The Wolverine

April 2017

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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38 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2017 2017 SPRING FOOTBALL PREVIEW. DEFENSIVE BACKS BY THE NUMBERS 2 M ichigan's rank in passing efficiency de- fense in 2016 (94.19), ahead of No. 3 Ohio State and behind only Florida. 95 C o m b i n e d c a r e e r starts by Michigan's four defensive backs last season, all of which are not back for the 2017 campaign. 1,853 Passing yards allowed by the Wolverines in 2016, the lowest total in the nation. WHO'S GONE JOURDAN LEWIS The 2016 Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year in the Big Ten, Lewis was a two-time All-Big Ten performer who became a two-time All-American after delivering 11 passes broken up and two interceptions, despite oppos- ing teams consistently avoiding throwing at him. CHANNING STRIBLING Michigan's "other" cornerback earned second-team All-Big Ten status while leading the Wolverines with four interceptions, along with posting a sack among three tackles for loss and a team-best 13 passes broken up. DELANO HILL Michigan's big-play starting safety the past two years, Hill wound up a second-team All-Big Ten performer with three interceptions, three passes broken up, 52 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. DYMONTE THOMAS Thomas earned honorable mention All-Big Ten while leading the secondary in tackles with 70, and adding an interception, a fumble recovery and nine passes broken up to his 2016 contributions. WHO'S BACK JUNIOR TYREE KINNEL Kinnel is expected to step up in a big way after playing in all 13 games last year at safety and on special teams, producing one tackle for loss among 17 stops and a forced fumble. SOPHOMORE LAVERT HILL Michigan needs two new starting cornerbacks, and Hill should make a very strong bid after playing in nine games as a true freshman, totaling a pair of tackles, a fumble recovery and a pass broken up to his credit. SOPHOMORE DAVID LONG Long struggled with some nagging injuries last season, but managed to perform in four games at cornerback, and he sees a big spring opportunity in front of him. SOPHOMORE KHALEKE HUDSON Hudson mixed it up plenty on special teams, notching two blocked punts, and as a backup safety, recording eight tackles and a pass broken up. He also eyes a wide- open chance at a job. TOP NEWCOMERS FRESHMAN BENJAMIN ST-JUSTE This Canadian import features the size (6-3, 188) to play a tall cornerback or perhaps add a few pounds and help out at safety, but either way he'll be looking to make a young two-deep. FRESHMAN AMBRY THOMAS The Detroit Martin Luther King product is already prep- ping to compete in a big way during spring practice, arriving at U-M in January after a senior season in which he secured three interceptions and broke up 14 passes. FRESHMAN J'MARICK WOODS Woods is another rangy (6-3, 205) defensive back who can pursue and elevate as a safety, with six interceptions and six blocked punts his final two seasons at Florence (Ala.) High School. Michigan experienced the secondary clean sweep after the Orange Bowl — four starters gone, ushering in a whole new era in the defensive backfield. How quickly the Wolverines recover from that mass exodus should prove one of the keys to the 2017 football season. POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH This is a free-for-all after four talented starters said their good- byes following the Orange Bowl. All four spots are open, but the fiercest competition might be for a second safety beside Kinnel, who carries the most experience into spring practice. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL "I'm looking for a guy like Lavert Hill to come on. He got some time, but it's going to be like, 'We need you now. We can't be waiting any longer.' Everybody wants to be able to develop guys, but he's the guy I'm looking at to really step up and be that guy in the secondary." — U-M All-American Jon Jansen QUOTABLE T his will be the most wide-open battle in the secondary Michi- gan has seen in years. Kinnel figures to start at one safety, while Hill and Long drew some time last year. But the incoming fresh- men are ready to battle, especially with no clearly established per- formers like there were last year in Lewis & Co. Michigan's offense will provide the test in the spring, with de- fensive coordinator Don Brown closely watching what hap- pens when Jim Harbaugh, Tim Drevno, Pep Hamilton, Wilton Speight and others team up to put the heat on an all-new defen- sive backfield. — John Borton TYREE KINNEL

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