After two weeks away from football due to an undisclosed lower-body injury sustained against No. 5 Oklahoma, senior defensive back Zeke Berry returned to the gridiron Saturday for the No. 15 Michigan football team’s matchup against Wisconsin.
His return wasn’t necessarily a statement, but a chance for him to regain his footing and display the steadiness he brings to the Wolverines’ secondary. And as Michigan prepares to head west to face Southern California’s versatile offense, Berry’s return comes at an optimal time.
“I was expecting to be back a lot sooner, but it just didn’t feel right,” Berry said Tuesday. “So just trying to see what I can do and get back out there.”
As expected, there were some hiccups.
On the third-to-last play of the Badgers’ opening drive, Wisconsin quarterback Hunter Simmons fired off a checkdown to wide receiver Vinny Anthony II, who caught it at the Michigan 28-yard line. Immediately, he made a break for the Wolverines’ end zone as Berry and junior defensive back TJ Metcalf converged on him. But as Berry went low for the tackle, he missed, and Anthony II gained several more yards before Metcalf pushed him out of bounds at the Michigan 9-yard line.
Missed tackles marred the Wolverines’ entire defensive performance that drive — a drive that ended in a touchdown for the Badgers. Berry’s missed tackle wasn’t an isolated incident, but it served as an eye-opener for him.
“There’s some things I can do to get better,” Berry said. “Making sure I stay on the hip, not trying to let him be too far, just things like that.”
As it turns out, Berry was capable of making those adjustments quickly. After the shaky start, he settled into his coverage and began to return to his old routine — one that exudes confidence and discipline. He corrected his course, tightened his technique and finished with four tackles. It’s that resilience and knack for adaptation that has cemented Berry as an integral piece of Michigan’s secondary.
And to observe his impact after the adjustment, look no further than the third quarter of the Wolverines’ game against Wisconsin.
Midway through the quarter, Michigan’s offense had finally started to gain momentum, heightening the stakes of its defensive possessions. Luckily for the Wolverines, Berry was prepared. Following Anthony II closely, Berry successfully broke up a pass on the third down, forcing a three-and-out and paving the way for the Wolverines to take a decisive lead with a touchdown on the next drive.
“He’s a playmaker, you saw that (against) Wisconsin,” sophomore defensive back Mason Curtis said. “(He’s) hopefully gonna get a pick going back home.”
As Michigan prepares to face the Trojans this weekend, Berry will be a vital part of that preparation against the conference’s top-ranked passing offense. A veteran player who has faced — and beaten — USC before, his adaptability and reliability will be key. His ability to adjust against the Badgers illustrates exactly how his steadiness can help anchor the Wolverines against the Trojans’ dynamic offense.
Berry regained his footing against Wisconsin. This weekend against USC, Berry will simply look to dig in.
