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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Last spring, Michigan fans quickly forgot that true freshman wide receiver Mike Sainristil was a three-star as a recruit.
He started gathering hype during spring ball and showcased precisely why in both the April open practice at The Big House and again one week later at the spring scrimmage. However, once the actual season came, Sainristil was quiet, especially compared to the exploding expectations of the previous months.
Sainristil still managed 8 receptions for 145 yards — the most receiving yards of the trio of freshman wideouts, but given all of the preseason chatter, the stats didn’t meet the chatter. One person told WolverinesWire early in the season that Sainristil had hit something of a freshman wall and was struggling to get back into the form he showed early on.
So what does Sainristil have to say about it? On Thursday, he shared some insight into his personal struggles and why it’s so difficult for some first-year players to be able to come in and have an instant impact.
“The first year, coming in as a freshman, you start off the same way you went into high school, I feel like,” Sainristil said. “You ask yourself: ‘Where do I fit in amongst this group of older men? What is gonna be my role on this team?’ It does take time. It takes more time for some people than it does for others to really understand what you’re going into. I think that’s kind of where I found myself thinking come fall camp last year. I had a good spring ball, and then once camp started and things started picking up, I got into a pace that I wasn’t really used to yet. That’s when I was questioning, ‘What can I do to help this team get better?’ Whether that’s being around guys, being an energy booster, plays on the field – anything I can do to help make the team better is where I found myself. Whenever my number was called, I always made sure I was ready to take advantage of the opportunity.”
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But now this is Sainristil’s second year. And, as of now, all three upperclassmen in the receiving corps from 2019 are gone — though there’s no official word as of yet whether or not Nico Collins will return or remain opted out.
So how does Sainristil approach his sophomore season? Ultimately by using what he learned a year ago while maintaining a strong work ethic.
“Year two is – you get your feet wet year one, you get a taste of the game,” Sainristil said. “Year two is when you get your chance to really show who you are. That’s just something I can’t wait to do.
“They put our depth charts out. It’s cool to see where you are, but until the first snap of game one, nothing’s really set in stone. So I’m just gonna make sure I don’t get complacent and keep working the way I’ve been working to have that spot on this team.”
Though he hasn’t proven himself on the field as of yet, Sainristil is eager not only to make the impact he’s capable of, but he’s also working to gain and impart knowledge. Additionally, he’s bringing unbridled enthusiasm this fall camp, and he’s seen it pay off, not just for himself, but also to those on the other side of the line of scrimmage.
“I think, the type of guy I am, I’m just very positive and I like the bring the most out of those around me,” Sainristil said. “Whether that’s in the weight room, on the field, off the field. I just like to see the best out of everybody else around me. I like to be an energizer bunny – bringing the competitive nature out of people. Even on the defensive side, some of our corners come to ask me what do I see in their game that they can work on. I ask them what can I do to beat press coverage or how do I determine an off-man or a bail corner – stuff like that.”
That said, he still has a lot of work to do.
Sainristil says Gattis has one particular thing he needs to work on this season in order to truly take that next step forward.
“In terms of my play style? Definitely I’d say catching the ball, that’s been something I’ve been working on and focused,” Sainristil said. “Coach Gattis one Saturday gave everybody focus points for practice. That’s the first thing he mentioned, just making sure I catch everything off the tips, because I continue working on details, technique. But, at the end of the day, once the ball is in the air, you have to make a play. So that’s something I’m definitely gonna continue to focus on.”
Sainristil and the Wolverines open up the Big Ten season in just over two weeks, with an Oct. 24 trip to Minnesota.
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