The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1133554
116 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW DEFENSIVE BACKS 116 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW DEFENSIVE BACKS PLAYER BIOS POSITION COACHES Chris Partridge begins his fourth year as a Michigan assistant coach and his second as the safeties men- tor. He served as director of player personnel in recruiting after joining the program in January 2015, and then took over as the linebackers coach for 2016-17. Last year, Partridge mentored a group of safeties lead by first-team All-Big Ten (AP) member Josh Me- tellus, who ranked fifth on the team in tackles (48) and tied for first in interceptions (three). The Wolverines' defense continued its dominance with Partridge's as- sistance, finishing second in total defense and passing yards allowed nationally. He also helps lead U-M's special teams, which blocked three punts to tie for fourth in the nation; finished 19th in kickoff defense; returned both a punt and kickoff for touchdowns; and went 21 of 27 on field goals. In 2017, Partridge helped the Michigan defense rank in the NCAA's top three in five categories, while he also coached the country's No. 1 kickoff coverage unit. He was named the National Recruiter of the Year by Scout.com for the 2016 class and received the same award from 247Sports for the 2017 class. He arrived at U-M after being the head football coach at New Jersey's Paramus Catholic High School from 2010-14. Partridge led Paramus from being listed 4,250th nationally and 112th in the state of New Jer- sey to No. 4 in the country and No. 1 in the Garden State according to USA Today. Before his coaching career at Paramus, Partridge was the defensive line coach and assistant for the special teams at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. Partridge earned his bachelor's degree in govern- ment and law from Lafayette College in 2003, where he later went on to become the secondary coach and assistant to the special teams coordinator. Mike Zordich is in his fifth season coaching the cor- nerbacks at Michigan and his 11th season coaching overall, between college and the NFL. His secondary played an integral part in Michigan's defensive success last year. U-M gave up just 1,921 passing yards, the third straight season of giving up 2,000 yards or less through the air. The Wolverines also held opponents to 34 percent on third-down conversions, broke up 44 passes and tallied 11 interceptions. In 2016 and 2017, Zordich helped lead the nation's best unit in pass defense and third-down conversions allowed. In the latter, his charges ranked No. 1 in the country by giving up just 4.32 net yards per pass at- tempt. An All-American safety for Penn State from 1983-85, Zordich then spent 12 seasons in the NFL — with the New York Jets (1987-88), Arizona Cardinals (1989-93) and Philadelphia Eagles (1994-98) — and tallied 20 interceptions with 588 tackles. Zordich began his coaching career with Youngstown State in 2009 and later returned to Youngstown in 2013-14 after three seasons working with the Eagles' defense, including two years as their safeties coach. He served as the co-special teams coordinator and safeties mentor at Youngstown State. RETURNING PLAYERS SAMMY FAUSTIN • S R-Fr. • Naples, Fla. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 187 • Redshirted during his first sea- son in Ann Arbor. • Regarded as a three-star tal- ent by Rivals and the No. 62 cornerback in the nation. VINCENT GRAY • CB R-Fr. • Rochester, Mich. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 184 • Appeared in two games on special teams and saw snaps at defensive back against Rutgers in his debut. • Regarded by Rivals as a three-star prospect and the No. 60 cornerback in the nation. GEMON GREEN • CB R-Fr. • DeSoto, Texas Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 174 • Did not see game action in his first year in Ann Arbor. • Tabbed as a four-star prospect by Rivals and the No. 39 cor- nerback in the land. GERMAN GREEN • S R-Fr. • DeSoto, Texas Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 175 • Redshirted in his first season at Michigan. • Listed by Rivals as a three-star talent. LOUIS GRODMAN • DB 5th-Sr. • Commerce, Mich. Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 191 • Played in seven games on spe- cial teams in 2018. • Walked on to Michigan and was placed on scholarship in January of 2019. BRAD HAWKINS • S Jr. • Pennsauken, N.J. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 204 • Totaled 24 tackles, three stops for loss and one pass deflec- tion in 13 games in 2018. • Recorded a single-game ca- reer-high six tackles against Notre Dame, includ- ing four solo stops. • Contributed in a variety of roles on special teams in his freshman season. • Regarded by Rivals as a four-star talent, the No. 53 wide receiver and No. 235 overall prospect the year before a prep season at Suffield (Conn.) Academy. LAVERT HILL • CB Sr. • Detroit Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 181 • Started in every game for Michi- gan in 2018, totaling 14 tackles, five pass deflections and an in- terception he returned for a TD. • Named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award (na- tion's top DB) and was named to the All-Big Ten first team by the coaches, media and Associated Press. • Started 12 games in his sophomore season, record- ing 25 tackles, two picks and nine passes defended. • Named to the 2017 All-Big Ten second team by the coaches and Associated Press. ROSTER No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Year Elig. Hometown (High School) 30 Tyler Cochran* S 6-1 201 Sr. Jr. Royal Oak, Mich. (Orchard Lake St. Mary's) 23 Jared Davis* DB 5-11 202 Jr. So. Frankenmuth, Mich. (Frankenmuth) 17 Sammy Faustin S 6-2 187 So. Fr. Naples, Fla. (Naples) 31 Vincent Gray CB 6-2 184 So. Fr. Rochester, Mich. (Adams) 9 Gemon Green CB 6-2 174 So. Fr. DeSoto, Texas (DeSoto) 13 German Green S 6-2 175 So. Fr. DeSoto, Texas (DeSoto) 33 Louis Grodman DB 5-11 191 5th Sr. Commerce, Mich. (Walled Lake Northern) 20 Brad Hawkins S 6-1 213 Jr. Jr. Pennsauken, N.J. (Suffield Academy [Conn.]) — Daxton Hill S 6-0 190 Fr. Fr. Tulsa, Okla. (Booker T. Washington) 24 Lavert Hill CB 5-11 181 Sr. Sr. Detroit (King) — Quinten Johnson S 5-10 193 Fr. Fr. Washington, D.C. (St. John's College) 16 Jaylen Kelly-Powell CB 6-0 184 Jr. Jr. Detroit (Cass Tech) 14 Josh Metellus S 6-0 204 Sr. Sr. Pembroke Pines, Fla. (Flanagan) 3 Jalen Perry CB 6-1 185 Fr. Fr. Dacula, Ga. (Dacula) 27 Hunter Reynolds CB 6-0 191 Jr. So. South Orange, N.J. (Choate Rosemary Hall) 41 Quinn Rothman* DB 5-11 180 So. Fr. Los Angeles (Hamilton) 1 Ambry Thomas CB 6-0 183 Jr. Jr. Detroit (King) — DJ Turner CB 6-0 173 Fr. Fr. Suwanee, Ga. (IMG Academy [Fla.]) — Joey Velazquez S 5-11 195 Fr. Fr. Columbus, Ohio (St. Francis Desales) 26 J'Marick Woods S 6-3 210 Jr. Jr. Florence, Ala. (Florence) * Walk-on