The Michigan Wolverines got a huge boost out of the transfer portal last year when former Nebraska linebacker Ernest Hausmann chose Ann Arbor. Hausmann, who played in all 12 games as a true freshman with the Cornhuskers, accounted for 54 tackles and one sack during his single season in Lincoln.
Shortly after the 2022 season ended, Hausmann made the decision to enter his name into the transfer portal, and he ultimately chose to remain in the Big Ten Conference by joining the Michigan Wolverines.
On a recent episode of “In The Trenches” with host Jon Jansen, Hausmann explained why he chose Michigan.
“I chose Michigan because the competition they get to go against each and every day, and knowing that you were going to have to give your best each and every day. There’s no day that you can come in feeling tired, or whatever it may be, exhausted, a distraction from the outside. You were going to have to find a way to lock in, because someone from behind you is trying to take your spot, and there you’re also trying to fight for a spot as well. And then on the other side of things, when you’re going against a high-level offense, elite players, you have to be locked in for that. Each and every day I look back on it, that I was able to develop in the best way possible, because that’s how it was. No matter if it was Week 10, Week 11, or Week 1 or 2, it was the same mentality going through it. There was nothing different about it. So, you’re developing throughout the year no matter if its game week or whatever it is, there’s always things you’re working on to fine-tune your game.”
Although he joined a roster that included veteran linebackers like Junior Colson and Mike Barrett, Hausmann found a way to make an immediate impact during his first season at Michigan. He appeared in all 15 games during the 2023 season, finishing third on the team in tackles with 46. Moving into his junior season, it’s expected that Hausmann will be one of the starting linebackers when the season kicks off this fall.
Interestingly enough, the expectation is that Hausmann will also be joined by Maryland transfer Jaishawn Barham, a linebacker who started all 23 games for the Terrapins during his first two seasons in College Park. Both Hausmann and Barham bring a ton of experience and production to the field, and the linebacker duo should be one of the best in the conference, if not the country.
