The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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db "He got 400 snaps in spring. You look at those guys a little more, maybe put a little more on their shoulders. I don't know if I looked at Jarrod as a freshman — more like a sophomore because he went through it. Plus, he's mature, and you have to be to do that." All of the safeties will learn both the free and strong safety positions, and some will need to catch on quickly to provide the kind of depth needed to win a Big Ten title. Redshirt junior Josh Furman (6-2, 197) has been around, but he has yet to break the starting lineup. He's been solid on special teams and has all the physical tools, but he needs to be more consistent to earn playing time, Mallory said. "He's one of them we have to have step it up," Mallory said. "He's not the only one." Redshirt freshman Jeremy Clark (6-4, 201) got off to a slow start last season while some academic issues were cleared up. Clark never saw many reps during two-a-days as a result and fell behind, spending most of his time reading play cards or on the scout team. "This spring was huge for him," Mallory said. "Every rep was valuable. He was behind in that sense, but every day he got better and better. He just needs to have a great summer and big two-a-days, and he still needs a bunch of reps. "He's physical. He's not afraid. He's got a lot of upside. When we got reports on the scout team, he was one guy always mentioned. He'll run and hit. He's just got to keep learning the defense, but we're pleased with the way he's going. He's still got a ways to go." Redshirt freshman Allen Gant (6-2, 203) was another who didn't get many reps because of injuries. Gant had been learning both safety positions, too, before going down. "He had a wrist, shoulder and knee injury, little things that kept him from being 100 percent," Mallory said. "He just needs to stay healthy, but he showed some signs in spring. He's around the ball, and he's a smart football player." Gant will also get every opportunity to crack the two-deep at a position still unsettled behind Wilson and Gordon. Freshmen In The Mix Some of the talented freshmen the coaches signed from the class of 2013 will be competing for playing time. Two of them, four-star prospect Dymonte Thomas (6-2, 187) of Alliance (Ohio) Marlington and Ross Douglass (5-10, 176) of Avon, Ohio, reported early for spring, going through drills and getting plenty of reps. Thomas was a safety in high school and might play there at Michigan, though he didn't practice there at all in the spring. He did make a mark as a nickel back and could secure that position with a solid fall. He also spent some time at corner, a position he'd never played before. "The way he came out of spring, we feel he could be a really good player for us," Mallory said. "He's still got a lot of growing to do during two-a-days, but he showed great signs, and got better and better as spring went on. "Dymonte is going to make some huge strides just like Jarrod Wilson made some huge strides last year. Having been here in the spring, I expect him to have a great summer, get off to a great start, go through two-a-days and be ready to be that guy." Avery, Gordon and Countess will also see some time at the nickel position, but Thomas seems to have made it his for the time being. Like Thomas, Douglas — a cornerback and late addition to the recruiting class — needs to develop physically before playing Big Ten ball. He'll get better with repetition and experience, too, Mallory said. "He's a conscientious kid. He works at it," Mallory said. "He's going to be a good player. He's just got to get bigger and stronger. He's still got a ways to go in the weight room, but he's getting better. It all depends on the type of summer he has." In 2012, junior cornerback Raymon Taylor contributed 45 tackles and two picks, including one he returned for a touchdown, while starting 11 of the 13 games he played in. photo by lon horwedel Four other freshmen will vie for playing time when reporting in the fall: • Cornerback Jourdan Lewis (5-10, 159, Rivals.com No. 131 player nationally) of Detroit Cass Tech. "We had him in camp, and I got a chance to work with him and see how quick his feet are," Mallory said. "He's just a natural movement guy coming out of breaks. He's not the biggest, but he' not small, either. He's decent sized. He's a good player." • Cornerback Channing Stribling (6-2, 170, three-star) of Matthews (N.C.) Butler. "We had him in camp, and I had him all week long," Mallory said. "I got to know him, and he got better and better. He was one of those guys where we would do some drills and he never wanted out. He was just competitive. At the end of camp, we offered him. He had a great senior year and just loves to play." • Safety Delano Hill (6-0, 198, four-star) of Detroit Cass Tech. "We liked him in camp but I wasn't sure if we'd take another safety," Mallory said. "He was plenty good enough when we had him in camp, by far the best one. For as big as he is, his explosiveness is off the charts. He runs a 10.6 100 meters." • Cornerback Reon Dawson (6-2, 175, three-star) of Trotwood (Ohio) Madison. The former Illinois commitment hasn't played much football, and his best days are ahead of him, Mallory said. "We watched the junior film. He was long, lanky and had always been a basketball player," he said. "We said, 'Let's see how he did his senior year,' and when we got the senior film we saw some things and went on him. He's still got a lot of growing to do and is fairly new to the game, but he's 6-2, 6-3 and we like his potential." Like many on the U-M staff, Mallory has more to work with now than he did when he first arrived at Michigan, with a nice blend of veterans and newcomers. "We're better. We're getting closer to what we want, and it's a fun group to coach," he said. "They know the system, the defense. We are seeing guys being able to coach other guys, which is where you should be in your third year." ❑ The Wolverine 2013 Football Preview ■ 157