Junior defensive end Ryan Van Bergen is more comfortable as a second-year starter, but still draws motivation from a variety of outside opinion, some supplied by his mother, Toni. (AnnArbor.com file photo)

Ryan Van Bergen is comfortable as a second-year starter with the Michigan football team and had one solo tackle and three assists in the 30-10 victory against UConn.

He's also part of a front line he realizes many fans still question after star defensive end Brandon Graham graduated and became the Philadelphia Eagles' first-round draft pick. Van Bergen uses outside opinion as motivation, but the source of such information may come as a surprise. That's just one of the tidbits that came out of a conversation with the junior defensive end this week.

Ryan Van Bergen

A: Absolutely. The more you play, the more you've been in situations and nothing is really new to you. I think it's just something that I can use that will rub off on the guys that haven't had that experience and be able to bring them through it. You don't want anybody out there that isn't getting help that needs it. So I think we're able to do more as veterans than we were last year.

Q: Was Brandon Graham that guy that kind of brought you along and is that a role you feel comfortable with now?

A: He was the one I looked to at different times, in different situations and he definitely helped me bring me along. So I'm just trying to repay the favor and trying to make sure that the younger guys are acclimated and ready to play the game.

Q: Once Graham left, do you think people had a different impression of the defensive line as far as how successful you guys could be?

A: We heard a lot of that. We heard a lot of, 'The defensive line can't be the strength, the strong unit anymore. They lost their key player, they're not going to be the defensive line of old.' We might not be the exact same defensive line that we were with him, but I think numbers-wise, I think we can produce some of the numbers he accounted for.

Q: Do you take that personally or do you think that's just people recognizing what kind of impact Graham had on the defensive line?

A: I take it a little personal, but there's obviously going to be a fall-off when he leaves, but everyone here is on scholarship and is able to play football and that's why we're here. I think (the talk) is more of a tribute of what kind of player he is, but hopefully, everyone will start noticing that the defensive line can play just as well without Brandon Graham here.

Q: You said you guys hear about what people say about the defensive line. Is that the coaches telling you or is it stuff you read?

A: My mom is always on the media stuff so she's my main source of motivation. But you hear coaches say it, your peers say it, people on campus say it, someone's always in your ear.

Q: Wait, your mom is your main source of information on that stuff?

A: She does her best to motivate me. I'm her baby, so she's got to protect me. She'll say, 'You gotta do something. This is what they said about you.' I love her to death, but she motivates me that way. When I was in high school, there were a lot of good reports about me and there was one report that said I was undeserving of a certain award I won. That's the one she put up on the fridge.

Q: Did she call the paper on that?

A: Oh yeah, she called the paper. She writes letters. I'm telling you, don't put anything out there she doesn't like or else she's going to come after you.

Q: So she'll send stuff like that to you?

A: Yeah she'll e-mail me stories, and there will always be a little section that's highlighted. She just tries to keep me grounded and makes sure my head's on right.

Q: Are you ever tempted to just delete it?

A: No, because I know she'll ask me about it the next time we talk.

Q: Does she just e-mail you or does that do that for some of your teammates?

A: No, just me, but I'm sure if they wanted, she could get their e-mail and start forwarding them stuff, too.

Q: Has she always been that way?

A: We've been playing football since we were 8 or 9, and my mom used to defend me, because I was the biggest kid. And she used to bring my birth certificate to all the games to prove I was of age to play in the games because moms used to yell and say I was hurting their kid.

Q: Has your mom ever gotten into any altercations?

A: I wouldn't say she's ever gotten into an altercation, but she's probably exchanged words every once in a while. Luckily, they don't make you bring birth certificates to college football games. I think she's able to relax and enjoy the games now.

Jeff Arnold covers sports for AnnArbor.com and can be reached at (734) 623-2554 or by email at jeffarnold@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @jeffreyparnold.