The Wolverine

December 2011

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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what he actually is, in terms of his stature," Hecklinski said. "He's not as soft-spoken as you think. Once you get to know him, once he trusts you, he's got a great personality, and I think you see some of that on the field. "He's in his comfort zone on the field. When he's in his comfort zone, you see who he really is. He's got a great, charming personality — very funny. In fact, one of the funniest guys in our room." Hecklinski noted that Gallon can imitate anyone, providing lots of laughter among the receivers. But it's no laughing matter when he imi- tates the blocking bullies Michigan has traditionally featured at the wide receiver position. Gallon throws himself into that job, and it's noticed and appreciated, from the top down. "He's got a tough side to him, that you have to have on your football team," Hoke noted, with an affirming grin. "I like seeing him," Hemingway noted. "I say, 'Dang, Gallon is like a bully.' He's so short, he can get up under all the DBs. All the receivers are in competition with each other, for getting the most knockdowns. We're in there talking trash to each other. It's real fun." It's competition with a purpose. Michigan featured a pair of 1,000- yard rushers this season for the first time since 1975. That doesn't happen without receivers willing to block downfield. Gallon and the rest of Hecklinski's crew embraced that task, the rushing numbers bearing witness. "He takes a lot of pride, as they all do, in terms of blocking," Hecklin- ski said. "We are a running football team. The big worry is, when you're a running football team, do your wideouts go the other way and pout because they're not getting the ball? "Our guys, Jeremy being one of them, have not done that. They've gone the way of, this is what's best for the team. This is what my job is. If this is what we're asked to do, we're going to do it to the best of our ability." It's nothing new, Gallon insists. "That's something I always took pride in, my blocking," Gallon said. "Anybody can catch balls, run balls, run routes. It's what you do without the ball in your hands that makes you. 42 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2011 Gallon hauled in a 14-yard TD reception and had a career-long 64-yard grab that set up the game-winning touchdown in the waning seconds of U-M's 35-31 victory over Notre Dame Sept. 10. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN That's what I want to be known for. "I take pride in blocking. So do the other receivers. It's something that we love to do." It doesn't matter whether a player is 5-10 or 6-10, Gallon believes. It's the fight each individual brings to the field. His own fury gets poured into everything, whether it's return- ing a kick, rising to snag a touch- down pass, or putting an opponent on his back. He can recall his best block as eas- ily as his best touchdown catch. The former occurred in Evanston, Ill., ear- lier in the season. "Northwestern, when Michael Shaw scored his touchdown," Gal- lon said. "It was a sweep, pitch right, and it was on about the 10-yard line. Shaw came around my end, and I had my guy locked up. I was push- ing him outside, so he could cut in- side. I just lunged and threw him like two yards out of bounds." That drew some attention in the film room, Gallon admitted. But he insisted he didn't want any extra credit for participating in the Wildcat relocation program. "That's what I'm supposed to do," he said. His older brothers would most cer- tainly concur. The second youngest of six siblings growing up in Apopka, Gallon learned plenty about rugged- ness and shaking off pain. Among his four brothers, softness and sympathy did not abound. "We were in the back yard, playing football," Gallon recalled. "It was me and my youngest brother against my two older brothers. I was running the ball, and I tried to shake my old- est brother. He got me and threw me in the air. Then my other brother

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