Ben Mason only started playing defensive line this spring.

But it didn't take long for him to make an impression on his teammates.

That's because the junior fullback/tight end/running back/defensive tackle has an odd quirk when he fires off the ball.

“I only went against Ben maybe once or twice, but I remember the reps vividly," center Cesar Ruiz told reporters last week. "It was so much yelling and grunting, I almost didn’t believe it. I was like, ‘This dude’s really yelling at me right now.’

“It’s the Ben Mason scream. It’s completely a Ben Mason thing.”

Tight end Nick Eubanks, meanwhile, likened Mason to Bobby Boucher from the movie "The Waterboy" and called the screaming "a nightmare" and "a scary sight."

“That’s the worst dude you can line up against," Eubanks said. "When I get down and see Ben Mason on the other side, ‘Oh man, here we go.’ "

When he was relayed Eubanks' comment, Mason smiled and said, "Wow, that's a great compliment."

"The Waterboy" happens to be his favorite movie.

Mason said he doesn't consciously try to yell. It just happens. He demonstrated it for reporters Friday night, and it sounded like a loud and aggressive grunt.

“I don’t know," Mason said, "it’s kind of like I come off the ball, ‘URGH!’ ”

It has been a busy spring for Mason, who has split his time between four different positions on each side of the ball — and is still playing special teams, too.

As a sophomore, Mason showed his versatility as a fullback who could run, catch, block — and occasionally hurdle defenders. Mason averaged 20 to 25 plays per game and finished the season with 33 carries for 80 yards and seven touchdowns, one reception for 15 yards and five tackles.

This winter, Harbaugh approached Mason with a question: would he be opposed to playing some defensive line?

The answer, of course, was no. Mason played mostly linebacker in high school but quickly switched to fullback when he arrived on campus. He saw it as "a way to get on the field and help the team," and he was happy to do it — just like he was happy to move over to defense.

So far, it has been a smooth transition, according to Mason. There's a lot of work and extra studying — but that's not a problem for a player who said he feels like he was "born to play football."

A typical practice for Mason will feature a lot of rotation. He'll go back and forth throughout every period and will rotate during individual drills. During competitive periods, Mason spends half his time on one side and half his time on the other.

On offense, he's spent time at running back and tight end, while on defense, he has mostly played 3-technique defensive tackle. According to Harbaugh, Mason is "coming on like gangbusters" as a defensive lineman and is currently at least a backup.

How has the transition been so seamless?

Well, as the yelling and aggressiveness might have indicated, Mason has the perfect disposition to play defense.

“Ben is like a defensive-minded player," running backs coach Jay Harbaugh said. "Penetrating into the backfield, sacking people, that’s what he was born to do. Just wreak havoc and smash people and all that."

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And screaming aside, Mason's teammates are glad to see him on the other side of the ball.

“We’ve all seen Ben play fullback, you see what kind of motor he has, him taking that against an offensive lineman, it’s a lot to handle sometimes," Ruiz said. "You know he’s not the tallest guy, but he’s fast and quick and strong for his size. I think it’s great that we have him on both sides of the ball. He’s just a freak athlete. He’s fine anywhere.”

Contact Orion Sang at osang@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @orion_sang. Read more on the Michigan Wolverines and sign up for our Wolverines newsletter.