punt return this season (25 attempts) with a highlight moment coming on a 61-yard punt return touchdown early in the season.

The Big Ten Awards will continue on Wednesday (Nov. 30) with the announcement of the All-Big Ten offensive team and additional individual honors.

Michigan All-Big Ten Conference (Coaches)

Defense
First Team: Mike Morris (defensive line), Mazi Smith (defensive line)
Second Team: Junior Colson (linebacker), DJ Turner (defensive back)
Third Team: Michael Barrett (linebacker)
Honorable Mention: Gemon Green (defensive back), Kris Jenkins (defensive line), Mike Sainristil (defensive back)

All-Big Ten Conference (Media)

Defense
First Team: Mike Morris (defensive line), Mazi Smith (defensive line)
Third Team: Junior Colson (linebacker), DJ Turner (defensive back)
Honorable Mention: Gemon Green (defensive back), Jaylen Harrell (defensive line), Kris Jenkins (defensive line), Makari Paige (defensive back), Michael Barrett (linebacker), Mike Sainristil (defensive back), Rod Moore (defensive back)