Michigan’s Mike Sainristil experiment: Smashing success, but competition awaits

Jim Harbaugh supplied a prediction not too long ago because it pertains to his largest experiment of spring: Mike Sainristil goes to play on protection this fall.

How a lot? Properly, that could possibly be decided as soon as fall will get underway in early-August.

Michigan’s head coach was requested in regards to the transfer final week throughout his look at Ferris State’s soccer showcase camp in Large Rapids, and stated Sainristil is “going to stay on protection.”

“We simply went by a spring follow the place he not solely caught, however he actually stood out,” Harbaugh stated. “He was beginning at nickel when the spring ended.”

However, Harbaugh cautioned, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound receiver is anticipated to have some competitors for the beginning job in camp. Security Rod Moore is anticipated again after lacking all of spring recovering from offseason surgical procedure, and he ought to push Sainristil for the spot.

“However yeah, (Sainristil) goes to play nickel,” Harbaugh stated. “He can play nook, (too).”

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Harbaugh stated Sainristil spent extra time — reps, performs, place conferences, and so on. — on the defensive facet of the ball in spring to assist with the transition. The Everett, Mass., is not any stranger to that facet both, having performed each methods in highschool. The truth is, Sainristil was recruited to Michigan as a cornerback.

“The cool factor was, he was taking his offensive information and in a position to apply that as a secondary defender,” Harbaugh continued. “As a result of as a nook, as a nickel, he is aware of what the receiver is attempting to get executed and the way he’s attempting to do it.”

We noticed (and heard) that first hand within the spring. Because the story goes, Sainristil was one of many first gamers to intercept a cross from quarterback Cade McNamara in follow. And he seemed like a pure defender in Michigan’s spring sport in April, too, lining up at nickel and flashing his play-making capacity early.

How that interprets to the autumn stays unclear, however Harbaugh and his employees are sure to present him a chance.

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“The training curve has been very minimal,” defensive backs coach and defensive passing-game coordinator Steve Clinkscale advised reporters in March. “He’s been a pleasing shock. He’s a bodily participant; he understands the sport, understands his obligations.

“He is available in, he tries to study, and he simply needs to be the perfect at any place on the sector. He’s doing an exquisite job.”

Teammate and fellow receiver Ronnie Bell isn’t stunned by Sainristil’s success. He says the Michigan teaching employees has tinkered with Sainristil on protection for years now, solely to ultimately ship him again to the offensive facet.

“As soon as they stored him over there, I knew it could simply take him a pair practices and he would get it down,” Bell stated. “And that’s precisely what occurred.

“He stepped over and went from shedding a pair reps to not shedding no extra reps.”

The consequence? Michigan plans to deploy Sainristil in many alternative methods this fall, with Harbaugh projecting him as a two or three-way participant.

“He’s going to play particular groups as properly,” Harbaugh. “Tremendous excited. Tremendous excited.”

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