Tag: Nikhai Hill-Green

Former Michigan football linebacker chooses new school via transfer portal

He’s gonna ball out with his new team!

It’s been quite a journey for Nikhai Hill-Green.

The former three-star linebacker surprised many by earning the starting job in his second year in Ann Arbor. But he sustained an injury in the 2022 offseason that was nagging in nature and he ended up missing the entire season.

Hailing from Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances Academy, Hill-Green ended up following his former high school head coach, Biff Poggi, to Charlotte after he entered the transfer portal. After one year with the 49ers, Hill-Green has opted to return to the Power Five level.

On Thursday, Hill-Green announced that he’s joining the new-look Big 12 having committed to UCF.

In 2023, Hill-Green was second on the team in tackles with 73, with 9 tackles for loss and two sacks — improving upon the 50 tackles he accrued in 2021.

Hill-Green will have two years of eligibility remaining with the Knights, with 2020 being the COVID (free) year and having redshirted in 2022.

Nikhai Hill-Green already selects a transfer destination

Best of luck to him!

Well, that didn’t take long.

When Michigan football linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green announced he was in the NCAA transfer portal on Monday evening, it was something of a surprise considering he was expected to be a key piece at linebacker this season. However, he didn’t waste any time picking where he’d go next.

Hill-Green took to Instagram to announce he’ll rejoin some former teammates and his former high school coach at his new destination, Charlotte. He follows Biff Poggi, who spent time as an associate head coach in Ann Arbor after coaching Baltimore (Maryland) St. Frances Academy before taking the Charlotte job. Hill-Green also is reuniting with Julius Welschof and Eyabi Okie.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CrcHvttNbz5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Although he’s a senior, Hill-Green has three years of eligibility due to the 2020 COVID year as well as being out for the entirety of the 2022 season with a leg injury.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Michigan football has another surprising departure via transfer portal

This one’s kind of shocking.

Well, if one thing’s for sure, the depth chart is getting clearer and clearer.

Michigan football had two departures from the program via the NCAA transfer portal on Monday afternoon, with wide receiver AJ Henning‘s being somewhat unsurprising given his dwindling role, while safety RJ Moten leaving was a little more head-scratching given that he’s been a starter.

In the evening, there was an even more surprising departure, staying on the defense.

Precluded from playing in 2022 due to a nagging leg injury, linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green was finally cleared to play and partake in the annual spring game. The thought was that he would likely resume his role as a starter, though the competition is much deeper than it was in 2021. However, he’s leaving the program, according to MLive’s Aaron McMann.

Hill-Green’s departure allows for a little more clarity in the linebacker room, as playing time will now be a three-way race between Junior Colson, Michael Barrett, and incoming transfer Ernest Hausmann.

“The return of Nikhai is huge,” defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said last week on the In the Trenches podcast. “I thought he progressed well this spring. I think not necessarily like to get healthy but just to regain all the way back to where he was and surpass where he was there, he knows he’s got a lot of work to do still. But the fact that he was able to make it through and get reps and kind of kind of provide the value that we know he provides — those four (Hill-Green, Barrett, Colson, and Hausmann), feel really good about.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Two Michigan players out vs. Hawaii

Hope he heals fast!

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Wolverines are taking the field at 9 p.m. against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors after a long lightning delay.

Michigan is looking to get out to a 2-0 start to the season, but the maize and blue will try without a key player.

Michigan was without starter Ryan Hayes, who was part of the Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line last year, but he warmed up and it appears that he will take the field with the rest of the starters.

While Michigan gets its starter back, the Wolverines will be without Karsen Barnhart against Hawaii. Barnhart started in place of Hayes last week, but he went out towards the end of the first quarter last week. Barnhart was seen with a walking boot, so we do not know yet how long he may be out. Sophomore Giovanni El-Hadi took the place of the injured Barnhart against Colorado State, so we would assume he may be the first lineman off the bench if needed.

Michigan linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green missed Week 1 due to injury. He was dressed and warmed up, but there are reports that he is not going to play against the Rainbow Warriors.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbzardvge799bm2 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://wolverineswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=62496]

Michigan football starting lineman OUT vs. Colorado State

Bummer!

Jim Harbaugh has told the media that this has been one of the healthiest camps that he has been around during his coaching career and other than linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green, there wasn’t much talk about any other player missing the game against Colorado State.

But something has transpired with one of the Joe Moore Award starting offensive linemen.

During warmups, before the game against the Rams, starting left tackle Ryan Hayes has been spotted in street clothes and will miss the game.

It does appear that Karsen Barnhart is running with the starters during warmups and he will most likely get the start. Barnhart is sort of a hybrid lineman who he can play any position on the line, save for center. So Michigan should be in good hands with Barnhart against Colorado State.

The injury to Hayes is unknown, but we will continue to keep you updated when we know something.

Jon Jansen tweeted that Hayes is being held out for precautionary reasons.

The only other player that appears to be missing the game on Saturday is linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbzardvge799bm2 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://wolverineswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=62093]

Nikhai Hill-Green says the team didn’t flinch when adversity hit against Rutgers

After hearing him talk, we sure feel better about this win!

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbzardvge799bm2 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://wolverineswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It wasn’t pretty, but No. 19 Michigan got a victory over Rutgers for its first Big Ten win of the year.

The Wolverines now sit at 4-0 this year after winning, 20-13, in a game that shouldn’t have been as close as it ended up being.

The maize and blue were up 20-3 at halftime and looked to be headed towards another dominant victory led by quarterback Cade McNamara who threw for 156 yards in the first half. But then the third quarter came, and it became a tale of two halves for Michigan, especially offensively. The Wolverines had 42 total yards in the final two quarters and had four straight possessions going three-and-out.

The theme this year has been the offense putting up massive numbers, but the defense ended up being the savior in this one. There may have been a lot of bending by the defense, but it never truly broke. It had two straight dominant possessions which ended on a turnover on downs, and then the next (and final) possession was when David Ojabo got Rutgers to commit its first turnover of the season by forcing a fumble that was recovered by Junior Colson.

After the game, Jim Harbaugh stressed how important the red zone defense was, noting that they practice for situations like we saw on Saturday.

“I was really proud of them,” Harbaugh said. “We found a way, and defense – I thought they really competed right to the fumble. Thank goodness for redzone defense, we put a lot of time into it and we practice it a lot. The defense was in a bad position, offensively we weren’t moving the ball – three-and-outs on four straight drives to start the second half – the show of the character of the defense I’m really proud and pleased of that.”

[listicle id=45756]

This may not have been the win the players, fans, or coaches expected to see, but linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green made sure to note the defense preaches ‘to win’ regardless of how pretty the win may or may not be.

“Something we preach on defense is win,” said Hill-Green. “What’s important now, what’s important today, coming off a win and making key playing coming down the stretch. Today wasn’t good enough, we know that —  on both sides. We’ll get it fixed and we have to execute better and play team football.”

As Harbaugh noted, Michigan had four straight three-and-outs in the second half, so the defense was on the field a ton in the third and fourth quarters. Hill-Green shared how the fatigue level may have affected the team.

“We rotated a little bit,” said Hill-Green. “Like I said, Kalel Mullings and Junior Colson played their butts off (coming in for Josh Ross) and I’m super proud of them. Were just conditioned and built for it. I feel like we could have went out there and played another whole game.”

[lawrence-related id=45760,45753,45742]

The most pivotal sequence came late in the fourth quarter. Rutgers couldn’t make a third-and-1 nor could it then convert a fourth-and-1, but the Michigan offense went three-and-out. On the next drive, the maize and blue called ‘game’ as Ojabo forced the only turnover surrendered by the Scarlet Knights this year.

Hill-Green says that it was in crunch time that the defense saw adversity and was ready to face it.

“We were just being proactive,” Hill-Green said. “We never react to an offense; we make them react to us. We were ready when they weren’t. They thought they were going to catch us off guard, but we were ready. We just bode up, did our jobs, and executed.”

Last year’s Michigan team may have folded during this second half of misery, but this team held it together and fought for the win. It’s a telling sign about this year’s squad that it can be on the ropes and still not fold under pressure.

“I think as a team we didn’t flinch at all,” said Hill-Green. “Offense they know they’re going to clean their stuff up, but I feel they didn’t flinch, they did what they could do, and we did what we could do. We didn’t flinch at all, and we got the win.”

[listicle id=45745]

Camp buzz: 5 Michigan players who have increased 2021 playing time

If you don’t know these guys as of yet, you will soon! #GoBlue

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbzardvge799bm2 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://wolverineswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Sometimes we get some inside intel where we’ll get a good idea of who has been emerging in fall camp. Other times, we can make informed opinions based off what we’ve heard in media availability. This is a case of the latter.

With all of the fall camp press conferences now in the books as Michigan football moves onto game week, you can gather who will be big contributors based on either what the coaches are saying or their teammates. Likewise, if a player actually speaks with the media, that’s as sure of a sign as possible that they’ll see the field early and often.

With that in mind, here are our five candidates to see the field a lot more in 2021 than they ever have before in Ann Arbor.

[listicle id=38784]

Why Nikhai Hill-Green was named starting linebacker by George Helow

This is maybe the first unexpected shake-up to the starting lineup!

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbzardvge799bm2 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://wolverineswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Perhaps one of the first, if not the first, big shakeup to the starting lineup came on Thursday, when it was revealed that second-year linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green will start at the WILL linebacker spot, when it was believed that role had been won by former VIPER Michael Barrett.

The announcement came at a Thursday press conference in new linebackers coach George Helow’s first meeting with the media. He was quickly asked about what Hill-Green had done after his freshman campaign and revealed that he had earned his starting role.

“He’s had a really good offseason,” Helow said. “Nikhai had a plan this offseason, really got after it while in the weight room. Changed his body. Had a great camp. He’s our starting WILL linebacker right now. He’s earned the right to start. Does everything you ask him to do. And he’s very coachable. He’s playing with his hands downhill. Has a good understanding of the defense and what we’re trying to do. He’s unbelievable in meetings — big eyes, big chest. Takes great notes, wired the right way. Just very excited about how he’s done and hopefully what he’ll continue to do.”

[lawrence-related id=38338,38346]

Going back to last year, Hill-Green wasn’t pigeonholed to one of the two regular linebacker positions. Like Josh Ross before him, he was working at both the WILL and the MIKE.

Helow explained that because Hill-Green is a student of the game, it’s made him something of a quick study as far as ensuring he’ll find a regular role on the field.

“What we did in the spring, he was getting a lot of cross-training in,” Helow said. “That’s what we like to do. I did that with the safeties — if you’re playing three-deep zone, I treat the four underneath players as Xs. So he got some cross-training at the MIKE and the WILL. I think when you do that, it makes you understand it on a higher level. Moving him to both spots has helped him understand it a little bit better.

“And he does — he’s very conscientious, as I was saying earlier. He takes notes, he writes it down. I was showing other guys an example of how he goes from special teams meetings and he flips the page over and he takes all of his defensive notes. And then you go over, you do bed-checking and he’s reviewing his notes every night. If he misses something, ‘Hey coach, can you please repeat that?’ So he’s a very conscientious young man and works real hard at it.”

[listicle id=38571]

Mix of culture, schematic changes expected to play a role for Michigan football in 2021

According to Michigan football players, both a culture change as well as new schemes are playing a big role in the outlook for 2021.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbzardvge799bm2 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://wolverineswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — There has been much ado about Michigan football and a supposed ‘culture change’ within the locker room, but what does that really mean? Was the team really that dispirited in 2020?

Apparent lack of effort, along with execution, seemed apparent last season, but while college football punditry, as well as fans, have little optimism in regards to the Wolverines in 2021, if morale was an issue, then it appears to be resolved.

“I’ll be honest with you. I’m an honest person. But yeah – it’s definitely a different feeling,” sophomore running back Blake Corum said. “Every time we step into this facility, the energy, the vibe you get from everyone, the coaching staff, the culture’s changing. It’s a different vibe. Sometimes you don’t even want to leave the facility because the vibe’s so good.”

[lawrence-related id=38350,38346,38336]

But the idea of increased energy and enthusiasm isn’t the only thing that’s creating a different dynamic in Schembechler Hall.

Some of the changes have come from the influx of new coaches, with new faces joining the program in some cases, while others shifted and moved around. For instance, Sherrrone Moore was the tight ends coach but is now coaching the offensive line.

Fourth-year left tackle Ryan Hayes says that the way he works with the O-line unit has been inspirational, and he’s managed to get more for the current players as a result.

“Coach Moore has been great,” Hayes said. “He just brings, I think, the biggest thing is confidence as a unit. He brings us together, he makes us play well. He gets on us when we need it, but he does it in the right way where we respond to it and respect it. He makes us play a lot harder.”

On the other side of the ball, in conjunction with the increased energy and morale boost, there’s a holistic shift in the scheme of the defense with Mike Macdonald taking over from Don Brown. According to second-year linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green, the new scheme is designed to disrupt offenses, and that every play is designed to create a loss for the other side of the line of scrimmage.

“I would just say there’s less busts,” Hill-Green said. “If everyone does their job, everything should run smoothly. It’s set up to create negative plays and chaos for the offenses. It’s set up to get negative plays if everyone does their job.”

We’ll see if the enthusiasm and schematic changes have the desired results come Sept. 4 when Michigan hosts Western Michigan at The Big House for the 2021 season opener.

[listicle id=38136]

RECAP (8/20): Nikhai Hill-Green, Blake Corum, Ryan Hayes

Catch the best parts from the Aug. 20 press conference in just under 5 minutes! #GoBlue

August 20, 2021:

  • Nikhai Hill-Green
  • Blake Corum
  • Ryan Hayes

——————————————————–

In accordance with Michigan football policy, the media isn’t allowed to upload more than 5 minutes of footage from any press conference. But we found our way around that. Giving you the best of every press conference, we cut out the questions to give you the straight answers, with the most interesting parts of each media availability taking center stage. WolverinesWire presents our new series: RECAP in five minutes or less.

——————————————————–

Topics include:

  • The new defense
  • The LB role in the new defense
  • The culture changes within Schembechler Hall
  • Donovan Edwards
  • Why Sherrone Moore is working well with the OL

And MORE!