The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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after the win over the Spartans, an- swering questions about his kick in the postgame pressers, while Dileo and Glanda hit the showers. Hoke, though, paid both the ultimate com- pliment when asked about their roles. "Those guys are football players," Gibbons, of course, was the hero he said in praising the pair, one of the highest compliments he could give them. even more than it did to a walk-on. Though he was on a scholarship given by former coach Rich Rodri- To Dileo, that might have meant 'I'M A ROLE PLAYER' guez in 2010, he was in the unenvi- able position of having been recruited for one system and having to adapt to offensive coordinator Al Borges' modified pro style. He wasn't exactly the big man on playing and then he realized, said, 'You're Drew!'" Dileo admitted more than a little campus at the time of the transition. The 5-9 Dileo was working as a bus- boy for a function at Barton Hills Country Club in Ann Arbor when he was approached by one of the school's cameramen for conversation the summer after his freshman year, one in which he had played sparingly. "He was just talking to me — he didn't recognize me," Dileo recalled with a laugh. "I said something about Finalist For Burlsworth Trophy Jordan Kovacs Named for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is awarded to the most outstanding football player in the country that began his career as a walk-on. Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin and San Jose State offensive tackle David Quessenberry are the other finalists. Fans can vote at www.burlsworthtrophy.com through Dec. 2, but are limited to A formerly unsung Michigan player is on the cusp of national recognition. Fifth-year senior safety Jordan Kovacs has been named one of three finalists one vote per day. Their tally will combine with the selection committee's choice, and a winner will be announced Dec. 3 at a banquet in Springdale, Ark. Kovacs joined the U-M team in 2009 after trying out twice — he was cut the first time through. He played in 12 games, with nine starts, in his redshirt freshman campaign and was named a CollegeFootballNews. com second-team Freshman All-American after registering 75 tackles. Kovacs started all 13 games in 2010 and up four sacks and eight tackles for loss among 75 tackles. This season, the Curtice, Ohio, na- tive has registered 65 stops en route to earning second-team All- Big Ten honors. He now has 331 tackles in his career — the most ever by a Michigan defensive back and the 12th-highest tally was second in the Big Ten with 116 stops, in- cluding 8.5 for loss, in earning all-conference honorable mention distinction. He again started all 13 games in 2011, earning honor- able mention from the league after racking tackles for loss, five interceptions, six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries during his career. in program history. He has also notched seven sacks among 26 Kovacs, a fifth-year senior safety who made the team in his second tryout, has gone from walk-on to team captain and is now one of three finalists for a national award. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL 30 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2012 concern when Hoke took over, won- dering if he'd even get the chance to be a role player. "I had a lot of questions, and I wasn't really sure what was going to happen because of the kind of offense Coach Borges had," he said. "Once I got through spring ball, though, I saw what my role was going to be, and I'm really pleased with it right now." Not the biggest or fastest receiver, Dileo has become a part-time go-to guy, nonetheless. He hauled in a criti- cal, 28-yard reception to help beat Ohio State last year, and his 20-yard catch with nine seconds remaining helped set up Gibbons' game winner against the Spartans. That was one of four catches for 94 yards in his career game. "He's as valuable a guy as there is in our football team for multiple rea- sons," Hoke said in listing off Dileo's duties as holder, a short returner on kickoffs and a receiver. "He's tough. He took a couple shots on a couple of those possessions against Michigan State and [the MSU players] wanted to talk to him. One time Drew just got up, looked at the guy in the eye and told him it wasn't enough." The way Dileo sees it, it was just from day one, people who produce are going to play," Dileo recalled. "Coach Hoke said, 'I don't care how fast or big you are; it doesn't matter. If you produce, you're going to play.' My main goal was to show them I could be a guy who produces on Sat- urday." It still takes a while before people notice him on campus (though hang- ing out with friends Taylor Lewan and Jake Ryan helps, he admits with a grin), but receiving accolades was never his goal. He just wanted to be one of the guys. "I'm a role player," he said. "Hold- one way to help repay Hoke for be- lieving in him and keeping his word. "He told me and everybody else ing is just another one of those roles, and I certainly do not expect to get any type of praise for it. I just do a job — catch the ball and put it down, and that's about it. "This role fits me. I'm not really going to be a Braylon Edwards-type, dominant receiver. I'm just doing the small things, what I've done my