Our home run summer series is rounding third and heading for the plate. We've been looking at a player or a group of players from each Big Ten team who needs a home run type of summer before preseason camp opens. For the final time in this series: Who needs to hit it out of the park in preparation for the season?

For previous entries, click here.

In the batter's box: Michigan

Who needs to step it up: Defensive tackles

Mike Martin isn't walking through that door in 2012. Neither is the underrated Will Heininger. Defensive line play was such a key part of Michigan's 11-2 season last year, especially up the middle, and now both starters at tackle need to be replaced. There's a lot of pressure on senior Will Campbell to live up to his talent level, but he didn't exactly engender a lot of confidence with his April arrest for hurling his 322-pound body on a stranger's car hood. Still, Campbell is expected to start at nose guard and has the size and ability to be a valuable space eater. He needs to have his best summer ever and finally fulfill his potential. Junior Jibreel Black is slated to start at the other defensive tackle spot, and he'll need to continue to get stronger if he's going to hang in there at 260 pounds. Behind them is a lot of inexperience, with guys like Richard Ash, Quinton Washington and Kenny Wilkins, who have barely seen the field. Incoming freshmen Ondre Pipkins and Matt Godin could work their way onto the two deep if they show the coaching staff something this summer. This position lacks proven commodities, but Brady Hoke and Greg Mattison were able to turn the defensive line from a relative weakness into a strength last season. Campbell, Black and others will have to do their part this summer to make sure the Wolverines don't have too much of a dropoff up front.