The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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110 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2021 FOOTBALL PREVIEW feel like they can see themselves here, then that's their deal. "Really, just staying true to yourself, if you see that you can stick it out and be pro‑ ductive toward the team, then I'm all for it. But if not, if you see yourself playing some‑ where else, then that's their decision." It was never going to be his, he added. "Nah. Finish what I started — that's my mentality," Hill said. "That's how I've ap‑ proached it." So far, he likes what he's seen from the new staff, led by new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. The former Baltimore Ra‑ vens coach has brought energy and variety to the defense, and Hill has thrived. He was an "absolute freak" in the spring scrimmage according to observers, making plays all over the field, and he's by far the Wolverines' best player in cov‑ erage — and that includes the cor‑ nerbacks. The coaches used him to cover a team's best receiver, at times, and he was usually up to the task, starting all six games and finishing second on the team with 46 tackles last season. He added four passes broken up (also second on the team) and tied for the U‑M lead with one interception, which came on the last play of the game in a triple‑over‑ time win at Rutgers that sealed the victory. His role will only expand under Macdon‑ ald, who understands he's got an elite talent in Hill and has coached plenty of them with the NFL's Baltimore Ravens. The coach made an impact on Hill from the get‑go. "He's a laid‑back guy; a funny guy. He definitely knows his stuff," Hill said. "He loves coaching, you can tell. He loves his craft. The way he goes about his business, he's very professional. He makes sure we're all having a good grasp of the defense, learn‑ ing new stuff every day. He's making sure to take it slow, but still trying to put in as much defense as he can. "… We're mixing in a lot of different things. I can't wait to put it out on the field in the fall. We're installing new things every other day." It's "intense," a whole new scheme with NFL concepts. "You really have to know your plays and stay on top of learning your plays," he noted — but he's glad to have stuck it out, knowing he's getting some great coaching. He will enter the 2021 season with no regrets. "At the end of the day, I know that's just how things go at the college level," Hill said. "People come and leave. I kind of had that mentality that whoever came in, I'm just go‑ ing to be myself … have the best relationship I can with that coach." Next-Level Safety For Hill, being himself usually means playing at a higher level than anyone else on the field. He's been timed at 4.3 seconds in the 40‑yard dash, and he always seems to be around the ball, Harbaugh has said many times of his standout. While Ohio State has led the way in hoarding much of the elite talent in the conference over the last decade, the Wolverines have had their share. U‑M sideline reporter Doug Karsch hasn't seen any in the secondary quite like Hill. "I'll say this about Daxton Hill — there are just some guys whose playing speed is just so much faster than everybody else," he Hill posted an above-average Pro Football Focus grade of 71.6 while playing 331 snaps as a freshman, then improved in nearly every category according to the outlet a year ago while increasing his workload to 431 plays. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL "He always looks like he's at a different playing speed than anyone else." U-M SIDELINE REPORTER DOUG KARSCH ON HILL