A number of Michigan players were on hand Sunday for former U-M cornerback Jourdan Lewis’ camp in Detroit.
The inaugural Jourdan Lewis WR vs. DB Skills Camp was held at the Detroit Police Athletic League headquarters and featured more than 200 local players ranging from sixth to 11th grade.
Junior linebacker Josh Uche, junior running back Chris Evans and junior viper Khaleke Hudson were three of the current Wolverines on site.
It was a pleasant experience for the trio, who said they attended camps growing up and know the kind of impact it can have on a kid.
“You get a lot,” Hudson said. “Just seeing the kids that want to be great and are out there working hard. It’s a great experience to be out here helping a former teammate that I look up to.”
Players have been busy training and lifting, all three saying they feel good and were ready to get back out on the field after spring ball.
“I feel more explosive and stronger, especially with [strength] Coach Herbert,” Evans said. “He’s just a high intensity guy that expects a lot out of you. He and his staff are a great group of guys.”
Uche had an interesting first meeting with Lewis, who hosted him on his recruiting visit to Michigan.
“I didn’t follow Michigan football at all, so I didn’t know any of the big-time players from Michigan,” Uche said. “I saw Jourdan, I’m like, ‘What’s up, bro, what high school do you play for?’ Because he was smaller. He said, ‘Nah, bro, I’m Jourdan Lewis.’ He could have gone, ‘I’m an All-American here, don’t disrespect me’ and all that.
“I went home and Googled him and he was an All-American. I’m like, ‘Aww, man,’ I felt so bad. Ever since then, I’m like, that’s a true leader. He could have easily bragged. Once I was at Michigan, he was just always coaching me up and telling me keep my head up, keep working. Anything for him, really, honestly. He molded me into the player I am and the player I’m trying to become, so [I’d do] anything for him.”
He knew he needed to be there to support Lewis at the camp, and joked that he didn’t think Lewis knew that story about him, but was sure to find out now.
Lewis loves working with kids — a point made loud and clear after he had to shush the current Wolverines when they were making too much noise.
“We came in and we were a little loud and he told us to shut up, he takes this real serious, you can tell the kids really mean a lot to him,” Uche said.
Known as a blitzing linebacker, Uche said that Herbert isn’t the only coach that’s made significant improvements this spring. New offensive line coach Ed Warinner has been simplifying the offense which has helped both the running backs, according to Evans, and the offensive line — which Uche goes up against in practice.
He says the line is much tougher to face than it was last year, but that he still feels he has the edge.
One more note from Evans — he says all four of Michigan’s quarterbacks have the leadership qualities you want in a signal caller. That should benefit the offense this fall as well.
Recruiting Editor Brandon Brown contributed to this report.
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