Josh Wallace emergence should help banged-up secondary
Michigan will go into the ECU game potentially shorthanded. Head coach Jim Harbaugh revealed guys battling through things in the secondary this week, and there are others nursing minor injuries that might not play. Sophomore cornerback Amorion Walker and safeties Rod Moore and Makari Paige are among those questionable for Saturday, and there are probably more, but there is one who will likely be there — UMass transfer Josh Wallace.
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By all accounts, Wallace has had an outstanding camp, joined at the hip with veteran Mike Sainristil since he arrived. It’s helped him immensely, Wallace said earlier this fall, and it’s probably put him in position to start at one corner no matter who is on the other side.
“I think Josh Wallace has done a great job at corner,” defensive coordinator and one-game interim head coach Jesse Minter said Monday when asked who had emerged. “But I also think Ja’Den McBurrows, Jyaire Hill, a lot of these guys — Keshaun Harris — that is still ongoing as we get ready for this game.
“I’m really excited to see all of those guys get a chance to play early. Normally, all these guys would get game reps. I think over time somebody will rise and really put their stamp on that position. I will be excited to see who it is.”
Several young players have the ability. Hill had a good spring and is very skilled, and like Wallace, McBurrows has been on the rise, too. Harris still needs to be more consistent, per our camp spotters, but he has potential. DJ Waller has been making a move.
Wallace, though, would be the odds-on favorite. The three-time UMass captain has taken it seriously since he arrived, understanding the opportunity and the culture. He’s been a great fit — Sainristil’s “twin” — and he has the skills to play at this level, Sainristil told us last week. He almost scored when asked if Wallace was a Big Ten talent.
“Josh, I think he’s a great cover guy,” Sainristil said. “He’s not a guy that’s scared to come down and hit somebody. He’s physical when needed, and he’s a guy that takes coaching. He doesn’t take anything personal. He’s just looking to do the right thing, looking to help however.”
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Somewhat like Sainristil, who made the move from wide receiver a few years ago and is now one of the Wolverines’ best defenders. Expect him to play all over the secondary Saturday, including corner, while others rest. Matchups will depend on what offensive personnel is in the game, Minter said, but Sainristil will be on the field for most if not all looks, with Wallace likely by his side.
“When a team has three receivers in there, I kind of like that to be a corner-type of body, which Mikey is,” Minter said. “We’ve used bigger guys in there, particular against multiple tight end sets where we don’t want to go all the way to base defense … we want to stay in a nickel type of situation. Makari Paige, Rod Moore, Keon Sabb, Jyaire Hill — kind of a bigger corner at times.
“You’ll see a lot of faces go through that spot as we go. Also, it allows us to take advantage of Mikey’s versatility and all the different things that he can do. He’s certainly one of our best football players, so the more we can do with him to maximize his ability to make plays, it kind of goes hand-in-hand with that question.”
But he’ll be out there, and he and Wallace figure to be on the field together a lot Saturday against ECU.
