ANN ARBOR — There has been talk that the strength of Michigan's defense will be its line, but the truth may be a bit deeper on the field as the Wolverines' secondary, particularly the corners, has the benefit of a group of experienced, talented players.
Cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford believes Michigan has four corners who could prove impactful this fall in Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry, both starters last year for the Wolverines; veteran transfer Smith Snowden, a starter at Utah; and sophomore Shamari Earls, a four-star recruit who played in six games last season.
"I'm very self-confident, so I feel like all my groups can be a leader of the defense, whether we're young, old, whatever the case may be," Gilford told reporters this week. "I'm very confident in what I bring to the table. I'm very confident in (defensive coordinator) Jay Hill because he is a DB. I'm very confident in what he brings to the table and what he's taught me under his tutelage for the last three years, so there's never been a down moment for me in my group.
"I always feel like we can be one of the top groups, but with these guys, 100% the expectation is to be one of the top groups in the country. That's our expectation."
This is the time of year, the days before the start of the season, when coaches and players throw out lofty expectations. Gilford and his group certainly have a legitimate shot at living up to them. There's versatility in the secondary and Jay Hill and Gilford have shown a willingness to be creative in how they use the players.
#hill #wolverines
Cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford believes Michigan has four corners who could prove impactful this fall in Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry, both starters last year for the Wolverines; veteran transfer Smith Snowden, a starter at Utah; and sophomore Shamari Earls, a four-star recruit who played in six games last season.
"I'm very self-confident, so I feel like all my groups can be a leader of the defense, whether we're young, old, whatever the case may be," Gilford told reporters this week. "I'm very confident in what I bring to the table. I'm very confident in (defensive coordinator) Jay Hill because he is a DB. I'm very confident in what he brings to the table and what he's taught me under his tutelage for the last three years, so there's never been a down moment for me in my group.
"I always feel like we can be one of the top groups, but with these guys, 100% the expectation is to be one of the top groups in the country. That's our expectation."
This is the time of year, the days before the start of the season, when coaches and players throw out lofty expectations. Gilford and his group certainly have a legitimate shot at living up to them. There's versatility in the secondary and Jay Hill and Gilford have shown a willingness to be creative in how they use the players.
#hill #wolverines
16 days ago
