Michigan TE Hogan Hansen feeling like himself again after long injury
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Michigan TE Hogan Hansen feeling like himself again after long injury
Isaiah Hole, Wolverines Wire·Wolverines Wire
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3 min read
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Michigan football has long been known as a team that heavily deployed its tight ends in the pass game. However, theWolverineshave had little production from the group through the first three games of the season. In Week 4 against Iowa, it increased, with Hogan Hansen having returned to the lineup.
Hansen had been seen as something of an heir apparent to former star Colston Loveland, having come on strong in his freshman season. However, he missed most of his sophomore campaign with an injury, and then he missed the first two weeks of the season this year.
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But after getting his first two catches of the season last week and nearly coming down with a (bobbled) third, he's starting to get going for the first time in two years.
"I feel great," Hansen said. "I feel like I'm ramping up every week and just getting better every day I'm out here and every week, so I feel like it's been a good adjustment."
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Hansen returned to the lineup in Week 3 against UTEP and quickly got a pancake block, indicating that he hadn't missed a beat. It was a good feeling for him to have such a pivotal play after having missed so much time.
But now that he's back, he's playing fast and free, feeling much closer to normal.
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"My injury was kind of just like a bad timing thing, a freak injury that I just needed to let go away with time," Hansen said. "So yeah, first play back on the field, I mean -- I was ecstatic. It's a blessing to play football, especially here, so I was out there just running full speed and just seeing whatever I could hit first."
The time away from the playing field has helped Hansen improve upon multiple facets in his game, even if he hasn't had as much time on task.
He feels as if he's capable of much more in terms of physicality, much like the other members of the team after an offseason with strength and conditioning coach Doug Elisaia. But he also feels more tenacious, recognizing that much more how much of a gift it is to play the game after having missed so much time.
"I feel like I'm a lot more physical and I feel like I got a lot of stamina," Hansen said. "You can put me out there as long as I want, and I'm gonna go hard every play. I still got those abilities to be a vertical threat down the field and add in that way, so I feel like I can be a Swiss Army Knife in that way."
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Fans will get a chance to see Hansen in action once again on Saturday when Michigan football travels to Minneapolis to face Minnesota. Kickoff at Huntington Bank Stadium will be at noon EDT, and the game will be broadcast on Fox.
