The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/835590
116 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW DEFENSIVE BACKS 116 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW DEFENSIVE BACKS PLAYER BIOS POSITION COACH Brian Smith enters his second year coaching the defensive backs at Michigan. Smith was a four-year letterman and three-year starter for the University of Massachusetts, and was part of the team that won the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA national championship. While playing for the Minutemen, Smith totaled 306 tackles, 23 stops for loss, 23 passes broken up and eight interceptions. He came to Ann Arbor after spending the 2015 sea- son as the assistant linebackers coach for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. From 2007-14, Smith held various coaching posi- tions with the New York Jets, including working with the defensive secondary during the 2013-14 seasons after starting off his time in 2007 as a quality control/ offensive coach. Smith kicked off his coaching career at his alma mater, working under current Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown, who was the head coach at that time. He began in 2004, coaching the outside linebackers and then helping out with the wide re- ceivers in 2005. Michael Zordich is in his third season coaching the cornerbacks at Michigan and his seventh season coaching overall, between college and the NFL. An All-American safety for Penn State from 1983-85, Zordich re- corded 201 career tackles. He then spent 12 seasons in the NFL — two with the New York Jets (1987-88), and five with both the 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 working with the Eagles' defense, including two years as their safeties coach. He served as the co-special teams coordinator and safeties mentor at Youngstown State. RETURNING PLAYERS DRAKE HARRIS • DB R-Jr. • Grand Rapids, Mich. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 188 Career Highlights: Switching to defensive back for the 2017 season … Saw time at wide receiver in 10 games and started one in 2016 … Made two catches for 11 yards … Appeared in nine games in 2015 … Caught six passes for 39 yards … Gar- nered two catches for a career-best 25 yards versus Northwestern … Redshirted in 2014. Prep: Attended Grand Rapids Christian … Did not play in 2013 due to a hamstring injury … Hauled in 91 passes for 2,016 yards (22.2 yards per catch) and 23 touchdowns as a junior, breaking the Michigan high school single-season receiving yardage record … Became the 12th player nationally to ever have a 2,000-yard receiving season … Posted 45 catches for 950 yards (21.1 yards per catch) and 10 scores as a sophomore … Named to The Detroit News Dream Team and the Associated Press All-State first team as a junior … Earned first-team all-conference and all- state honorable mention distinctions as a sophomore … Listed as the No. 1 wide receiver and No. 13 overall player in the class of 2014 by Tom Lemming … Rivals. com ranked him as a four-star recruit and the nation's No. 115 overall prospect. Personal: Born March 23, 1995 … Enrolled in the School of Kinesiology. LAVERT HILL • CB So. • Detroit Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 175 Career Highlights: Appeared in 11 games, playing cornerback in nine … Had two total tackles in 2016, plus a fumble recovery. Prep: Recorded 40 tackles, 12 interceptions, 12 passes broken up and three touchdowns during his senior year at King High School … Added 33 recep- tions for 786 yards and nine scores on offense … Helped lead his team to a Division 2 state title in 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 corner- back 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. TYREE KINNEL • S Jr. • Huber Heights, Ohio Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 201 Career Highlights: Has appeared in 21 games during his Michigan career … Tallied 17 tackles, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble in 2016 … Named Special Teams Player of the Game against UCF and Penn State … Appeared in eight games on special teams in 2015. Prep: Attended Wayne High School … Tallied 224 ca- reer tackles and 11 interceptions … Started 15 games as a senior, and recorded 73 tackles and four inter- ceptions … Named to the Associated Press Division l (largest schools) All-State first team … Ranked as a four-star prospect, and the No. 12 safety and No. 192 overall player nationally by Rivals.com. Personal: Born Jan. 31, 1997 … Enrolled in the Col- Sophomore David Long has developed a reputation as the Wolverines' "stickiest" defender in man coverage. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN