Michigan’s defense had to carry a heavy load in the 13-12 win over Western Michigan, and one of the clearest bright spots came from a newcomer in the secondary. Safety Chris Bracy, the Memphis transfer, made his presence felt in a big way and looks like he’s already carved out a major role.
Tyler Stockton didn’t hide how quickly Bracy has earned trust inside the program.
"Oh, yeah, absolutely. I think as he starts to truly understand what the defense, the ins and outs, he's going to play even faster, and I think the sky's the limit for that kid," coach Tyler Stockton said of Bracy.
"He's a phenomenal young man. He practices the right way.
He conducts himself the right way, day in and day out, so I definitely think there's another level. I think a big jump from week one to week two is going to show a lot of people that he can take his game to a whole new level."
Bracy logged 64 snaps against Western Michigan, the second-most on the defense, and finished with nine tackles, matching edge rusher Dom Nichols and linebacker Nathaniel Staehling. He was around the ball all afternoon and showed the kind of physical style that makes him useful against both the run and the pass.
Stockton said the staff and Bracy’s teammates saw the talent almost immediately after he arrived.
"I think once he got here, after about five practices, like, not only myself, but his teammates knew that we got a damn good football player on our team, so it was probably a surprise at first, but after the first couple days, you're like, oh, this kid belongs here," Stockton said.
Michigan expects to lean on four safeties this season, with Mason Curtis as the “1B” behind Rod Moore and Bracy. Jordan Young is next in line and figures to have a smaller role. For now, though, Moore and Bracy look like the two players set to pile up the most snaps.
Moore was on the field for 54 snaps in Week 1, more than many expected after he dealt with a couple of injuries. Stockton said Moore feels good, and the veteran safety added two tackles in the win.
The contrast between the two is clear. Moore is the steady, three-time captain and the ultimate leader in the room. Bracy brings the violence and the juice.
"I mean, Rod is the, to me, he's the ultimate leader," said Stockton. "I mean, obviously, I don't know how many three-time captains there has been here in Michigan, but there's probably maybe one more, but probably not. If it was, it was a long, long time ago, so Rod is an ultimate leader.
"Chris is a competitor. He doesn't have the exact same leadership qualities as Rod does, but that's something he is working on. Obviously, being new in the program, but those two back there are like Batman and Robin, and I go to war with those guys every single day."
If Michigan is going to have any chance to knock off Oklahoma on Saturday, it’s going to need both safeties at their best.
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