{"id":77467,"date":"2025-09-12T12:00:11","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T16:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/?p=77467"},"modified":"2025-09-11T19:45:59","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T23:45:59","slug":"michigan-linebackers-cole-sullivan-2025-breakout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/09\/12\/michigan-linebackers-cole-sullivan-2025-breakout\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan Linebackers: Cole Sullivan\u2019s Breakout Push for Bigger Role in 2025 Defense"},"content":{"rendered":"

Michigan linebackers are showing depth in 2025, with Cole Sullivan<\/a> emerging as a breakout star, pushing for more snaps in a loaded rotation.<\/p>\n

Michigan\u2019s Linebackers are Stealing the Spotlight<\/h2>\n

The 2025 Michigan defense is starting to look different from what was expected. Instead of leaning only on the veteran front line, the Wolverines are watching linebacker Sullivan carve out a role that demands more playing time. His early growth has become one of the season\u2019s most important storylines, proving that Michigan\u2019s linebacker room is deeper than many anticipated.<\/p>\n

Veterans Ernest Hausmann<\/a> and Jaishawn Barham<\/a> continue to lead the way with their combination of dependability and production. But the surprise has been how quickly others have caught up. Jimmy Rolder looks ready to play starter-level football, Georgia transfer Troy Bowles has given the defense another strong option, and Sullivan has turned heads with his performance right out of the gate.<\/p>\n

Michigan Linebacker Depth Surprises Early<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Through the opening stretch of the season, the linebackers have proven to be more than just a supporting cast. Coach Brian Jean-Mary said during the pre-Central Michigan press conference that he has \u201cfour starters in that room and two other guys that we feel very, very confident\u201d could step in at any time (On3).<\/p>\n

That comment reveals how the staff views the rotation: not as backups, but as interchangeable pieces capable of producing at the same level. The flexibility has already paid off, allowing Michigan to mix and match lineups without missing a beat.<\/p>\n

Sullivan\u2019s Breakout Start<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sullivan\u2019s production has made it impossible to keep him on the sidelines. He ranks fifth on the team in tackles, leads the Wolverines with two sacks, and is tied for the team lead in tackles for loss. Those numbers are impressive for anyone, let alone a player not yet locked into a starting role.<\/p>\n

His quick adjustment to the speed of college football has been clear. Instead of struggling with the transition, Sullivan has shown that he can not only keep up but also make plays that shift momentum.<\/p>\n

Coach Jean-Mary\u2019s Endorsement<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The stats match what the coaching staff has already been saying. Jean-Mary continued in his press conference, praising Sullivan\u2019s start, calling it \u201cvery impressive\u201d and labeling him a \u201cgame changer.\u201d The coach emphasized that the season is long, but his willingness to use such strong words this early shows how much trust Sullivan has earned.<\/p>\n

That type of endorsement isn\u2019t just encouragement; \u00a0it\u2019s a signal that the staff intends to find ways to keep Sullivan on the field, even in a crowded rotation.<\/p>\n

Balancing Linebacker Rotation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Michigan\u2019s current challenge is figuring out how to distribute snaps. Hausmann and Barham remain the veterans who set the tone. Rolder and Bowles offer reliable depth. Sullivan, meanwhile, has provided pressure and disruption every time he\u2019s been given a chance.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the kind of \u201cproblem\u201d coaches love to have: too much talent. Jean-Mary summed it up by saying, \u201cWe knew what type of player Jaishawn is and what he brings to the table. But we were very, very confident in Jimmy and Cole that they would be able to step in and play our level of defense and play winning defense for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Next Test for Michigan Linebackers<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This weekend\u2019s matchup with Central Michigan<\/a> gives the Wolverines another chance to evaluate their linebacker rotation. For Sullivan, it\u2019s an opportunity to prove his early success isn\u2019t a flash in the pan but the beginning of a breakout season.<\/p>\n

If his production continues, Michigan may soon have no choice but to view him not just as part of the depth chart but as a vital piece of its defense moving forward.<\/p>\n

Main Image: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Michigan linebackers are showing depth in 2025, with Cole Sullivan emerging as a breakout star, pushing for more snaps in a loaded rotation. Michigan\u2019s Linebackers are Stealing the Spotlight The 2025 Michigan defense is starting to look different from what was expected. Instead of leaning only on the veteran front line, the Wolverines are watching […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5604,"featured_media":77471,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5,10906,2,17],"tags":[35404,35570,279,35571],"class_list":["post-77467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bigten","category-cfb","category-featured","category-news","tag-brian-jean-mary","tag-jimmy-rolder","tag-michigan-wolverines","tag-troy-bowles"],"modified_by":"Maggie Yarnell, Senior Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77467","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5604"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77467"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77467\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":77473,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77467\/revisions\/77473"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77471"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77467"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77467"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77467"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}