The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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said. "I think our athleticism is there. We are developing at a couple of posi- tions, but I love their enthusiasm, love their energy, athleticism … I like what I see so far. It's really a great group of guys, [they] responded really well to changes in concept. I've had a blast. "They're very serious in nature about the game of football, but at the same time those guys have fun. It's a really quality group of young men, fun to be around. I'm a big guy on trust. My initial impressions — which I think go a long way as far as sinking my teeth into this thing, the amount of time you're spending with people — are this is just a really quality group of guys with character. … I'm just thank- ful for the opportunity." Part of that is because he has a unique weapon in redshirt sophomore Jabrill Peppers who can line up at a number of positions. For much of the week in Florida it was at Sam line- backer, where Peppers looked like a natural. The supporting cast at linebacker, meanwhile, will include at least a freshman or two in the corps. Early enrollees Devin Bush Jr. and Carlo Kemp worked with the second group in Florida, and they'll be protected, Brown said. "This is a system where I think it's friendly to the linebackers," he said. "It's aggressive in nature, so they'll do a lot of different stuff, but based on their learning curve, we'll adjust to them. … We lost five or six seniors, but I'm really excited about the guys I have." Including, perhaps especially, Pep- pers. No one man is greater than the team, but he might be a once-in-a-de- cade talent. Brown noted the plan is to give the versatile athlete "a bunch of jobs" and explained his unit's Sam linebacker, which racked up 7.5 sacks and 17 tack- les for loss last year at Boston College, is a hybrid defender so Peppers is a perfect fit. "Between [redshirt sophomore Noah] Furbush and him, I think we can put those two guys together and create some dynamic ability out of that position," Brown said. "That's what you're searching for." Jim Harbaugh Adds New Coaches, Staff New linebackers/special teams coach Chris Partridge and new defensive coordi- nator Don Brown were immersed in their duties during Michigan's spring football stint at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., but they weren't the only ones. Several new staff hires were also on site or on their way. Harbaugh hired former Philadelphia Eagles assistant linebackers coach Brian Smith to coach safeties — he'll work in conjunction with cornerbacks coach Mi- chael Zordich to mentor the secondary. Smith spent eight seasons with the New York Jets before joining the Eagles staff, working with the defensive secondary for the Jets during the 2013-14 seasons. Smith started his tenure with the Jets as a quality control/offensive coach in 2007 and held various coaching positions with the franchise.