The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/835590
THE WOLVERINE 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 113 DEFENSIVE BACKS him to miss the entire 2015 campaign. He notched 13 tackles in seven games played (including one start) a year ago for the Tigers, and notched 67 tackles, four tackles for loss and four interceptions during his Clemson career. Oregon, North Carolina State, Kansas, Flor- ida International, Maryland and East Carolina had reportedly joined U-M in their pursuit of him. Whether Wiggins joins the program or not, Smith will be looking for at least two, maybe three more to complement the per- ceived starters. "It's hard to say [how many] right now," he said. "Tyree and Josh both had an excellent spring. I can trust them to go in the game. There's [sophomore viper] Khaleke [Hudson], if we needed to use him. [Freshman] J'Marick Woods has done a good job so far. He's just got to keep progressing. We'll see how it ends up. "Ideally, I'd like to have five guys that I felt comfortable putting in there. That would be great. You've got a rover position and a free safety, so if I had a guy backing up each and one more available if we needed it, that would be ideal." Coaches told Woods (6-3, 205) — a Flor- ence, Ala., native and early enrollee — to be ready to play as a freshman, noting the numbers at the position could dictate a frosh or two in the lineup. He wasn't able to suit up in the spring game, nicked up with injuries, but teammates and coaches said he was one of the more impressive players they'd seen in the spring. "He's the truth," sophomore running back Chris Evans said. "He brought that down- South [mentality]. I know they hit down South, but he's a different human. The way he's been hitting people all spring, you've got to watch out for that guy. He's really hitting people hard." Defensive coordinator Don Brown told re- porters he wished they and the fans could have seen Woods in action during the spring game, noting he had "really been showing some things." A Rivals.com three-star prospect and the No. 45 safety prospect in the nation, Woods registered 70 tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions (one returned for touchdown) and three passes broken up as a senior after recording 61 tackles, six tackles for loss, four interceptions and six blocked punts as a junior. "He brings it," Smith said. "He's sort of a quiet guy by nature, but you can hear him out there. You can hear his pads. He lets his pads do the talking. "You can hear him when he's out there playing, and that's something that stands out for me." Hudson, also a big hitter at 6-0, 205 pounds, played in all 13 games on special teams last FYI Sophomore cornerback Lavert Hill is the younger brother of former Michigan safety Delano Hill, who was picked by Seattle in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The Wolverines hadn't had a full-time defensive back drafted since 2009, when cornerback Morgan Trent went to Cincinnati in the sixth round. U-M had three defensive backs drafted for the first time since 1975: Hill, corner Jourdan Lewis (third round, Dallas) and corner Jeremy Clark (sixth, New York Jets). Plus, former U-M linebacker and first-round pick Jabrill Peppers will play safety in the NFL. True freshmen and early enrollees Ambry Thomas and Jaylen Kelly-Powell are cousins, but they've never played on the same team before Michigan. Sophomore safety Josh Metellus attended high school at Flanagan (Fla.) Pembroke Pines with Wolver- ine linebackers Devin Gil and Devin Bush, and all three enrolled at U-M last year. Sophomore David Long is in line to be U-M's first starting cornerback from California since Leon Hall (2006). Safeties coach Brian Smith began his coaching career at UMass (his alma mater), where he worked with current Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown. He coached wide receivers in 2005 and mentored New York Giants All-Pro and Pro Bowl wide receiver Victor Cruz. Yards TD Year Yards Per Game Allowed 2016 1,853 142.5 11 2015 2,060 158.5 8 2014 2,324 193.7 14 2013 3,007 231.3 23 2012 2,203 169.5 16 2011 2,476 190.5 12 2010 3,404 261.8 21 2009 2,657 221.4 18 2008 2,760 230.0 19 2007 2,325 178.8 14 YEAR-BY-YEAR PASS DEFENSE Junior safety Tyree Kinnel, who has compiled just 19 tackles in 21 games over two years, is primed to be the leader of U-M's retooled secondary. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL