ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Two weeks can feel like an eternity, especially when you’re a football fan waiting for the season to start. But when you’re a player working to earn a starting position, you have to hold off your competition every single day in practice and in the meeting rooms.
One of the big questions for Michigan football this offseason has been who will start at cornerback opposite Will Johnson. The preseason leader in spring ball was DJ Waller, who was groomed for the position, but he unexpectedly transferred to Kentucky after the spring game. Michigan brought in two transfers in Aamir Hall from Albany and Ricky Johnson from UNLV, but the leader in the clubhouse to earn that starting role happens to be homegrown talent (in terms of the program).
Surging this offseason has been sophomore Jyaire Hill, the Illinois native who committed to the program on early signing day back in Dec. 2022. He saw some early playing time a year ago but has had some maturing to do in order to become a regular player. And according to his position coach, LaMar Morgan, it appears that Hill is currently in the pole position.
“I think right now you would say the early favorite would be Jyaire,” Morgan said. “I think he’s done a great job. He probably has a little bit advantage over some of the guys that’s in the program, just by getting all the reps he got this spring football and now fall camp. But I think there’s a constant battle.
“We got two weeks for guys to continue to make moves — really excited about the group. We’re gonna have to develop some guys that maybe y’all don’t know about yet. And I think that’s a challenge, and encouragement as a coach. It’s going to be a young group. I know everybody knows about Will, but all the guys behind them, there will be a lot of guys just kind of play hard for this university and do a great job.”
For Hall and Johnson, both played for teams who are at a lower level than the Wolverines. Albany is an FCS team and while UNLV is in the FBS, it is squarely in the Group of Five.
Morgan sees both players working hard to be able to see the field, but he notes that there is something of a learning curve when it comes to playing for the maize and blue compared to where each was beforehand.
“I think this is a different platform when you get here at Michigan. The way we practice, our process here — this is blue-collar tough,” Morgan said. “A lot of reps, two spot practices. I think for a kid who is coming in here that’s not used to that, even though you’re an older player, sometimes that ends up being an adjustment. But I think those guys, for the most part, are understanding what we want, what we need, and where we’re trying to go as a defense, and especially in the cornerback room.”
Fans will get an opportunity to see who starts in just 13 days when the maize and blue host Fresno State for the season opener at The Big House.