The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/998618
116 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW DEFENSIVE BACKS 116 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW DEFENSIVE BACKS PLAYER BIOS POSITION COACH Chris Partridge begins his third year as Michigan's special teams coordinator and his first as safeties coach. He served as director of player personnel in recruiting after joining the staff in January 2015, and then took over as the linebackers coach for the 2016 and 2017 campaigns. Partridge helped the Michigan defense rank in the top three in the NCAA in five categories last year. From a special teams perspective, he coached the country's No. 1 kickoff coverage unit, allowing only 15.0 yards per return. He was named the National Recruiter of the Year by Scout.com for the 2016 class, and received the same award from 247Sports for the 2017 class. He arrived at U-M after being the head football coach at New Jersey's Paramus Catholic High School from 2010-14. Partridge led Paramus from being listed 4,250th nationally and 112th in the state of New Jersey to No. 4 in the country and No. 1 in the Garden State according to USA Today. Before his coaching career at Paramus, Partridge was the defensive line coach and special teams as- sistant at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. Partridge earned his bachelor's degree in govern- ment and law from Lafayette College in 2003, where he later went on to become the secondary coach and assistant to the special teams coordinator. Michael Zordich is in his fourth season coaching the cornerbacks at Michigan and his seventh season coaching overall, between college and the NFL. The last two seasons, Zordich has helped U-M lead the nation in pass defense and third-down conversions allowed. In both years, Wolverine op- ponents passed for fewer than 1,750 yards dur- ing the entire season, making Michigan the first school since Alabama in 2004-05 to achieve that feat. In 2017, U-M forced opponents into three-and-outs 51.2 percent and of the time and gave up just 4.32 net yards per pass attempt, the best in the country. After being an All-American safety for Penn State from 1983-85, Zordich then spent 12 seasons in the NFL — two with the New York Jets (1987-88), Arizona Cardinals (1989-93) and Philadelphia Eagles (1994-98) — and tallied 20 interceptions and 588 tackles. Zordich began his coaching career with Youngstown State in 2009 and later returned to Youngstown in 2013-14 after three seasons work- ing with the Eagles' defense, including two years as their safeties coach. In his second stint, he was the co-special teams coordinator and safeties mentor at Youngstown State. RETURNING PLAYERS BRAD HAWKINS • S So. • Pennsauken, N.J. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 204 Career Highlights: Played in 12 games in 2017 and recorded two tackles … Made his collegiate debut by contributing on special teams against Cincinnati. Prep: At Suffield Academy for a prep year, notched 10 tackles, plus had 281 kick return yards and two kick return touchdowns … Named to the USA Today 2016 All-USA Connecticut team as a wide receiver … Made 139 career tackles, including 20 for loss, with three forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and six interceptions during his high school career at Cam- den (N.J.) High … Prior to his preparatory season, he was ranked as a four-star prospect, the No. 6 player in New Jersey, and the No. 53 wide receiver and No. 235 overall recruit nationally by Rivals.com. Personal: Born July 26, 1998 … Attended the same high school as U-M defensive lineman Ron Johnson. LAVERT HILL • CB Jr. • Detroit Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 177 Career Highlights: Appeared in 12 games (all starts) in 2017, mak- ing his first career start against Florida … Had his first career in- terception against Cincinnati and returned it for a touchdown … Selected to the All-Big Ten second team by the coaches and Associated Press … Played in 11 games in 2016 as a true freshman, seeing ac- tion at cornerback in nine … Had two total tackles. Prep: Recorded 40 tackles, 12 interceptions, 12 passes broken up and three touchdowns during his senior year at King High School … Helped lead his team to a Division 2 state title and a 14-0 season … Earned USA Today All-USA Michigan first-team honors … Ranked as a four-star prospect, the No. 5 player in Michigan, and the No. 14 cornerback and No. 176 overall recruit nationally by Rivals.com. Personal: Born Oct. 3, 1998 … His brother Delano Hill played safety for Michigan from 2013-16, and now plays for the Seattle Seahawks. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL PD INT 2016 11/0 2 0.0 1 0 2017 12/12 25 5.0 9 2 Totals 23/12 27 5.0 10 2 JAYLEN KELLY-POWELL • S So. • Detroit Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 173 Career Highlights: Played in 10 games as a freshman, recording two tackles … Made his collegiate debut on special teams against Cincinnati. Prep: Notched 61 tackles, 25 passes broken up and three interceptions as a senior … Helped lead Cass Tech to the Division I state championship … USA Today All-USA Michigan first-team pick … Rated as a three-star prospect, the No. 8 player in Michi- gan and the No. 34 safety in the country by Rivals. com. Personal: Born March 10, 1998 … Classmate and fellow defensive back Ambry Thomas is his cousin. TYREE KINNEL • S Sr. • Huber Heights, Ohio Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 201 Career Highlights: Has ap- peared in 34 games … Played in all 13 games as a junior, earning the team's Most Improved Defensive Player award after posting 70 tackles, 5.5 stops for loss, one sack, two interceptions and seven passes broken up … All-Big Ten honorable mention … Tal- lied 17 tackles, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble in 13 contests in 2016 … Appeared in eight games and made two stops as a freshman. Prep: Tallied 224 tackles and 11 interceptions during his career at Wayne High School … Recorded 73 tackles and four interceptions as a senior … Named to the Associated Press Division l (largest schools) All-State first team … Ranked as a four-star prospect, and the No. 15 safety and No. 225 overall player nationally by Rivals.com. Personal: Born Jan. 31, 1997. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL PD INT 2015 8/0 2 0.0 0 0 2016 13/0 17 1.0 0 0 2017 13/13 70 5.5 9 2 Totals 34/13 89 6.5 9 2 DAVID LONG • CB Jr. • Los Angeles Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 187 Career Highlights: Has seen ac- tion in 17 games, starting 13 at cornerback … Started every game in 2017, and recorded 21 tack- les, two tackles for loss, two interceptions and six passes broken up … Media named him honorable mention All-Big Ten … Played in four games in 2016. Prep: Posted 19 tackles, one interception and five passes broken up at Loyola High as a senior … Earned USA Today California All-State first-team honors as a senior … Ranked as a four-star pros- Senior safety Tyree Kinnel led or tied for the lead among U-M's defensive backs last year in tackles (70), tackles for loss (5.5), inter- ceptions (2) and pass breakups (7). PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN