The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/152358
A By Andy Reid lthough Jordan Kovacs has moved on from the Michigan football team, having signed a contract with the NFL's Miami Dolphins, the current crop of Wolverine defensive backs still talk about him with a level of reverence reserved for those who are respected a great deal. The former safety was a terrific leader and captain — and upon his departure, Michigan was forced to fill anything," Gordon said. "Now, I'm that guy the younger guys look up to when they need some help, in whatever they need." He made it his mission to become the best possible leader he could be. Gordon took what he learned from Kovacs' example of leadership — a strong, positive attitude; dedication to charitable work in the community; and a willingness to help whenever necessary — and applied it to his own life, in his own way. Ready For Action Despite Losing Two Multi-Year Starters, The U-M Secondary Boasts Experience And Talent At Every Position that void, an even tougher task than filling the one left by Kovacs on the depth chart. Since the final gun of the Outback Bowl, a 33-28 loss to South Carolina in which the Michigan secondary was exposed for 341 yards through the air, fifth-year senior safety Thomas Gordon has put the secondary on his shoulders. "Last year, I could fall back on Kovacs if I needed some guidance or He also drew inspiration from another source: a middle school. Gordon, an education major, volunteered as a mentor at Romulus Middle School in Romulus, Mich., this summer. "I spent a lot of time with kids, trying to get them to follow directions and making sure they understood the lessons and things," Gordon said. "You have to get them enthused about what you're trying to teach them. At-