Michigan football: 'Character' Josh Wallace expected to make push for No. 2 CB job
One of the biggest looming questions about Michigan football heading into the 2023 season has to do with the No. 2 cornerback job on the other side of sophomore Will Johnson. Fall camp will determine who fills the role, but UMass transfer Josh Wallace has already acquitted himself nicely in the leadup to the season.
Wallace, who joined the team via the transfer portal after spring ball, has been working on getting the playbook down and assimilating to Michigan’s culture. During his appearance at Big Ten Football Media Days in Indianapolis, head coach Jim Harbaugh stated Wallace has the “license and ability” to win the job opposite Johnson.
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“One of the starting corner positions [will be a position battle], Amorion Walker, Josh Wallace, Ja’Den McBurrows, some other very fine players, newcomers,” Harbaugh said. “But I think it will come down to a situation where will Mikey [Sainristil] be a starter? Will Johnson be a starter? And then we’ve got, who is that other starter, whether it’s at nickel or corner? And it may training camp. It may take into the first couple of games.”
Sainristil has taken it upon himself to put Wallace under his wing, and he expects big things from the jump. But first, he has to actually refer to himself as a Wolverine.
“Josh is an interesting guy,” Sainristil said on Thursday. “I actually just got off FaceTime with him. Josh, he’s a character. Since he’s been here, he’s been doing a really good job for himself. Don’t be surprised if you hear his name called a lot on Saturdays. He works hard, he keeps his head down, he minds his business, and he puts in the work he needs to. Since he got here, he’s been around me.
“I told him just be around me and I promise you that I’ll help take you to a good, good place. One thing I need him to do is understand that he’s on the team. Josh and I will be talking, and any time Michigan’s brought up, he’ll refer to Michigan as you guys, as if he’s not on the team at the moment.
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“He’s been doing a great job. You know, he’s daily trying to meet with Coach Clink to learn the playbook. He’s always around Will Johnson trying to work on technique. So I know for a fact he’s a guy that wants to get better.”
Wallace played 2,197 defensive snaps in 39 games over four seasons with UMass. He totaled 140 tackles, 7 stops for loss, 1 sack, 3 interceptions, 24 pass breakups, 2 fumble recoveries and 1 forced fumble. This makes him the most veteran player in Michigan’s cornerback room for a group that sorely needed experience.
“He’s a guy who’s gonna come in and immediately impact the room in the sense of getting other guys to compete, getting other guys to work hard, and just giving that extra push because no one wants a guy to come in and take their spot,” Sainristil said. “But coming in, you want to take somebody’s spot.
“It’s going to increase the level of competitiveness in the room. I think there’s a good amount of guys right now that could play in that second cornerback spot. I can’t wait to watch the battle and be a part of the battle during camp.”
