Lavert Hill — 'Coach Brown Told Us To Make [The Penn State Game] Personal'
The Penn State/Michigan Matchup is Special for Mike Zordich:
Michigan cornerbacks coach Mike Zordich has a special connection to Penn State.
He played for the Nittany Lions during his collegiate days, and has since seen his kids go on to attend college there.
He lamented briefly during his time in State College this evening on the Inside Michigan Football radio show, while also revealing where his family’s allegiances will lie this weekend.
“We played in two National Championships while I was there, and it was a great experience,” he recalled. “I met my wife there, so it’s been very good to me. As for the family’s allegiances, it’s all ‘Go Blue’ this weekend.”
Last year was a disappointing homecoming to Happy Valley for Zordich, who saw his Wolverines get blown out, 42-13.
When asked if he remembers much from that night, he revealed that a fellow staffer is constantly reminding him of it.
“I can’t forget about it because Don [Brown] brings it up every day,” Zordich laughed. “He feels like he made some coaching mistakes in that game, but we don’t think so — we just didn’t play very well that night.
“Our first game against Notre Dame this season reflected a lot of last year, and the guys quickly understood it and got it out of their system. This whole thing is starting to come together, and the players realize what’s ahead of them if they keep working hard.
“We know we can achieve our goals. The key is to be mature and understand how we have to get there.”
If the Wolverines hope to continue their successful play, limiting Penn State fifth-year senior quarterback Trace McSorley on Saturday will be crucial.
“It’s important for us to come out and play consistent, and control McSorley,” Zordich forecasted. “He’s an unbelievable competitor, and everyone in the Big Ten would love to have a guy like him. His athleticism and vision allow him to see things downfield, whether it be with his feet or through the air.
“We know the football is going to be in the air quite a bit, so we’re excited about that opportunity.”
That means Michigan’s three outstanding cornerbacks — including junior Lavert Hill — will likely enjoy plenty of chances to make plays, something that hasn’t always been the case this year (teams have been reluctant to attack U-M’s cornerbacks).
“Lavert had an unfortunate injury in the spring that slowed him down, but he’s come back well from it,” Zordich recalled. “His work ethic has steadily improved. To be a great player, you have to be a great learner and listener, and the same goes for coaches — it goes hand-in-hand.”
Michigan's Defense, Lavert Hill Will be Looking to Make a Statement on Saturday:
Saturday will be Michigan’s third straight opportunity to defeat a ranked opponent, something the program has not accomplished since 1997.
Players have often shied away from proclaiming future contests as ‘statement games,’ but not Hill.
“We’re trying to go out there and make a statement, so it’s personal for us,” he affirmed. “Coach [Don] Brown has told us to make it personal. We all came together as brothers on [fifth-year senior defensive end] Chase [Winovich’s] ‘Revenge Tour’ and followed his lead.”
While Winovich certainly appears to be the vocal leader of the defense, Hill has taken the opposite approach.
He admitted he’s a quiet person by nature, and has let his play on the field do the talking.
“I mainly hang out with [sophomore safety] Brad Hawkins, [sophomore cornerback] Ambry Thomas, [senior safety] Tyree [Kinnel] and [junior cornerback] David Long, and I’m the quiet guy of the group,” he laughed.
“Regardless, you just have to have heart out there and be a champion.”
The Wolverines are well on their way to becoming champions if they continue to win, something that didn’t seem too likely after Notre Dame beat them on Sept. 1.
“Our coaches sat us down after that game and told us to stop playing so tense,” Hill recalled.
That strategy has obviously worked, as the team hasn’t lost since.
U-M has also been able to withstand the absence of junior defensive end Rashan Gary, who has missed the last three contests with injury.
“I hope to see him, because he’s a big facet of the team,” Hill observed. “You want to be out there mentally, but sometimes your body just says you can’t be.”
---
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @BSB_Wolverine, @JB_ Wolverine, @AustinFox42, @Balas_Wolverine, @DrewCHallett and @Qb9Adam.
• Like us on Facebook