The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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D E F E N S I V E B A C K S THE WOLVERINE 2025 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 107 They also got in on the fun on limiting Alabama to 13 points and a mere 75 yards passing in the ReliaQuest Bowl, deliver- ing a pair of confidence-building victo- ries at the end of the season. Given a potentially huge rejoining of the group by Moore, and bolstering through the transfer portal this past spring, there's no poor-me sense what- soever from Morgan, or for that matter, from head coach Sherrone Moore. "In the back end, it's a slew of guys that can play," Moore said. "We have [sopho- more strong safety] Mason Curtis who can fly around, a 6-5 safety that can run, that can move and flip his hips. [Junior strong safety] Brandyn Hillman has re- ally taken the next step to be one of the dynamic players in college football. I'm excited for him." Rod Moore, Hillman and Curtis could deliver a very potent trio at strong safety, possibly joined in the two-deep by junior T.J. Metcalf at free safety. Senior Jaden Mangham and freshman Jordan Young provide depth at the spots up the middle. On Rod Moore, Morgan understands the asset he has there and assures there's been no hurry to usher him back into the mix. The goal is to be at full-go by fall camp. "You don't want to rush a guy back," Morgan said. "He's poured a lot into this program. That dude has made some big- time plays. I don't know if everybody here is as excited without him. "He knows how important he is to our program, but we also don't want to be the one that's forcing him to do something before he's ready to go. "He lives in this building. He's about to graduate, which is a credit to him. He's all in. He's going to have a big-time year." Hillman turned heads literally and fig- uratively last season, catching attention with his bone-crushing hits on receiv- ers. He wound up making 21 tackles in a dozen games, with 1.5 tackles for loss, a 10-yard sack and a pair of pass break- ups. While the big blasts on wideouts caught the most attention, Morgan noted Hillman is learning to play an all-around game — including some play at the nickel — that will increase his value. "You saw the best of him last year with just what he can do, the physicality, throwing his body around," Morgan said of the former prep quarterback turned DB. "He plays with no fear. He just runs through people. He's trying to play more under control and not just be a one-trick pony. He has to take care of his body. He's got to understand when it's a big-time knockout shot and when he just needs to get the guy on the ground. He's been try- ing to knock somebody out every play." Curtis isn't shy on the physical side, either, increasingly making a spot for himself on the field. He came up with 8 stops in nine games last year, including a TFL and an interception against North- western. He'll be one to watch this season and in the future, Morgan assured. He's not locked into one position in the secondary, either. "In the spring, you want to see what people are doing with their opportunities," Mo rga n s a i d . " M a s o n 's been playing maybe 60 to 40 high safety versus nickel. He will do both next year. In the first game you'll prob- ably see him playing nickel and safety. "He's a little longer, and he might not be as twitchy as maybe a smaller guy, but he can cover a lot of ground. I'm really excited about Mason. He's just started. Mason will be special." T.J. Metcalf came with Tevis, his brother, from Arkansas in the offseason. T.J. secured 72 tackles with 10 pass breakups and 3 interceptions in his 24 games with 11 starts. He's another who shifted back and forth between safety and nickel (star, in current Michigan par- lance) this spring. "At the star position, one day the cor- ners play it, the next day we let the safe- ties play it," Morgan explained during spring ball. "T.J. Metcalf, [senior cor- nerback] Zeke Berry, Shug [Hill], Mason Curtis, [sophomore] Jacob Oden, [sopho- more cornerback] Jeremiah Lowe — we have a lot of guys playing nickel each day. We just try to rotate it through, so we can have some depth at that position." Mangham, who played in 20 games formerly at Michigan State, appeared in only the opener against Fresno State last year, playing special teams. "When you come to any school af- ter you're a starter at another school, you think it's just going to come easy, whether you're a freshman or not," ex- plained Morgan. "Then he got hurt a little ❱ ❱ X-FACTOR X-FACTOR Sophomore MASON CURTIS is a "tackling machine" according to the staff and made his first career interception against Northwestern last November. He's set to have a much bigger role this coming season, including potentially at nickel back. At 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, Curtis will be a uniquely sized athlete at the slot corner spot, but he took around 40 percent of his snaps at nickel during spring practices, per position coach LaMar Morgan. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL