Defend the Block 404 - Kim Barnes Arico, Lincoln Cosby Transcript
9/29/2026 4:00:00 AM | MGoBlue Podcasts
Brian Boesch • 00:00
Two interviews for the price of one here this week on Defend the Block. Now, unfortunately, there are some injury conversations to have. We'll start on the women's basketball side with the head coach Kim Barnes Arico. Always enjoy our preseason conversations with Coach Arico, who after a brief blip on the radar in this category, she has gotten back to the typical roster building and program development here in Ann Arbor, supplementing through the transfer portal because her staff maintained the core of the roster and the core incredibly exciting. Syla Swords had another outstanding summer. Internationally. Liv Olson has led the way in Ann Arbor, within the PDC, in the weight room, in the locker room. Nobody works harder than Liv, and there are plenty of other key players from last year's team that are back and ready to roll now. Mila Holloway, Michigan's point guard, was on a similar path, but an injury has put a pause on her preparations for the upcoming season.
Brian Boesch • 00:54
We will get an update from coach on that front in a and she breaks down many of the players on her ball club. It is an incredibly exciting time for that program. So many key pieces back from an Elite Eight team. And hey, we're going to get a great handle on where Michigan is at right away, UConn comes to Ann Arbor. It'll be a matchup at Crisler Center November fifth, the first game for Coach Rico and the Wolverines. After that chat, we'll go to the men's side and visit with Lincoln Cosby in the last of our freshman introductions. Cosby tore his ACL early last year, concluding we found out his high school career because he reclassified and decided to attend Michigan, where as of late he's been locked in with trainer Chris Williams, strength coach and conditioning coach Matt Aldred and the rest of the Michigan training staff. It is way too early to know exactly when Cosby could help this program, but he's shown the right attitude, the right approach, and I think you'll enjoy getting to know him.
Brian Boesch • 01:52
Like we have all of these incoming freshmen on the men's side throughout the course of the last few weeks. So let's get into it. Kim Barnes Arico, then Lincoln Cosby we're covering all the bases on this week's episode of Defend the Block.
[music builds]
Jeff Laurence • 02:07
We're talking Michigan basketball. Welcome to Defend the Block, where we'll take you inside the basketball programs with interviews, analysis and so much more. Now, here's your host, Brian Boesch.
Brian Boesch • 02:20
It is always wonderful to catch up with the head coach of Michigan women's basketball, and that is Kim Barnes Arico. Coach, how are you? How's the summer been.
Kim Barnes Arico • 02:29
I am doing well and it's great to see you because that means this season is approaching. This summer was awesome. Got some family time, which is always great, and just excited to be back in action. And we have our first official practice tomorrow.
Brian Boesch • 02:46
How about it? Let's talk first about some unfortunate news. Mila Holloway out indefinitely. A lower left leg injury. Can you just share anything else on that and how you and the program are helping her and adjusting without such a key part of the program in practice right now?
Kim Barnes Arico • 03:03
Yeah, Mila. What I can share is she's out indefinitely. She's doing well. You know, it was tough. It was tough for her. It was tough for our staff, it was tough for our players because she's such a integral part of our team. But sometimes adversity hits. And, you know, we've been fortunate that we've kind of been able to stay away from that injury bug a little bit. And now we have a little bit of adversity, and that's okay. We're figuring out a way to get through it. Mila's teammates are so amazing. They're just rallying around her. And Mila has been absolutely incredible. She's just helping our other point guards at practice. She's really engaged. She's really becoming a leader, and she's trying to help us in any way that she can.
Brian Boesch • 03:50
Other players who fans have obviously come to know very well. Sylas swords, big summer for her with Team Canada winning the MVP at the the FIBA Olympic pre qualifying tournament. Where has she expanded her game? Whether it's through that international competition, which I know you've talked about, the value of that for players that have experienced it in your program and other things she's done with the team here at Michigan.
Kim Barnes Arico • 04:14
Yeah, I mean, Syla is just absolutely incredible. I spoke to the Team Canada coach, Nell Fortner, and she couldn't say enough positive words about Syla. Syla as a person. Sylas game and need to tell me because I get to live it every single day. But just to hear her speak about, you know, Sylas leadership and how she's really taken steps in that direction and really also, you know, to become a consistent offensive threat. Syla is arguably one of the best shooters in the country. Her release is quicker than anyone I've ever seen. But to see her do it on the world stage in this past tournament in Mexico was amazing. She just was the total package, hence the reason she was named MVP. But I think for her this year, it's going to be, you know, another step in that growth and that Growth is going to be hunting shots. You know, Syla is such a team player that sometimes she's looking to make an extra pass or looking to get her teammates involved and sometimes will pass on some shots.
Kim Barnes Arico • 05:23
I think this summer really taught her the importance of hunting that shot and being a scorer and having that consistent scoring mentality, which we're definitely going to need her to do. She also became more confident and consistent with her voice and her presence. She always has a really incredible presence about herself, but her voice in that leadership role she had to take with a team of grown women. So then that transition back to us of college age women is a little bit easier because she's done that on a national stage. She's also going to have to play a little point for us. The reality is, you know, we're down in that position and she's going to have to step up. But I think all of those things will help her overall game and will help her to be a better pro. But, you know, every summer she takes steps just to continue to help her development.
Brian Boesch • 06:17
And how about Liv Olson? She's. It seems like I see her around a ton. She. She might live here. I don't know if I've seen her, her abode here at Crisler in the pdc. But where has she taken strides?
Kim Barnes Arico • 06:29
Yeah, I mean, Olivia Olson, to be a sophomore and have the type of season that she did last year, being named an All American, arguably being one of the best players in the country. She likes Ilah. I mean, they're very similar in their focus, their determination, their work ethic. Me as a coach, for the opportunity to coach both of them at the same time. Two of the hardest workers I've ever been associated with and most talented players. So when you put that combination together, you can really create something special. And Olivia is just driven. She is so driven. She just spends the off season saying, okay, you know, what did I do well last year? What didn't I do well? And how can I get better for next year? So those are her goals. And this is a person that obviously had an all American type season. But how can I get better? You know, what can I do? What can I work on in the off season?
Kim Barnes Arico • 07:28
So she's really, really, I mean, like you said, you see her every second that you're in this building, she is in this building. If she's not in class getting up more shots, she wants to be more consistent. She wants to be fifty, forty. She wants to really shoot that three ball like she shoots her pull up like she Shoots her layups. She also wants to be a rebounding monster. She wants to be a double double. And then she wants to continue to grow in the space of being a playmaker. I think her decision making has gotten a ton better. I think all these things from a development perspective are going to help our team be better and help her become the pro that she really wants to be.
Brian Boesch • 08:10
Another now junior, last year, her sophomore year, Te'Yala Delfosse, she really emerged. She was as fund of a player that you had on your team to watch last year as any of them, and you had some stars. As we've talked about. How has she been able to bottle up the momentum of an expanded role as a sophomore as she gets ready for her junior year?
Kim Barnes Arico • 08:29
Yeah, it's so much fun talking about this class. And, you know, I would be remiss, and I know we're not going to talk about her a ton, but before I get into Te'Yala, I just want to mention Mila, because when I talk about them, I kind of about the four of them a lot. And when Mila came back this summer from a break, you know, she would send me videos over the break and she'd be running in the park and she'd be doing different training sessions all over the country. And I'm like, golly, Mila, I've never seen you work so hard. When she stepped foot on campus in July, I've said this a number of times. I think she was arguably the best player in the gym. Now we have Syla Swords and Olivia Olson on our team, which are two of the best players in the country. And Mila was playing at that level. She was playing for the national team in Team Canada and, and selected as their point guard.
Kim Barnes Arico • 09:20
So I, I think she was really, really playing at a high level. And that's something that inside our program we really pride ourselves on is the player development piece. And when you, when you shift gears and you go to Te'Yala, I think you were able to see glimpses of that player development last year and of Te'Yala really coming into her own. She in the same way as Mila took this summer, and, you know, she was doing workouts in New York City against some of the top competition with some of the best skills trainers. And she was working out at home, and then she came back and continued to work out with our incredible staff. And I just think her confidence is at a really high level. You know, I think, you know, when it's all said and done, done fifteen, twenty years from now, that group of four Have a chance to be four incredible WNBA players and she might be at the top of that list.
Kim Barnes Arico • 10:15
That's the potential and talent that Te'Yala has, but she has the work ethic to go with it. She needed to get stronger in the off season. She needed to continue to get her body to be a pro body. And that's something that she's really worked hard with our dietitian. She's really worked hard with our strength coach from her skill development. She's really worked hard with our coaches as well. And she is just. She's special and she's excited for this year. I'm really excited for her. I think in this, you know, changing landscape of transfer portal and nil and, you know, how much money can I get and maybe I should go somewhere else. Like, Te'Yala never wavered in any of that. And she's just a young woman who put her head down and went to work. And I think the country is really going to be able to see that this year.
Brian Boesch • 11:12
With Kim Barnes Arico here on defend the block. You lost a few key players. Not a ton of minutes lost last year to this year. Some important locker room presences, no doubt. But among those who are returning outside of that, that sophomore into junior year group, who else has stood out of. Of names that, that fans are familiar with?
Kim Barnes Arico • 11:31
Yeah, I think when you, you know, you say who graduated and you talk about Alyssa Crockett and and Brooke Daniels and Ally VanTimmeren and kind to our program, they were, you know, Wolfpack leaders and they were locker room presence, they were on court presence. They were just incredible Michigan women. And anytime you graduate players, you know, you have a new team coming back the following year. And as a coach, you know, the most important thing for me is our culture and sustaining that incredible culture that we pride ourselves on. And that starts with your players and that starts in the locker room. And who is our team leader and who is the voice of our team and who, you know, is the one that people will follow and how has that incredible presence and you know, I would have to start with Macy Brown. You know, Macy had bad news in between our, our NCAA tournament games last year where she tore her acl.
Kim Barnes Arico • 12:25
But she is on her grind to get back and she is, you know, pushing herself with our trainer every single day. And she's really made great strides in that space. But then the sacrifice and the unselfishness that you have to have to put your own goals aside for the goals of the team when you're really going through some tough times is very challenging for anyone to do. And Macy Brown has just embraced that role. I can't speak enough about her impact inside our program. She's one of the original quad squad members that is the only one left that hasn't graduated. And you know, her presence is felt every single day. She takes the young ones under her wing. She helps the junior class navigate this new, this new landscape that they're in the older role that they now have. And she's just such a great representative of the University of Michigan and our program.
Kim Barnes Arico • 13:29
So, you know, I would definitely start with Macy. I think, you know, Ashley, soulful. Kenneth has, has really taken a big step as well. I think anytime you come in as a transfer, your first year is challenging. You're trying to figure it all out. You came from another place. It's very different. She took a big leap from Bucknell and I think her second year she's gonna be a lot more confident. She's playing more loose. She's really speaking Michigan women's basketball. I think she's just gonna have a really great second year with us. And you know, then I would say, I would mention Courtney Ogden because, you know, she's a young woman that graduated from Stanford in three years with an engineering degree and is here in the Ross getting her master's in the school of management. And she's just doing a fabulous job. I think, you know, it's going to be a transition year for her.
Kim Barnes Arico • 14:26
But I also think her experiences and where she came from will give her the opportunity to show great leadership and for people to lean into her as well.
Brian Boesch • 14:36
Courtney Ogden, three year graduate at Stanford and then into raw like that's insane.
Kim Barnes Arico • 14:40
I mean, yeah, it's pretty different.
Brian Boesch • 14:42
She could contribute to this team even if she never played a minute.
Kim Barnes Arico • 14:45
Yeah, it's, it's pretty different.
Brian Boesch • 14:47
Just like you when you were a student.
Kim Barnes Arico • 14:48
Yeah, exactly. Exactly the same. She's a young woman that I had an opportunity to watch as a high school kid and recruited her the first go around and really watched her grow up in this game. And she has such a great presence and she's such a great student of the game and such a great iq, but also really shoots the ball exceptionally well and will give our team another scorer and another experienced player, which is always helpful heading into our conference, which will be hands down the best conference in the country.
Brian Boesch • 15:24
You mentioned Courtney. Three other newcomers to the program, another transfer from Australia, Dallas Loughridge, along with two freshmen, Devin Cosgriff and Fope Ayo thoughts on how they've acclimated to the program.
Kim Barnes Arico • 15:37
Yeah, it's funny. Dallas was kind of a little bit of a late recruit. And, you know, anytime recruits are looking at our program, they hesitate a little bit because they know that they might not get a ton of minutes initially because they might be backing up some tremendous players, which used to be the norm when we went to school back in the day. Okay, if I'm a freshman, you know, I'm gonna learn from this tremendous senior, and she's gonna help me be a better player, and then when she graduates, I'm gonna be ready for that role. That's not always the case nowadays. Everybody wants those minutes initially. So when I first talked to Dallas, I had to talk to her about Mila Holloway and Sylas Awards and Olivia Olson. And Kendall Dudley and the impact that those women have on our program and the roles that they will have. Te'Yala Delfosse coming back this year.
Kim Barnes Arico • 16:26
And Dallas really said, okay, coach, I want to be part of a winning program. I want to go to a place where we're going to have a chance to be on a big stage and compete for a national championship. Where do you see me potentially having a role helping that team succeed? So that's different than a lot of other players. And she has come in and just been fabulous. I mean, she's a point guard by trade. She was a professional over in Australia, and, you know, she was coming in looking at, you know, possibly, you know, getting a couple minutes when Mila needed a break or when Mila got in foul trouble because Macy had gone down. Well, now, you know, Mila's not playing, and Dallas is like, whoa. And I said, yeah, honey, here we go. Like, your. Your role has significantly changed than, you know, what we expected and what we spoke about initially. But I just think her maturity, her experiences playing at the professional level will really help her with that transition.
Kim Barnes Arico • 17:25
Still going to be challenging, but she has done just an absolutely fabulous job. And her teammates, whether that's Olivia, whether that's Kendall, whether that's Syla, have really taken her under their wing and really helped her. I think also the point guards and Macy Brown and Mila Holloway have wrapped their arms around her and have said, you know, we're not going to be able to be on out on the court with you right away, but we're going to help you with this transition. So Macy actually reached out to me last night, said, can we have a point guard meeting with you this week? You know, so I'm like, let's go. So I just think, you know, they're they're going to be a fabulous group, and she's doing exceptionally well. Before I get to our freshman, I just want to talk a second about Kendall because she's someone that we really haven't mentioned. And when I talked about Ashley, you know, being your second year as a transfer, I would like to say the same about Kendall.
Kim Barnes Arico • 18:19
I think Kendall came into the year last year and she wasn't really practicing at the beginning of the year because she was having this nagging injury and she missed the first couple months of practice, and she was already a little bit behind, and she was coming off a transfer from her freshman year, where she didn't really play as a freshman. So last year was kind of a year for her of trying to figure it out. And at that same time, when you're trying to do that as a young person, sometimes you have a tendency to lose a little bit of confidence and kind of forget who you are in that process. I think our staff has had really done a tremendous job of really pouring into Kendall and seeing the player that she truly really is. And like, I've known Kendall since she's been in middle school. She grew up playing against my Emma in tournaments. I've known her mother since her mother was in high school.
Kim Barnes Arico • 19:04
And I. And I coached against her mother when her mother was a player in college. So I've known her family forever. I know the impact that this kid can make on our program, whether that's from her leadership, whether that's from her defense, whether that's from her rebounding or just her overall presence on the floor, she's extended her game, she's confident shooting it. And I think her second year, similar to Ashley, will be a lot different this year. Now, getting to our freshmen, they just make you want to smile. They are two, only two of them, but an unbelievable two. I think a lot of times when you get new people inside your program, especially freshmen, especially players that are coming from high school, there's a tendency for your practices to slow down. There's a tendency for there to be a big learning curve, and sometimes their heads are spinning and they're trying to figure it out.
Kim Barnes Arico • 20:02
These two have really, really transitioned well this summer. There is no real learning curve. Their fitness level is exceptional. When I talk about Devin, she went and ran the mile with our team this year and crushed everyone on our team. And when you talk about our team that runs miles in the five, five minute mark, I think, you know, we had five people on our team that broke six minutes this year, which is something that has never been done. You know, I can say maybe Nicole Munger, Greta Kampschroeder are two kids that got under five minutes. But though few and far between, Devin led that pack this summer. So her fitness level is exceptional. She played at one of the best high school programs in the country in Archbishop Mitty. Sue Phillips is her high school coach, one of the best in the business, USA basketball coach. She really so practices for her are similar.
Kim Barnes Arico • 20:59
There's not that much of a transition and she just brings a tremendous amount of energy, a tremendous work ethic. You know, if you listen to our practice, you would hear her voice. And for a freshman to have that type of presence, I think that's really special. Fope kind of in the same sense as Devin, like, except the fact that she's six foot five but finishes every workout in terms of fitness level and conditioning near the top. I don't know that we've ever had a post player that has come in with that fitness level. Now we've had a bunch that have left that way. Naz Hillmon leading the charge and Ashley Sofilkanich right now is at a really high fitness level. But faux pay for faux pay to be able to do the things that she's been able to do as a six five freshman has been really incredible. She's a lefty, she's a post player. She has just been a sponge.
Kim Barnes Arico • 21:57
I think she's a player that in the upcoming years is going to be a really, really important piece to our program because I know for a fact with coaches like Melanie Moore, who's kind of helped the development of Hallie Thome and Naz Hillmon, just to watch her pour in right now to Sierra Byers and Fope Ayo and Ashley Sofilkanich. I know her development is heading in the right direction and her work ethic and her focus and her IQ are certainly there.
Brian Boesch • 22:31
Before I let you go, you once again will have a very challenging schedule. But it starts in a really unique way. You faced uconn before in the non conference, but to get a home and home, how did that come together and what does that say about where this program is, is right now?
Kim Barnes Arico • 22:47
Yeah, I think our schedule is probably the most challenging it's ever been in my coaching career.
Brian Boesch • 22:52
All right, there is the. There is the sound that is every. Every year. That is a defend the block tradition. So I'm glad we got that in. But that's a good thing. That's.
Kim Barnes Arico • 22:59
That's how it should be. Yes, but that's due to our players because Syla Swords and Olivia Olson only want to play against the best.
Brian Boesch • 23:05
Kim, if you ever get to a point where you tell me this is, this is not a very competitive non conference, I will, I will say, you know what, maybe, maybe we're at the end of the road.
Kim Barnes Arico • 23:13
Yeah, yeah. But Connecticut, obviously, you know, when you were trying to be the best, you want to compete against the best. For a long time I was anti playing uconn because the last time I, I personally had an opportunity to compete against them, I was coaching, I wasn't on the floor. Our Saint John's team had broke their ninety nine game win streak, so I figured that was probably a good way to end it.
Brian Boesch • 23:37
Sure.
Kim Barnes Arico • 23:37
You know, so I was like, nah, I'm not playing you anymore. Until now. Because our players, they want an opportunity to compete against the best. And in the last few years, you know, they've gone against South Carolina, they've gone against UCLA, national champions, they've gone against Notre Dame, you know, and we had a really great response last year where we won that game by I think thirty plus points. So like, I think they're a team that wants to compete and challenge themselves against the best. So I'm a coach that's continuing to grow and evolve and I want to listen to my players and you know, what's important to them and, and I want to meet their needs. And this was really one that was really important to them. And we had an opportunity obviously to play Connecticut on a neutral Connecticut court last year. That's something on that.
Brian Boesch • 24:29
Some neutrals are more neutral than others.
Kim Barnes Arico • 24:31
Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They're home away from home. But anyway, you know, I just thought this would be a great opportunity to really challenge ourselves and, and to have that home at home. And like I said, I think, you know, the players really want that.
Brian Boesch • 24:47
Unquestionably. Well coach always appreciate the time fired up for the season to get going and always good seeing you.
Kim Barnes Arico • 24:53
Thanks, Brian, as always. Go blue.
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Brian Boesch • 25:05
Great to have Lincoln Cosby with us here on defend the block. And let's start with the injury situation and ACL injury early last season. How were things going and is it difficult at times to not be able to go full go?
Lincoln Cosby • 25:18
No, things are going well, man. You know, just, I'm still trying to work on having the mindset of taking things a day at a time. You know, it's a marathon, not a sprint. So obviously being away from the court is very difficult. It's very hard, hard, especially being away from something you love. But just I've been Trying to focus on having a mindset of, of getting better every day and getting back to that point. You know.
Brian Boesch • 25:39
Had you ever had an injury or a significant injury before this one?
Lincoln Cosby • 25:43
No, this is my first time. Yes sir.
Brian Boesch • 25:44
What has been maybe the, the thing that you have realized has been most beneficial to you? Are you watching more film? Are you able to kind of see the game differently? Like how are you trying to benefit from this time away?
Lincoln Cosby • 25:55
Honestly, just my mindset, you know, just, just realizing that anything can be taken away from you in the snap of a finger. So having that, having that in mind at all times just makes you want to go so much harder because you never know like when it can be taken away from you again.
Brian Boesch • 26:09
So as we sit here, tail end of September, where are you in terms of what you're able to do on the court? Have you been able to go with the team any or how is that
Lincoln Cosby • 26:21
going as of right now in terms of movement? Movement, there's not really any movement I can do. So in terms of that I've been doing well live stuff. I'm trying to get back introduced into that. So having managers guard me, gas guard me with pads, just trying to get back into the, to the feel of the, the physicality as well, you know. But in terms of how I'm moving and how I feel, I feel amazing, man. Feel great.
Brian Boesch • 26:45
We talked about this with Joseph Hartman, who had a significant high school injury as well. Brandon mccoy junior Just went down.
Lincoln Cosby • 26:52
Yeah.
Brian Boesch • 26:52
How can you, how can the team help him? Because I'm sure the early days are really tough when, when the end feels so far away.
Lincoln Cosby • 26:58
Yeah, for sure. You know, with me and Brandon both being in a similar situation and that also be one of my closest friends just, just being in his corner, you know, telling him like. But you know, he's probably one of the most strong and strong minded people I ever met. So just obviously he knows just to take it one day at a time and you know, you have to make the best out of the situation that you have now. There's nothing you can do to dwell on it. So just you need to just do whatever you can to thrive with what the cars you have, you know.
Brian Boesch • 27:24
So tell us about your game when you do get out there and we get to see you in the maze in blue. How would you describe Lincoln Cosby the player?
Lincoln Cosby • 27:30
Link Cosby is a play man. I haven't been a player in so long.
Brian Boesch • 27:34
You're getting there.
Lincoln Cosby • 27:35
Yeah, I'm gonna be back, but nah, I would like to think of myself As a player who can impact the game in. In many facets, many, many aspects, whether that's offensively or defensively. Defensively. Just being able to be versatile in a system, you know, just doing whatever I can to help my team win, you know, I have all the tools. I'm blessed with height, I'm able to shoot the ball, move and see the game. In a way, I would say it's pretty beneficial to me. So just being able to be versatile and being able to just find a role on the team to just help us win. I saw this culture here. It's just. This is about teams. So whatever I need to help the team win.
Brian Boesch • 28:13
From an improvement standpoint, when you went down, what were some of the strengths of your game? What did you feel like? Okay, I know that once I get to college, I'm going to have to improve in these areas.
Lincoln Cosby • 28:23
And, you know, especially with me being out and being more in more of a speculative role right now. Questions are definitely my best friends. So the players here that have been in college and have college experience, just kind of asking them, what's the difference between high school and college? And especially being being a Big Ten, they just say physicality, you know, and that's one of the things, especially me being a more wiry player. That's one of the things that in high school, I knew that I was going to have to add to my game. So, you know, as of right now, I'm still working on that. And hopefully by the time I'm ready to come back and play and be healthy, I'm going to be able to just. Just compete in that aspect. Not even compete, but I don't want to just be able to compete. I want to be able to dominate, you know.
Brian Boesch • 29:01
So when you say wiry, can you elaborate on that? Like, what makes you a wiry player?
Lincoln Cosby • 29:07
So most players my size, you know, is. I don't know, for somebody my size, I'm able to kind of just expand my game in so many ways. I'm pretty. At least before I got hurt, you know, I was pretty athletic. I would like to still think that I am now, but just. I'm not really more of a power player, you know, that's going to come with strength in time. But I would say my game is a lot of finesse, a lot of. A lot of just fluidity, you know? Yeah.
Brian Boesch • 29:31
Can you speak to the importance of people like Chris Williams, the trainer, Matt Aldred, the strength and conditioning coach, how much you had to. To glean from them while you've worked your way back. I'm sure there have been some long stretches of times with both of those guys.
Lincoln Cosby • 29:45
Yeah. You know, more than anything, it's just about the relationship you have with them. While you're getting better every day, you don't want to be in an environment where you're not. Where the people you're. You're working with are not good people. And they're both amazing people that both push me to get better every day. So, you know, especially like I said, me being out right now, they become my best friends almost in this, in this building. So. So just. Yeah, just challenge me to get better every day.
Brian Boesch • 30:07
Speaking of best friends, I've heard from some of the other freshmen, you guys are super close. What is it like to come in, in this time in college basketball right now with a five for five? Freshman classes aren't normally six players deep. So how close have you guys been and become now that you're. You're going through a lot of the similar challenges of stepping into college basketball at Michigan?
Lincoln Cosby • 30:26
Man, I've known these guys for maybe three months now. A lot of them, with the exception of Brandon. But these guys I already can like, conf. Say are some of my best friends, you know, even when we're outside the facility. Joe, Malachi, Quinn, and before Brandon was out, Brandon Marcus. We're always together, you know, we're always together, always doing everything together. It's not a day that probably doesn't go by where I'm not with Joe or Malachi outside of the basketball court, you know, and I feel like that's very beneficial to. To being on the court because it's like you, you're not with just a co worker anymore. You're with somebody who you're trying to. Somebody who, you know, somebody who knows you. And you're both trying to. Trying to like, like this term, iron sharpens iron. We're both just trying to both make each other better or all of us better every single day.
Brian Boesch • 31:07
Yeah, really well said. You mentioned when you committed to Michigan that the system that Michigan had played with big men appealed to you. Obviously Dusty May is gone. Mike Boynton junior The head coach. Does it seem like that system is still staying in place where this is going to be a program that's got the ability to create some really unique
Lincoln Cosby • 31:24
bigs like you, one hundred percent. You know, Jesse leaving was obviously not ideal for anybody, but Coach Mike is us. He's. He's truth, man. Coach Mike is the truth and he was. Honestly, before I committed, the guy I really had the relationship with. So I have no doubt about it that the culture that he. That that dusty hat right here is going to continue to flourish like one hundred.
Brian Boesch • 31:47
Among the veterans, who have you gleaned the most from? Who has helped you? Whether it's with basketball, the challenges of the injury, who have you gravitated toward? Of those who have been through the college basketball wars before, I would say
Lincoln Cosby • 31:59
Jalen Reed, you know, he's had a couple injuries. He's had an ACL injury as well. So just kind of picking his brains, asking him, because, you know, he's already recovered from it. So ask him, you know, how does this feel? Like I felt this. How does this feel? Or even just like there's so many aspects I can ask him about because like you said, he's, He's. He's seen a lot, you know, especially with their. Me being a freshman. Like I said, just you need to always take advantage of asking questions to the older guys who see an experience, because that's the best teacher, you know. And Sam was, I heard of. Sam was like, wise man doesn't learn from his own mistakes. He learns from the mistakes of others. So just being able to just take. Take him with, especially him, Elliot, A lot of guys are saying, and just. Just really keeping that in my mind for when it's my time.
Brian Boesch • 32:44
That's really, really well said. Tell me about your impressions of Ann Arbor. What has it been like to get to know the community now, especially eventually that that school is back going and they're all the students around, you know,
Lincoln Cosby • 32:54
So I was here in the summertime before everything kind of was. Was popping, and I was like, man, I was like, man, this is underwhelming. But then I saw it, like the first couple days, like, golly, it's crazy, man. This is a lot of people on campus, but it's also a really nice city, a lot of good food spots, and just the environment, man. I love the environment.
Brian Boesch • 33:11
No doubt. I hear you're a pretty good jokester. Is that a fair description? I've heard you from multiple people are the funniest guy on the team now.
Lincoln Cosby • 33:19
I wouldn't say that, man. I just. That's just a testament of me being comfortable around the guys. You know, I would honestly say I'm more of an introvert, but when I'm around people that I'm comfortable with or feel like I have a relationship with, it doesn't really matter. Doesn't matter about that. That all goes out the window. So, I mean, I, you know, I. I guess you could say that. I don't know.
Brian Boesch • 33:38
Well, I appreciate you. You've been open with us here on the show, so I. I appreciate you doing that and obviously wishing you all the best in your recovery. Looking forward to seeing you in the maze and Blue for real, sooner rather than later for sure.
Lincoln Cosby • 33:49
I appreciate it man.
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Brian Boesch • 33:58
Thanks so much to Kim Barnes Arico first and then Lincoln Cosby for stopping by. Appreciate the help from Sarah VanMetre and Tom Wywrot for making those conversations happen. Start of another busy week here on MGO Blue Podcast. We had the radio replay of Inside Michigan Football Kyle Whittingham and the Wolverine suffering a gut punch loss on Saturday at the Big House against Iowa.
Brian Boesch • 34:21
John and I will talk about it on in the Trenches, presented by Meijer. We'll have three more episodes this week, gearing up for the road trip to Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Conqu'ring heroes. Coming up on Thursday, Dave DiIanni, the first year head coach of the women's soccer program. Boy, you want to talk about ebbs and flows with about the highest of the highs you can have beating number one Michigan State last week. Excited to talk about that with him along with another couple of matches this past weekend. So stay tuned. Subscribe Rate Review it goes a long way in helping us and we're getting closer and closer to some post game episodes here on Defend the Block. Can't wait to share those with you. Going to be a lot of fun. Thanks to Coach Arico. Thanks to Lincoln Cosby. Thanks all of you for listening to this edition of Defend the Block.
Brian Boesch • 35:06
I'm Brian Boesch. As always, Go Blue.
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Jeff Laurence • 35:09
Thanks for listening to today's edition of Defend the Block, part of our Michigan Athletics Podcast network, M GO Blue Podcasts. The preceding has been a Learfield presentation of the Michigan Sports Network.
