Michigan receivers on talented Alabama secondary – ‘Go right at them’
The Michigan football receivers have had their moments this year, but few have given them much respect nationally. Other than senior Roman Wilson, most in the receiving corps have been limited this year when it comes to big plays — and even Wilson hasn’t been behind many defenses this season.
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That’s one of the reasons some feel the Alabama defense will have an advantage against the Michigan offense in the Rose Bowl. They’ve got three elite defenders in the secondary, will probably try to bring a safety into the box to slow a run game that hasn’t been as good this year, and perhaps given quarterback J.J. McCarthy a bit more attention.
If that’s the case, Wilson said, the Michigan receivers will have some opporutnities — and they expect to make the most of them
“You just go right at them – no fear,” Wilson said. “You show them who you are. Don’t be scared. Don’t flinch.
“I think their corners are really good. They’ve got three of them that they rotate, and I like watching all three. They are physical on the line, they run really well, and I think they are just good overall.”
They play a lot of Cover 2/man they don’t see much of in the Big Ten, Wilson added, and will probably line up tight on the Michigan receivers and dare them to beat them off the line. U-M has put Wilson in motion quite a bit this year to get him a running start with his speed. That will probably continue in the Rose Bowl.
Though he’s not sure what to expect, Wilson insists he’ll be ready. Though the Wolverines aren’t known as a high-powered passing offense, they’ve shown the ability — at times — with McCarthy.
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“It will probably mostly be one-on-one. I can’t really tell — I don’t what they’re going to do in the game plan, but probably keep it the same. That’s what they kind of do,” the Michigan receiver said. “They all have really good technique. I think they play deep balls really well and have really good recovery speed. They play with a lot of confidence.
“For me, it’s just give it all you got. This is the only one that’s guaranteed. Give it all you’ve got, lock into the details, and do everything you can to make sure you’re in the right spot and making plays. … I’ve always felt like we can throw the ball really well. We can obviously run the ball really well, too. But I never really think about it too much. The only thing that matters to me is just winning games.”
Wilson and the other Michigan receivers have been locked in since the end of the year, watching film and preparing for the Crimson Tide defense. They’re only two wins away from a national title, and they can’t wait to see how they match up against one of the SEC’s best.
“I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me, it’s Alabama and their legacy and who they are, who they have as their coach,” Wilson said. “It’s just a great game to go up against some of the greats. Nick Saban is probably one of the best coaches ever, pretty much, and just to go up against a guy like that — it’s great.
“… I’m honestly blessed to be in this situation. I get to play against a great team. I get to go for a national championship. It feels good.”
