Michigan Football: Jourdan Lewis Sore, But Back To Full Speed

Senior cornerback Jourdan Lewis returned to the lineup Saturday against Penn State and played well, by most peoples’ standards – jut not his own. Lewis is still shaking off the rust following a three-game hiatus for a variety of injuries.

Lower back, core, lower body … Lewis has experienced soreness in all areas since the summer after working too hard in the offseason.

“Before camp I was going out working out by myself, getting guys out there every day to work on my craft and get better,” he said. “But I needed some time, and the injury definitely gave me some down time.

“My first game back, it really hurt. I have to be honest. I haven’t been through anything physically like that in a while. I had to get used to it, get in the training room, get my body right.”

Head coach Jim Harbaugh and the trainers wanted to make sure he was 100 percent -- or at least ready to run efficiently and do things he was used to doing – before unleashing him. Though impatient, Lewis admitted he wasn’t ready to go, grateful they held him out.

Being a senior has its perks, but he’s also feeling the effects of three years of Big Ten football. He feels like an old man, he admitted with a laugh.

“I felt like as a freshman I never had to pay attention to anything like that. I could just go out there and play,” he said. “Now I have to go out there and warm up 30 minutes before I get out there, go out there and stretch a little bit, so it’s definitely different being a senior. You’ve played so many games. But it’s just getting you prepared for the next level, getting your body right for every situation you’re in.”

The rust isn’t completely off, he added.

“I don’t think I had a good game last game,” he said. “I’m a really harsh critic, but I really didn’t think I had a good one. That was blatant [a hold not called on a deep ball]. I was a little rusty at the line of scrimmage. That was me not getting my hands on and being a little grabby, not looking back at the ball.”

He even apologized to the receiver.

But he doesn’t plan on issuing too many more. He anticipates being back to his old self soon.

“I feel like I’m at full speed,” he said. “Does it hurt a little? Yeah, but I have to play through that. That’s expected.”