Michigan Football Preview 2013

2013 Michigan Football Preview

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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M Michigan Wideouts Will Continue Growing Trend Michigan's leading receiver in 2012 stood 5-8, not exactly in the mold of the long line of lanky U-M wideouts. While his coaches and teammates have great respect for fifthyear senior Jeremy Gallon, it's obvious the trend is moving away from players of his dimensions taking receiver slots for Brady Hoke's crew. The true freshman wideouts from 2012 — Jehu Chesson and Amara Darboh — measure 6-3 and 6-2, respectively. The trio of true freshman receivers this year checks in as follows: Jaron Dukes at 6-4, Csont'e York at 6-3 and Da'Mario Jones at 6-2. Obviously, there's a growing pattern among U-M's pass catchers. According to Michigan receivers coach Jeff Hecklinski, that phenomenon shouldn't be too tough to figure out. "The bigger, the faster, the stronger, the harder to guard," he said. "From a defensive side of the ball, from a recruiting standpoint, the hardest things to find are big corners that can run. Everybody is 5-9, 5-10. They claim 5-11, but really they're 5-10. "That's the hardest thing to find. Now, go on the other side of that. If I put 6-3 up against 5-9, 5-10 … now, we've got to make sure we get the right ones." In other words, 6-5 receivers bearing stone hands, or no leaping ability, or plodding feet, need not apply. The Wolverines are looking for length, but they're also seeking receivers long on ability in some critical areas. "It's the ability to go catch the football," Hecklinski said. "The ability for guys to be able to high point, to maneuver, to have body control, to be able to get off the ground up and over people. Those are things you can tangibly see on film. That's what we recruit to. "We want ball skills. If you look at our guys, starting with Gallon and all the way through, they all catch the ball in their hands. They all can high point, and they all have strong hands. Those are things we can see on film, that we can grade. When I compare them, I compare them all under that criteria." Speed, Hecklinski noted, ranks as a quality a little tougher to judge with emerging wide receiver prospects. Obviously, if someone is running a 4.8 40-yard dash out of high school, he's not going to be lining up at wideout in college. At the same time, there are some who aren't clocking 4.4 times that can still improve significantly, the Michigan assistant coach cautioned. "There's a reason why in the 100-meter dash in the Olympics, all those individuals are older individuals," Hecklinski said. "There are no 17- and 18-year-olds running in that. Speed is always the last to develop. "These kids' bodies are still growing, they're still changing, still developing. Aaron [Wellman] does a great job down in the weight room of developing the fast-twitch muscles and developing speed. We've talked about that everywhere we've been together. "Their speed will develop over the course of time. If they're fast when they come in, they're going to be faster when they leave. That's the player development part of it." development aspect, and not just on the football field. It's player development as a person. "When they leave here, they should be different than when they got here. They should be in a position to go out and — from whatever it is, from an academic standpoint, social standpoint, religious standpoint and from an athletic standpoint — be ready to be successful. That's the player development part, the leadership development part. That's every- Redshirt freshman wide reciever Jehu Chesson (No. 86) stands 6-3, and all three of U-M's incoming wideouts this year measure 6-2 or taller. photo by lon horwedel Player development remains absolutely critical, Hecklinski noted, and he believes that's an area in which Michigan sets itself apart. Wellman, U-M's strength and conditioning coach, features a program designed to build players from the physical to the mental, including leadership training. That's why, given the proper raw materials, Hecklinski likes where his group is headed for the future. "We recruit them, and sometimes it seems when you're recruiting, it just stops," he said. "You're recruited, you're a great player, you should come in and you should be great. But there is a whole part of player development here that has to take place. "In these rooms, we don't lose track of that. We put a strong emphasis on the player thing that takes place between these walls on a daily basis. "On their end, when they're recruited, that's the No. 1 thing we tell them: 'Your development is going to be greatly improved by coming to Michigan. Here's how we can develop you. Here's where you're going to be when you leave here. This is the path you're going to take. This is a process. This is a process to get to Saturday, a process to get in front of 115,000, and a process to get to where you want to go, both as a person and as an athlete.'" Hecklinski also serves as Michigan's recruiting coordinator, so he's well prepared to delineate what U-M's program has to offer. He's also ready to see the Wolverines stand tall at a key position in their pro-style offense. The Wolverine 2013 Football Preview  ■ 11

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