The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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— which has been sorely lacking in recent years — is options. The Wolverines have three players with fairly extensive playing experience, all vying for playing time: Countess, who cracked the starting lineup as a freshman in 2011; Taylor, who replaced Countess after his ACL injury in the Alabama game last year; and Avery, who has 14 career starts. Behind them, junior Delonte Hollowell, sophomore Terry Richardson, and freshmen Jourden Louis and Ross Douglas have all received praise from the coaching staff. "When you go down like that, and you find out you tore a ligament, it plays with your mind," Countess said. "But when you get back out there and find out you're cutting and running just like you did before, it's an unbelievable feeling. Sitting out, watching your teammates work, is not fun. I am definitely taking one step at a time, but I am excited. I have a lot of confidence right now." Some of his confidence comes from a better understanding of the playbook. Although he couldn't practice for almost a year, Countess hit Secondary coach Curt Mallory "The competition has been great, and it makes you better. We have a lot of guys who have played, and they want to continue to play, so they're all out there competing." "It's good, because you can rotate a lot of guys right now," Mallory said. "And there is not a selfish guy in the bunch. They're helping each other out, coaching each other. The competition has been great, and it makes you better. We have a lot of guys who have played, and they want to continue to play, so they're all out there competing." Although the coaches have not set a depth chart, the closest cornerback to locking in a starting spot is most likely Countess, who has come back from his injury 100 percent. Before fall camp, Countess had not put on the pads since last Sept. 1, when his knee twisted under him during punt coverage, tearing his ACL and sidelining him for the entire season. the mental aspect of the game hard, watching film and studying the playbook. "He stayed with it," Mallory said. "Maybe he was a little rusty when he first came back, but now I have to be reminded sometimes that he was injured last year because he's doing some really good things." Opposite Countess, Taylor and Avery have been locked in a heated battle for the starting nod. The biggest thing Mallory is looking for is consistency. Last year, Taylor — after being thrust into the spotlight — had some very bright moments, but struggled at times. And at the cornerback spot, consistency stems from three basic areas of focus: footwork, eyes and knowing where the help is.