Michigan Wolverines Football: Dax Hill Shining, DJ Turner Rising, More
Michigan football secondary coach Steve Clinkscale has been on head coach Jim Harbaugh’s radar for a while now, and he finally said ‘yes’ to leaving Kentucky for the Wolverines this spring. He’s inherited some talent in the defensive backfield, and he’s pleased with what he’s seen.
It starts with fifth-year senior safety Brad Hawkins and sophomore Daxton Hill, an early candidate for U-M’s breakout player of the year. Hill will play everywhere in the secondary, and he’s being groomed for it today during U-M’s off day.
“Our plan right now is for Dax to do a little bit of everything,” Clinkscale said. “We’ve had a lot of situations where we’re teaching the game, so we’ve really been focusing on that aspect of it … today we had a break, so I talked to him a little more about getting a couple more positions in there.
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“We’re going to need him to be a jack of all trades. I think it really help his skillset. He has the skillset of a corner with the ability to make plays as a safety, and the mindset of a safety. I’m really, really excited about all the plays he can make. His demeanor, his championship effort … he’s a very, very good football player, very instinctual. I feel we can build keep stacking on top for Dax. The more we push him to learn, the better he’ll continue to be.”
The corners, too, are coming along. Redshirt freshman D.J. Turner has proven to be a quick learner and has put himself in position to start opposite redshirt sophomore Gemon Green.
“He definitely stepped right back into the role. He’s got great awareness … physically, he’s fine,” Clinkscale said. “He’s picking things up for us and gives us another element, too. He’s very similar to Dax in that he’s a guy that can play corner and nickel, as well.
“I’ve coached a couple players that don’t make the same mistakes. D.J. is one of those guys. He corrects himself and challenges himself. We were in a couple situations, do two-minute situation … they went after him a couple times in a row, and he defended the ball very well. He knew, understood what was about to happen. He understands the situation."
He’s got the mindset, the understanding and the knowledge of the game … but neither he nor any of the others have a job won at this point.
“In life, nothing is locked up. I tell the players all the time, if I don’t get my job done, there will be somebody here to replace me,” Clinkscale continued. “I’m rotating everybody. We’ll get some of the young guys opportunities to show what they can do. Gemon, DJ and Vince [Gray] really have a rotation with each other. A couple other guys … George [Johnson], he’s coming along.
“But there’s nobody in my opinion who is solid where they’re going to be the guy, for sure. Gemon has done some really good things; I feel like Vincent has, DJ, a couple other guys. The more we keep it where it is a challenging situation, always competing, I think we can elevate everybody’s game.”
They’ll need two, three or four of them during the season, he noted. In some games, they’ll need a certain type of corner … in others, they’ll need someone else.
Clinkscale commented on some of the others vying for time:
Freshmen Andre Seldon and Jaden McBurrows: “I’ve seen improvement. I’ve known Andre for a long time, since the eighth grade. I see areas of improvement. I want to continue to push him, see him continue to be able to make strides forward at that nickel positions, so I’m challenging him.
“McBurrows has a very good skillset. He’s a very explosive player; just young right now. I want to give him the opportunity to be successful. He’ll have some failures which will definitely help him. He’ll learn how to be successful when that happens.
“I see really good attitudes when I challenge both of those young men. They respond, which is what you want to see from a young player.”
George Johnson: “He’s starting to find his niche and is just learning how to focus his drive in a certain direction each practice. He is very eager to learn more and more. He wants to know, wants to know. The way coach has structured practice, it helps him understand situations – third and short, third and medium. I could go on and on.
“We’ve really helped George see the bigger picture. I tell George all the time, see the tree first before the forest. Right now, it’s like he’s drinking out of a bucket. I want him to slow down a little bit, let him focus in. He’s got the drive, the effort, the eagerness and the ability. He’s willing and he’s able, so I’m really excited about George trying to refine his focus and his drive in situations to help this team to be successful.”
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