Michigan football is coming off a disappointing 2-4 season that included three canceled games to end the year, but sophomore safety Dax Hill is optimistic that the Wolverines will leave those struggles behind them in 2020.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh brought in six new assistant coaches as part of his offseason shakeup, including defensive coordinator in Mike Macdonald, co-coordinator / secondary coach in Mo Linguist and safeties coach in Ron Bellamy.

Bellamy took over the team's safeties just before spring ball, which started in late February, after previously being hired in January and appointed to lead the wide receiver room. Despite Bellamy being new to working with the group, Hill has been pleased with what he's brought so far.

"Coach Ron Bellamy is a good coach," Hill said Thursday. "His experience of being a head coach [at West Bloomfield (Mich.) High] and coming over here has been huge for the defensive backs. The safeties room and the corners room, he’s been helpful throughout the whole secondary. That has translated to the field during practice. High-intensity. The energy has been on a whole different level. Having him and the other new coaches has been good for us."

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Though the defensive backfield may look similar come fall, with all four starters from a year ago (Hill, fifth-year senior safety Brad Hawkins, and redshirt sophomore cornerbacks Vincent Gray and Gemon Green), the scheme will certainly be different under Macdonald from what it had been under former coordinator Don Brown.

"We’re mixing in a lot of different things," Hill revealed. "Can’t wait to put it out on the field in the fall. We’re installing new things every other day, so everything is coming together like one big puzzle — piece by piece, every day. We’re working hard and I can’t wait to show the people how we’ve been playing so far."

Many of Michigan's players who have spoken with the media this spring, including Hill, have pointed to a different and increased level of energy at practices and in meetings, with the new coaches being a big part of that. Hill said that's been the case with the installation of the new defense, too.

"It’s intense," he said. "The coaches coming from the NFL, that’s a whole different scheme. Not too much of a different scheme, but just getting that experience at a higher level just shows how serious things are once you install things. You really have to know your plays and stay on top of learning your plays. I feel like that’s the biggest thing for us right now."

Hill's brother, Ravens running back Justice Hill, had nothing but "great things" to say about Macdonald, who was Baltimore's linebackers coach before joining the staff in Ann Arbor. Hill and the team's defenders have taken a liking to Macdonald and his style of coaching so far.

"He’s a laidback guy, a funny guy," Hill said. "He definitely knows his stuff. He loves coaching, you can tell. He loves his craft.

"The way he goes about his business, he’s very professional. He makes sure we’re all having a good grasp of the defense, learning new stuff every day. He’s making sure to take it slow but still trying to put in as much defense as he can this spring. It’s been good."

Hill has now played under four different safeties coaches at Michigan — Chris Partridge, Bob Shoop, Aashon Larkins (who led the group while Shoop was not able to perform in-person duties last season) and now Bellamy. While several players left the program to the transfer portal this offseason after a tough 2020 campaign and amidst staff uncertainty, Hill decided to stick it out.

"It was really tough," Hill said after being asked about all the position coach turnover. "Coming in, Coach Partridge recruited me along with [offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator] Coach [Sherrone] Moore. "Then seeing [Partridge] leave [for Ole Miss], that was a big deal for me because they were recruiting me the hardest stuff. Seeing him leave and the coaches that followed it was tough.

"Really just getting adjusted to the new coaches and building a relationship. At the end of the day, it’s just how things go at the college level. People come and leave. I had that mentality. Whoever came in, I was just going to be myself, build the best relationship that I can with that coach. It was tough having a lot of different safety coaches. I feel like Coach Bellamy is going to do a great job this year with the safeties."

When asked point blank whether or not he considered transferring this offseason, Hill made it clear that was never in the cards.

"Nah, finish what I started — that’s my mentality," he said. "That’s how I’ve approached it."

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