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In April, once the dust settled on Michigan’s disappointing 2022-23 season, Dug McDaniel went to work. 

“I’ve been locked in all spring and summer,” McDaniel said Tuesday on the ‘Defend the Block’ podcast. “I made an emphasis to make it as behind-the-scenes as possible. I don’t want any cameras in my workout. I’ve just been grinding. … I went home for a couple of weeks, but now I’m back here, and I’ve been on a silent grind.” 

Much like his teammates, McDaniel is cognizant of the perception surrounding the program; he knows that they have to be better and, as a result, things need to change. The onus falls on everyone — even McDaniel, who impressed as a freshman, stepping into a larger role earlier than many anticipated in the wake of Jaelin Llewellyn’s season-ending knee injury. 

As the upcoming season looms, McDaniel is preparing for even greater responsibilities. 

“I know that my role is going to be bigger than last year, because I had time to get acclimated and now I know how things go,” McDaniel said. “My role is going to increase in terms of leadership. I feel like I’m always ready to attack a task, to add another chip on my shoulder. Being a leader, showing people that I can lead a group of guys to a national championship. I’m ready to take on that task.”