The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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30 THE WOLVERINE FEBRUARY 2020 MVP JUNIOR CORNERBACK AMBRY THOMAS Thomas was Michigan's Defensive Skill Position Player of the Year after a season in which he went from questionable to even play to shining as U-M's top cover corner. Thomas battled colitis this summer, lost nearly 30 pounds and was advised by some doctors to redshirt. Instead, he rallied to earn a starting spot and was on the field for the opener, playing in all 13 games to earn third-team All-Big Ten honors from the league's coaches and second- team recognition from Pro Football Fo- cus. The 6-0, 182-pounder announced his return for next season in January. He fin- ished his junior season with 38 tackles, three interceptions and four passes broken up with two fumble recoveries. In his last few games, he matched up against some of the nation's elite receivers and outshined outstanding cover corner Lavert Hill on the other side of him. He should be a preseason All-Big Ten candidate, at the very least, next fall. NUMBERS TO KNOW Senior cornerback and three-year starter Lavert Hill ended his U-M career with another impressive campaign in 2019, leading the club and tying for fourth in the Big Ten with 10 passes broken up, while also tying Thomas for the team lead in interceptions with three. Hill finished his tenure in Ann Arbor with 29 passes broken up, which is good for sixth on the school's all-time list and only one behind Charles Wood- son's 30 from 1995-97. StatuS Of SchOlarShip playerS GRADUATED: Louis Grodman* Lavert Hill Josh Metellus TRANSFERRED: Jaylen Kelly-Powell J'Marick Woods (Duke) ELIGIBILITY REMAINING (YEARS): Brad Hawkins (1) Ambry Thomas (1) Hunter Reynolds (2)* Sammy Faustin (3) Vincent Gray (3) Gemon Green (3) German Green (3) Daxton Hill (3) Quinten Johnson (4) Jalen Perry (4) D.J. Turner (4) * Former walk-on B 2020 PLAYER TO WATCH DAXTON HILL The freshman played more and more as the season progressed, and continued to earn tougher assignments. Even when he was beaten (includ- ing the opening-play touchdown of the Citrus Bowl by Jerry Jeudy) he was around the ball, and his instincts were often on display when he broke up screen passes at or near the line of scrimmage. Hill was named to Pro Football Focus' All-Big Ten Team on defense (third team), and the outlet even dubbed him a third-team Freshman All-American (at corner- back), after finishing the season with 36 tackles (three for loss) and an interception with a pair of fumble recoveries. He was Michigan's Co- Defensive Player of the Game at Indiana in his first career start when he notched eight solo tackles. The future is bright. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL DefenSive BackS OVERALL GRADE Great against good competition, but not good enough against great competition. That pretty much sums up the defensive backfield for the second straight season. The Wolverines finished 10th nationally in allowing only 185.5 passing yards per game, but gave up huge aerial numbers to both Ohio State and Alabama to end the year. U-M's secondary also gave up a few big plays at Penn State, the difference in a 28-21 road setback. Coverage by safeties remains an issue and was the big one in the loss in Happy Valley. Wide re- ceiver KJ Hamler's two scores came at the U-M safeties' expense, one in man coverage and one on a miscommuni- cation, and senior safety Josh Metellus got beat deep twice for scores in a 56-27 loss to Ohio State. The cornerbacks played relatively well for most of the season, but even senior Lavert Hill struggled at times. He was in position to make a play on a second-half touchdown pass in the Citrus Bowl, but came up short — the tale of the tape for the Michigan secondary against great foot- ball teams. Ambry Thomas