The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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this moment so hard. It happened so fast, there were no nerves. I knew the defenses and it just came like that. "It's really just a blessing. It's some- thing I wanted deep down, and I worked so hard to get it. If it never came, I knew I put my best foot for- ward." Aztec quarterback Ryan Lindley tested the new cornerback early and often, but Countess batted away deep pass after deep pass. "He's a heck of a competitor," Michigan head coach Brady Hoke said. "You look at [him] through the recruiting process and all that, but you really don't know until you get them here. Watching him in fall camp, his willingness and eagerness to learn, his athleticism. "He's got good hips and good feet, and that's kind of what you need out there. He's got a good amount of makeup speed, which you have to have at a corner position. And, he's tough." Countess recorded his first career start a few weeks later, in a 36-14 win over Purdue, and hasn't looked back since. Countess on playing cornerback "You're out there on an island. It's all you when the ball is in the air, and I really like that. It's you and the wide receiver — who wants it more?" "When you're a corner, that's a tough job out there," Mattison said. "For him to compete, and I said this all along, the one thing about him that you feel he's got a chance to be pretty darn good is he doesn't have a conscience. That play is over with and he's ready for the next play. That's the great thing about him." Countess, still with three years ahead of him in Ann Arbor, has the Ty Law (1992-94): Law burst onto the scene in 1992, start- ing six games (five consecutively) and having one of the best rookie campaigns for a cornerback in program history. He recorded 49 tackles, including 10 tackles in the Ohio State game (a season high), and broke up four passes. Law went on to be named All-Big Ten in '93 and '94, and a first-team All-American in '94. Charles Woodson (1995-97): Woodson was good from the moment he stepped on campus, starting all 12 games in 1995, Lloyd Carr's first season as Michigan head coach. He recorded 65 tackles, six pass breakups and a team-high five interceptions on his way to winning the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award. He was also a first-team All-Big Ten selection. Woodson finished his career as one of the most decorated Wolverines of all time, winning the 1997 Heisman Trophy during Michigan's national championship run. Marlin Jackson (2001-04): Jackson started just six games as a freshman, but it was enough to lead the Wolverines in interceptions, grabbing three. He finished the year with 47 tackles, seven pass breakups and a fumble recovery. Jackson was moved from cornerback to safety and back during his career, but he still earned All-America and All-Big Ten honors in both 2003 and 2004. Leon Hall (2003-06): Hall needed only three starts (he played in all 13 games) his freshman season to receive national recognition. He was named to the Freshman All- America team after tallying 26 tackles and three intercep- tions. Hall went on to have a terrific career, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors and becoming a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award and the Jim Thorpe Award as a senior. Donovan Warren (2007-09): Warren was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year by Sporting News after starting 11 games in 2007. He tallied 52 tackles, one interception, three pass breakups and one forced fumble in Carr's last season at the helm. joying the ride. "This has been so exciting for his mom, for me, his family, for his old teammates from high school," Wen- dell said. "Blake knows he initially left here and wanted to make some sort of impact. As the weeks went on, he said, 'I think I'm ready to play.' It's a tall order, but he just has to keep learning and getting better every day." ❑ U-M's Best Freshman Cornerbacks Of The Last 20 Years potential to become one of the greats — and that's saying something, in a program that has produced Charles Woodson, Leon Hall and Ty Law, just to name a few. For right now, his family is just en- Donovan Warren was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year by Sporting News after notching 52 tackles, one interception and three pass breakups in 2007. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN Warren was the anchor of the secondary in former Michi- gan head coach Rich Rodriguez's first two seasons. He left before his senior year and went undrafted. — Andy Reid DECEMBER 2011 THE WOLVERINE 31