In case you have been within the Large Home watching Michigan play Hawaii this previous Saturday you’ll have seen a No. 1 jersey within the secondary throughout the second half and not using a title on it.
That’s as a result of freshman huge receiver Amorion Walker was getting some reps in at cornerback in opposition to the Rainbow Warriors. The receiver often wears No. 4, however since Micah Pollard already wears No. 4 on protection, Walker needed to change his jersey.
Walker, from Ponchatoula (LA), was a three-star commit within the 2022 class. A Underneath Armor All-American take part was a late dedication within the Michigan class. In reality, he de-committed from rival Notre Dame on Dec. 15 after which signed with Michigan.
It’s not unusual for Michigan to strive gamers out at completely different positions, or strive them on a very completely different aspect of the ball. Simply this season the Wolverines transformed Mike Sainristil from huge receiver to nook and he has completed a superb job. Dominick Giudice is one other, who switched from line of defense to offensive line.
Now it seems that Jim Harbaugh is giving Walker a take a look at the defensive aspect of the ball.
Secondary coach Steve Clinkscale informed the media on Wednesday that he loves teaching beneath Harbaugh as a result of he’ll give gamers a shot at one other place throughout follow after which it challenges him, as a coach, to determine it out.
“Like I stated earlier than, stated it publicly, I really like working for Jim Harbaugh,” stated Clinkscale.” “I like his thoughts. We might be in the course of follow and resolve, ‘Hey, this child needs to get a pair reps at nook.’ No drawback. It’s my job to determine, like with Amorion, what he can do.”
The second-year coach stated that Walker is a pure at nook. He views the freshman as a really versatile piece and simply an total athlete. Michigan began utilizing him on a third-down bundle, which was man-to-man since that might showcase his athletic capability. However since Walker has picked issues as much as shortly, he’s already practising extra complete zone protection.
Clinkscale stated that he loves coming to work day-after-day as a result of he is aware of he can have a brand new man to work with beneath Jim Harbaugh.
“And so, we’re beginning with him in a 3rd down bundle, primarily man coverages and provides him the chance to showcase his abilities and get snug,” stated Clinkscale. “If you play defensive again, in case you’re not assured and comfy, it’s a bit arduous to make performs, it’s arduous to simply need to be on the market. So we’re discovering his position. He’s a really versatile athlete, such as you stated, and he’s very pure at nook, to be trustworthy with you, in relation to the athletic piece. And, we’ve completed loads of conferences and stuff, and he really picks issues up very quick. So he is aware of the zone coverages and the person now.”
“However identical to he and Mikey and a pair different gamers, like, the extra, you could have a head coach that he loves that, these guys need to be extra of a group participant, and so they have the power to do it, too? As a coach, it fires me up, as a result of day-after-day I do know I’m gonna have a unique man that I can work with and see what he can do, after which give these guys the chance to achieve success.”
Clinkscale wouldn’t say that he needed Walker to make a everlasting change to the defensive aspect of the ball, however he needs to see Walker excel as an athlete at Michigan. He stated that he needs to see Walker catch touchdowns for Michigan, however he additionally thinks it’s thrilling that he can catch that landing, run to the sidelines, change his jersey and run proper again onto the sphere to compete as a nook. He believes that Walker can be utilized at each positions and be a really thrilling piece each methods.
“It’s in loads of facets,” stated Clinkscale. “However for us, the best way we follow, our guys are constructed for it. We follow fairly arduous — conditioning, our energy conditioning, coaches do a fantastic job. After which like I stated, as a coach, we’re very inventive from looking for methods and packages for these guys to play.”
“Would I need him to be a everlasting nook? I need him to be a everlasting athlete right here on the group, interval. I prefer to see him catch a landing when he threw that ball to him. I’m standing there watching the play, and he beat the man on step one and I’m excited — Right here we go. Right here we go!’ After which he comes proper again over, switches his jersey, we go proper to nook. So I like for him to proceed to simply get higher at each, to be trustworthy with you. I feel he generally is a very thrilling, electrifying weapon for us. So, I sit up for seeing what he can do.”