The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545685
D E F E N S I V E B A C K S 106 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY CHRIS BALAS T wo bits of news came out of Michigan spring ball that provided hope that the U-M secondary, under first-year coaches Jernaro Gilford (corners) and Tyler Stockton (safeties), might have the chance to be good — maybe even great — this fall. The first came when senior corner Jyaire Hill was named as one of 11 players to comprise the "leadership council," ap- pointed as one of the leaders of a talented defense. That would have seemed a long- shot just a couple years ago, when coaches spoke of "Shug" as a talented player who still needed to mature to reach his potential. The second wasn't quite as subtle, and it could raise the defense's — maybe even the team's — ceiling dramatically if it holds. Safety Rod Moore, approved for a sixth year after being limited the last two with a knee injury, appears to be close to 100 percent and ready to take his rightful place as the quarterback of the Michigan defense. If both hold true, it will be a serious shot in the arm for a group with potential. The Michigan secondary was inconsistent a year ago, including the corners, and you couldn't help but feel that the group had more to give. The Wolverines finished 45th out of 134 teams in pass-efficiency defense, and while that wasn't all on the secondary — the pass rush wasn't good enough, either — there were some breakdowns in the big games you just can't have. But new coaches mean a fresh start for a defense returning experience at two of three levels, and talent at the third (linebacker). While the defensive line received most of the accolades from the coaches this spring, the secondary wasn't far behind, starting at corner. "We've got Jyaire, [Utah transfer] Smith Snowden, and don't forget, Zeke Berry was second-team All-Big Ten. Those three cor- ners I expect great things from," first-year defensive coordinator Jay Hill said. "And [sophomore] Shamari Earls is as talented as anyone. I really like those four. "From there, we need two or three other guys to step up, but those four I think are as good as anybody in the country has right now. I'm excited to see how they continue to progress." If true, the Wolverines should have one of the better secondaries in the Big Ten, even with the corner depth uncertainty. Losing sophomore Jayden Sanders to Notre Dame didn't help there, but landing Snowden helped ease the sting. The Utah transfer and Hill should be an outstanding starting duo, especially if Hill takes another step forward in his development. Early in his career, Hill was susceptible to double moves, and there were questions about his mental preparedness. Last year, though, he earned honorable mention All- Big Ten honors and was the team's Defen- sive Skill Player of the Year after starting in all 13 games at defensive back, notching 36 LAST LINE OF DEFENSE Secondary Should Be A Strength For Michigan 'D' Grad student cornerback Zeke Berry earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last season. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL