The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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42 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2018 PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL 2018 SPRING FOOTBALL PREVIEW. DEFENSIVE BACKS BY THE NUMBERS 1st Was where Pro Football Focus ranked junior cornerback Da- vid Long nationally for passer rating allowed in 2017 (17.6). 4th U-M's national ranking in pass efficiency defense, with a rating of 103.71 allowed. 10 Michigan interceptions in 2017, tied for seventh in the Big Ten. 70 Tack les by senior safety Tyree Kinnel in 2017, good for fifth on the team and tops among M ichigan's defen- sive backs; he also paced the group with 5.5 TFLs. 282 Yards passing surrendered in the loss at Penn State, one of only two times Michigan gave up 200 or more yards through the air in a game last season. WHO'S BACK JUNIOR LAVERT HILL The second-team All-Big Ten honoree from the conference coaches picked off two passes and broke up seven more in his first full campaign as a starter; he also added five tackles for loss. JUNIOR DAVID LONG Michigan's other 2017 starting corner- back garnered honorable mention All- Big Ten notice from the media after pick- ing off two passes (one returned 80 yards for a touchdown against Maryland) and breaking up six others. SENIOR TYREE KINNEL The veteran earned the team's Most Improved Defen- sive Player award and hon- orable mention All-Big Ten recognition after recording 70 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass breakups at safety. JUNIOR JOSH METELLUS Metellus also earned honorable men- tion All-Big Ten honors after completing the quartet of new secondary starters for the Wolverines in 2017, posting 50 tackles, five pass breakups and a forced fumble. SOPHOMORE J'MARICK WOODS Keep an eye on Woods, goes the re- frain out of Schembechler Hall. The second-year performer out of Florence, Ala., has demonstrated big-time hit- ting ability and very good movement in practice and a dozen game appear- ances as a freshman. TOP NEWCOMERS FRESHMAN MYLES SIMS The Rivals.com four-star cornerback out of Atlanta stands as one of the gems of the 2018 recruiting class and has worked hard to get other Georgia na- tives to Michigan with him. Now he'll fo- cus on learning the ropes in Ann Arbor. FRESHMAN GEMON GREEN Green is part of a twin brother com- bination with German Green, out of Desoto, Texas. Gemon is the higher rated of the duo, a Rivals.com four- star with strong coverage skills, but his brother won't take that ranking as a final answer. FRESHMAN SAMMY FAUSTIN The prep cornerback carries the length at 6-2 for covering taller wide- outs, but will likely start out at safety. "A guy that I really want to see more of is J'Marick Woods. I like him in coverage, I like him in run support. He's got real quick change of direction and really good closing speed. His change of direction … I think everybody is going to be talking about that. "When he's got to make the decision to go from coverage to run support, it's going to happen really quick, and he's going to be there in an instant." — U-M All-American Jon Jansen QUOTABLE POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH All starters return, but anyone thinking that means the spots are locked down hasn't been paying attention. It will be tough to dislodge juniors Lavert Hill and David Long from the corners, although others will surely rotate in. But the real battle will ensue at safety, where backups are not only looking to see snaps, but bang the door down and stage a starting coup. Sophomore J'Marick Woods is one keeping the com- petition high, while others will be look- ing to turn heads in spring practice. BY JOHN BORTON W hat a difference a year makes. Twelve months ago, any spring assessment of the Wolverines carried dire warnings about an all-new secondary, after Jourdan Lewis and his defensive backfield mates headed for the NFL. Even secondary coach Mike Zordich sounded the alarm in training camp, although he might have been lighting a bit of a fire under the troops via the media. Whatever his intent, the Wolverines in the secondary responded with a season that far exceeded expectations. They weren't perfect, and there is plenty of room for improvement, like any coach will constantly stress. But with a returning cast of starters, hun- gry backups such as sophomores Ambry Thomas and Benjamin St-Juste, a seasoned veteran in Brandon Watson and plenty of new blood, the competition will be boiling — just like the head coach likes it. LAVERT HILL