The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1265429
PLAYER BIOS POSITION COACHES Bob Shoop was announced as Michigan's new safeties coach in January 2020, jumping from his post as defensive coordinator/ safeties coach at Mississippi State (2018-19). The coaching veteran of 30-plus years was a finalist for the 2018 Broyles Award, which is given to the nation's top assistant coach. Shoop will fit in nicely with Michigan's aggressive approach under coordinator Don Brown, who he played for at Yale and has coached with since. In 2019, Mississippi State led the SEC and was fourth in the land with 14 fumble recoveries, while adding 10 interceptions to rank second in the conference in total turnovers caused (24). The Bulldogs' defense was stellar in 2018, finishing in the nation's top 10 in all four major defensive cat- egories — total defense (first), scoring defense (sec- ond), rushing defense (second) and passing defense (seventh). The unit allowed only 12 touchdowns throughout the entire season, which is the fewest allowed by any team since 2011. In his two years in Starkville, Miss., Shoop guided three players that would become first-round NFL Draft picks. Prior to Mississippi State, Shoop coordinated the Tennessee defense (2016-17), where he led a unit that finished among the top 10 nationally in pass defense. Shoop was the defensive coordinator/safeties coach at Penn State from 2014-15, where he was on staff with Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis. His unit ranked second in the country in total defense in 2014 and 15th in 2015. Shoop's coaching career began at his alma mater, Yale, where he was a graduate assistant in 1989. Other stops include Virginia (1990), Northeastern (1991-93), Villanova (1994-96), Army (1997), Bos- ton College (1998), Columbia (1999-2002), Massa- chusetts (2003-05), William & Mary (2007-10) and Vanderbilt (2011-13). Michael Zordich is in his sixth season coaching the cornerbacks at Michigan and his 12th season coaching overall, between college and the NFL. The secondary has been down- right dominant during Zordich's tenure in Ann Arbor. U-M has ranked among the na- tion's top 10 in pass defense all five years he's been on staff, including No. 1 finishes in 2016 and 2017. Under Zordich's direction, the Wolverines have boasted seven first- or second-team All-Big Ten sea- sons from cornerbacks, including 2016 Big Ten De- fensive Back of the Year and two-time All-American Jourdan Lewis, who set U-M records in career (45) and single-season (22) passes broken up, and third- team All-American Lavert Hill. The 2016-18 teams became the first at Michigan to allow less than 2,000 passing yards in three straight seasons since 2001-03, while the past five years have seen Wolverines snare 54 interceptions against just 60 touchdown throws. The former All-American safety for Penn State spent 12 seasons playing in the NFL, where he tallied 20 interceptions and 588 tackles. He previously coached at Youngstown State (2009, 2013-14) and with the Philadelphia Eagles (2010-12), including two years as an NFL safeties coach. RETURNING PLAYERS SAMMY FAUSTIN • S R-So. • Naples, Fla. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 195 • Appeared in nine games on special teams and played de- fensive back in three in 2019, and recorded two tackles. • Redshirted his first season in Ann Arbor. • Regarded as a three-star talent and the No. 62 cornerback in the nation by Rivals.com. VINCENT GRAY • CB R-So. • Rochester, Mich. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 185 • Played at cornerback in all 13 games with one start during the 2019 season, and notched 20 tackles, 1.5 stops for loss and five passes broken up. • Appeared in two games in 2018. • Rivals rated him as a three-star prospect and the No. 60 cornerback in the nation. GEMON GREEN • CB R-So. • DeSoto, Texas. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 180 • Made five tackles while playing in 11 games on special teams and one on defense in 2019. • Did not see game action his first year in Ann Arbor. • Tabbed as a four-star prospect and the No. 39 cornerback in the land by Rivals. GERMAN GREEN • S R-So. • DeSoto, Texas Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 180 • Made his career debut in 2019, competing on special teams against Rutgers. • Redshirted his first season at Michigan. • Listed by Rivals as a three-star talent. BRAD HAWKINS • S Sr. • Camden, N.J. Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 218 • Appeared in 11 games with 10 starts at safety in 2019, and compiled 53 tackles with one pass broken up. • Named the team's Most Improved Defensive Player. • Totaled 24 tackles, three stops for loss and one pass deflection in 13 games in 2018. • Contributed in a variety of roles on special teams during his freshman season. • Regarded by Rivals as a four-star talent, and the No. 53 wide receiver and No. 235 overall prospect the year before a prep season at Suffield (Conn.) Academy. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL PBU INT 2019 11/10 53 0.0 1 0 2018 13/0 24 3.0 1 0 2017 12/0 2 0.0 0 0 Totals 36/10 79 3.0 2 0 DAXTON HILL • S So. • Tulsa, Okla. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 190 • Played in all 13 games as a freshman and started 116 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2020 FOOTBALL PREVIEW DEFENSIVE BACKS Gemon Green (left) and Jalen Perry (right) are two of the younger defensive backs who have not seen much, if any, game action yet but should be in the mix for reps this fall. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN