Offseason Transformation Playing Big Part In Erick All's Emergence
Michigan football sophomore tight end Erick All had a breakout game on Saturday at Minnesota, playing 45 of 56 offensive snaps and notching two catches for 33 yards.
"Going out there and getting to play and showing what I have, it was a dream come true," All said while speaking with the media on Monday. "I just felt ready, that’s it."
Last season as a freshman, he caught just one pass for 10 yards despite appearing in 11 games off the bench.
His offseason transformation, in many ways, is the reason for his emergence. That started with All diving into the playbook, after his coaches said last year that he wasn't always going in the right direction.
"I was messing up everything," All said of his freshman year. "Even now, I just look back and I’m like, ‘How was I messing this play up? It’s so easy.’
"I feel like after all the meetings and all the studying I did during the quarantine, it all made sense to me. I did a lot of studying with [fifth-year senior tight end] Nick Eubanks. I did a lot of studying off of the playbook they give us. I watched a lot of old film of [former U-M tight end and current Dallas Cowboy] Sean McKeon and Nick out there on the field. Everything just clicked."
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During the down time this spring in which players were not allowed inside team facilities, All went and stayed with his classmate and sophomore U-M linebacker Joey Velazquez, and his family, in Columbus, Ohio. The two trained each and every day, and there was always a good meal waiting for him on the kitchen table, All said.
According to U-M's official roster, All bulked up from 229 pounds in 2019 to 242 pounds this season, and he credits adding that weight for much of his improvement as a player.
"We trained with Coach Davies, he’s a trainer out in Columbus. We would wake up every morning and work out with him. He’s a real big deal in Columbus. He trained Arnold Schwarzenegger, he runs the Arnold classic, so training with him opened up a whole new door for me. We did so many workouts — we were using foot ladders as hand placement and pushup drills. It was a strange, but heavy duty workout every single day of the quarantine."
All was ready for the moment on Saturday night, making his first career start. His only blunder was a dropped pass over the middle in the third quarter. If he would've hung onto it, All would have walked into the end zone for six points. After making the uncharacteristic mistake, the U-M coaching staff went right back to him on the next play, and All redeemed himself, taking a short pass 27 yards to the Minnesota three-yard line. The Wolverines ended up with a touchdown on the drive.
"I was just way too excited," All said. "I feel like the coaches knew that, they gave me the second opportunity because if it wasn’t for that second play, I probably wouldn’t have been able to redeem myself. I would’ve been in my head.
"I feel like the coaches knew and had the confidence that I don’t really drop balls, for real. I don’t know, but thank God the coaches believed in me so I could get out there for that second play and do what was right."
One of those coaches is his position coach, Sherrone Moore, who All also credits as a reason why he's found success this year.
"I just know that when you hit somebody hard, they don’t like it," All said. "And if your hands are inside, they can’t go anywhere. Coach Moore taught me that. Whatever Coach Moore teaches me, I know it’s right, because this guy is a genius when it comes to football and blocking and doing things right as a tight end."
He's now looking to carry the momentum he and the Wolverines picked up in week one over to the rest of the season.
"Those first-game jitters are finally out of the way and we’re ready to roll," he said.
It starts with Michigan State this coming Saturday (noon ET on FOX). Despite only players' family members being allowed inside The Big House for the home opener, All said the Wolverines will have every ounce of energy they need to come out with the win.
"Obviously, it’s a rivalry game and we’re going to hit that switch," All said. "There’s gonna be a lot more force behind these hits and what’s going to be said out there on the field, but when it comes to how ready we are, we’re ready. We’re definitely going to do what it takes.
"As far as the fans go, I feel like it’s going to be weird, but I feel like it’s not going to change how we play. I feel like none of the players really feed off of the fans in this game, because of how focused we are on winning the game."
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