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Khaleke Hudson ‘chasing wins’ over stats for Michigan
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The team, the team, the team.
Michigan’s longtime motto resonates with linebacker Khaleke Hudson. As the defensive star returns to Ann Arbor for one final season with the Wolverines, he made it clear that winning is all he really cares about.
“I’m not chasing those stats at all,” Hudson told The Detroit News. “I’m chasing wins. Team wins…That’s when guys mess up. They start chasing stats and getting frustrated if you don’t get a certain amount of tackles or running a certain amount of rushing yards.”
Those stats that Hudson is referring to is the dip in production he saw from 2017 to 2018. In his sophomore season, Hudson registered 82 tackles with 18 stops for loss and eight sacks. He also broke up nine passes, forced two fumbles and intercepted two passes.
Hudson’s numbers saw a decline last year, totaling just 44 stops, 3.5 tackles for loss and three pass break-ups. But stats aren’t what fuel the senior linebacker. He says the focus needs to be on winning games.
“For us, we’re just about the team,” Hudson said. “We need to focus on our team and our outcome.”
Winning game is the only way the Wolverines’ season will be judged. And, really, it’s about key games against Notre Dame, Michigan State and Ohio State. If Michigan wins all three of those games and claims a division title — as ESPN’s FPI is projecting — not many people will be concerned with individual stats.
Hudson has the right mindset heading into the 2019 season. And it falls in line with everything Michigan has been preaching for decades.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB