Junior tackle Jon Jansen and senior linebacker Eric Mayes have been voted captains of the Michigan football team, coach Lloyd Carr announced this week.
"Michigan captains are selected by their teammates on the basis of ability at their position, courage, enthusiasm and outstanding leadership qualities," Carr said. "The fact that the captains are voted on by their teammates makes it the finest honor a Michigan man can receive."
Jansen, a preseason All-America candidate, was an All-Big Ten selection last year by both the coaches and the media. He has started in all 25 games of his Michigan career. He was recruited as a tight end but moved to right tackle after being redshirted as a freshman in 1994.
"Being named captain is the greatest honor for me in sports," Jansen said. "To be elected by your peers to lead them into battle is one of the greatest honors anyone can have, especially at the University of Michigan."
The selection of Mayes may come as a surprise to the casual fan, since he has yet to start a game in his two years at Michigan. He transferred from Xavier (La.), a school without a football team, and walked on to the team during spring practice in 1995.
"I was able to work hard and gain opportunities," Mayes said. "The coaches gave me an opportunity to play, they gave me an opportunity to work hard and gave me a chance to just get in.
"From these opportunities, I was able to take advantage of that and gain respect from my peers."
Mayes, now in his final year of eligibility, made a splash the last two years as a special teams player. He will replace the graduated two-time captain Jarrett Irons, not only in the leadership slot, but in his on-the-field position as well. Mayes will line up at inside linebacker, next to All-America hopeful Sam Sword.
"It is a great honor," Mayes said. "First of all to have your teammates, your peers, the guys who you depend upon the most and the guys you want to respect the most, to feel that you are capable to lead the team and co-lead the team and be a captain - is a great honor at Michigan."
Jansen and Mayes comprise the fifth set of co-captains native to Michigan since Bo Schembechler created co-captaincies in 1970. The last such pair was linebacker Steve Morrison (Birmingham) and receiver Walter Smith (Detroit) in 1994.
Jansen calls Clawson home, where he caught a school-record 31 passes his senior year for Clawson High School. Mayes is originally from Kalamazoo, where he earned eight varsity letters in football, basketball and track at Portage Northern High School.
FILE PHOTO/Daily
Jon Jansen and Eric Mayes replace Jarrett Irons and Rod Payne as captains of the Michigan football team.