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Michigan players brace for Happy Valley noise

Taylor Lewan knows the atmosphere Saturday night at Beaver Stadium will be electric and that the noise from the sellout crowd of more than 106,000 will make his ears ring.

Michigan offensive linesman Taylor Lewan walks to the line of scrimmage. (Carlos Osorio/AP)
Michigan offensive linesman Taylor Lewan walks to the line of scrimmage. (Carlos Osorio/AP)Read more

Taylor Lewan knows the atmosphere Saturday night at Beaver Stadium will be electric and that the noise from the sellout crowd of more than 106,000 will make his ears ring.

However, even though he'll be wearing the uniform of visiting Michigan, the All-American offensive tackle is excited about the opportunity to compete against Penn State in such a setting.

"Sometimes we'll be standing face to face [with a teammate] and I won't be able to hear myself think or hear you talk," Lewan said Monday at a press conference in Ann Arbor, Mich. "It's a great atmosphere. It's going to be a whiteout, a night game. Penn State's awesome. It's a fun place to play at."

Michigan's last game in State College came in 2010, when Lewan was a redshirt freshman starter. He said he can remember fifth-year senior linebacker, Cameron Gordon, seeing significant action but not many other current players.

The Wolverines' current offensive line sports a redshirt freshman and two third-year sophomores playing with Lewan and fellow fifth-year senior tackle Michael Schofield. Given the inexperience of playing in a loud environment, the visitors could struggle hearing quarterback Devin Gardner call signals.

"The [young] guys are first-year starters but they have to understand that we're still playing football," said the 6-foot-8, 315-pound Lewan, who is projected as a Top-10 pick in next year's NFL draft. "So if we do what we're supposed to do, we should be successful. It's kind of getting that preparation in and getting better every single week."

The Wolverines could get a boost Saturday with the possible return of all-Big Ten linebacker Jake Ryan. Head coach Brady Hoke said Ryan, who tore an ACL last March, could "potentially" play against the Nittany Lions.

"There's no doubt he wants to be in there," Lewan said. "He's a captain of this team. There's just so much about him as a leader and a person. But as far as him playing this week, that's for the coaches to say."

The game will mark a reunion between a pair of high school teammates at Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Mary's - Penn State wide receiver Allen Robinson, the Big Ten's leading receiver, and Michigan linebacker James Ross III. Ross said the two are pretty close.

"We both had the bye week last week and we were talking at our high school game," Ross said. "It's never trash-talking but it's fun. He's a great competitor and I can't wait to play against him."