He’s not your typical college football superstar in that he’s quiet, humble and unassuming … so soft spoken at the podium, in fact, that you have to strain to hear him during interviews. Michigan defensive back Daxton Hill chooses instead to do his talking on the field, and his voice is booming.
Hill was all over the field in Saturday’s 47-14 victory over Western Michigan, playing plenty of nickel and some safety. He was one of the Wolverines’ two defensive players of the game along with junior end/linebacker Aidan Hutchinson.
“The thing that stood out live … he was all over the field,” head coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday. “He was in tight coverage; he was tackling, he was getting off blocks, always in the right spot.
“He did a good job with communication on the back end … he and (fifth-year senior safety) Brad Hawkins both did that. There was no hesitancy. He was just reacting — anticipating and reacting.”
And after two years of trying to figure out his role under different coaches, he embraced it. He’s learning from new young coaches Ron Bellamy and Steve Clinkscale both, and he loved their vision for him
“I was giddy when they mentioned it to me,” Hill said. “They told me I was going to have to step up and play multiple roles compared to last year. I was excited, and I embraced it …
“At first, it was kind of tough for me to adjust to all the new calls and all the responsibilities, but once I got in the film room more with my coaches and they broke down everything — all the nuances to it — it kind of flowed to me a lot better.”
Hill notched five solo tackles and an assist Saturday, getting off blocks on the perimeter routinely in blowing up bubble screens. He broke up a pass, flew to the ball and looked every bit the preseason All-Big Ten performer many expected him to be.
In a scheme that’s ‘night and day’ different from his first two seasons’ duties, Hill has found his niche. He spent the offseason watching film on Baltimore Ravens defensive back Marlon Humphrey, anticipating that’s how new coordinator and former Ravens assistant Mike Macdonald would use him, and got more excited each time he did.
“Really, I just can fly around,” Hill said. “Hustling to the bal … that’s one thing you need — all 11 men to the ball on each play.
“If I can help out as much as I can, that’s what I’d like to do. I feel like I have more room to do that now, so that’s why I was excited I could play more freely.”
He’s also great at hiding what he’s doing — when he’s blitzing, when he’s not — and he’s got the athleticism to hang with elite receivers. Clinkscale believes he’s got it in him to play corner in the NFL, something he might flirt with as early as next season, and he’ll likely get some chances on the edge in coverage this year, too..
He still has plenty to prove, but he’s off to a great start.
“Dax played well [against Western],” Clinkscale said. “I thought all the guys could improve on things, but I felt when we adjusted, Dax played really physical on the perimeter. I think he’s doing a good job trying to adjusting to playing the nickel, which is kind of like a corner spot for everything we ask him to do, and all the safety stuff.
“…. He’s very athletic, long. He’s smart; he’s got great instincts. He’s a very instinctual guy. He feels it, and when you correct him he’s like, ‘ yeah, I saw it,’ or ‘I was working to it.’ He can anticipate what they’re about to do.”
While many have chastised former coordinator Don Brown for the use of his defensive backs, Clinkscale said it probably helped Hill in the long run.
“I think playing a lot of man has helped him being a nickel … corner, slot, playing some zone, now we can see some more of his instincts as we mix up the different coverages and ask him to do different things,” Clinkscale continued. “I think his football IQ is high. He’s kind of a quiet guy, so you’re not sure if he knows it — he knows it.
“He’s sharp with it. He just goes out and executes, doesn’t ask for a lot of attention. As long as he continues to work hard and we keep adding stuff to his list that he can take, I think you’ll see his level of play continue to improve.”
A scary thought for Big Ten receivers and a comforting thought to Macdonald, Clinkscale and staff. There are bigger tests to come, but No. 30 is well on his way to proving himself.
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