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Morris returns to bolster strong Michigan defense

Michigan star defensive lineman was slowed down by injuries to end regular season, but is back and ready to produce in the Fiesta Bowl.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Michigan defense has been strong all season. Now they’re getting back the top defensive lineman in the Big Ten.

Mike Morris has returned to practice for the Wolverines and revealed that he’s close to 100 percent as Michigan prepares for the College Football Playoff semifinal against TCU.

“I’m feeling great,” said Morris. “This month has definitely helped me a lot. I’m ready to play football again. These guys have been fighting for their lives every week without me and winning without me and I’ve been their biggest cheerleader."

Morris didn’t play in the Big Ten championship game and played just 11 snaps against rival Ohio State in Columbus.

“I was just watching everybody lace up their cleats and put on their armor,” said Morris. “I was just like ‘I’d give anything to go out and fight with them.’ I just had to take on the role of cheerleader and cheer these boys on, but it’s been hard.”

Getting another shot at the college football playoff is something this Michigan team has had it’s eyes on since the heartbreak of losing to Georgia in last years semifinal game.

“It means everything,” said Morris. “We've literally willed our bodies to this right here. Blake [Corum] and a couple of other guys, including myself, said it in January when we started workouts that we're not going to get back to where we were and lose. This is a whole new team, a better team, a stronger team, a more tightly knit team. So, we just got to -- we're going to fight with everything we've got. We're not going to give up until that clock hits zero.”

The Wolverines defense is one of the top units in the country and they will face TCU in the playoff semifinal on Saturday in the Fiesta Bowl.

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