Michigan football captains: DL Chris Wormley, TE Jake Butt
Michigan has its captains for the 2016 season: defensive lineman Chris Wormley and tight end Jake Butt.
The captains are voted on by the players at the end of camp and Wormley made the announcement on Twitter tonight, just after 10 p.m.
Butt said it was the "highest honor I have received (and probably ever will receive) in my life."
U-M confirmed it on the football program's Twitter account later this evening that the two Ohio natives will be the captains.
"I've been on some very good teams in different sports I played and I've been on some very bad teams," Butt said at Big Ten media days. "The good teams have always had good leadership and the bad teams have always had bad leadership. That seems to be the common ground. You can see with coach Harbaugh, he came in, he's an excellent leader. We had some great captains last year and it trickled down through the whole entire team. So I think it's important to have great leadership."
This is the third straight season with only two captains, one on each side of the ball. Last year's captains were linebacker Joe Bolden and fullback Joe Kerridge.
Wormley enters his fifth year from Toledo as the most versatile defensive lineman, predicated by many to have a breakout season. With a four-man front, he'll be able to play inside and outside to keep offenses off guard.
In 2015, he had 43 tackles, 14 1/2 for loss and 6 1/2 sacks.
Butt passed up the chance to be the top tight end in the 2016 NFL Draft to return to school for his fourth year, citing team goals as his primary motivation.
He was already named an All-America on a number of lists last year after 51 catches for 654 yards and three touchdowns.
Butt is the first tight end to be captain since Kevin Koger in 2011 and Wormley the first defensive lineman since Mike Martin, also in 2011.
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