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Tyler Morris is Michigan's reliable receiver, young defensive backs making strides

clayton-sayfieby:Clayton Sayfie•04/04/24•

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Tyler Morris
(Photo by Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)

One name has been a constant when Michigan Wolverines football players and coaches have been asked about who’s stepping up at cornerback on opposite side of the field from junior Will Johnson this spring — sophomore DJ Waller Jr.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder was junior wide receiver Tyler Morris’ pick when asked who’s catching his eye at corner, too.

“Right now, DJ Waller is standing out to me,” Morris said. “He’s a big, physical, long corner. He’s looked really good this spring and definitely challenges us.”

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Waller played in 11 games as a freshman in 2023, logging 12 tackles with a pass breakup. His 123 defensive snaps ranked sixth among the Wolverines’ cornerbacks / nickel backs, but with Josh Wallace and Mike Sainristil having departed, he’s in the mix for a much bigger role this season.

Sophomore Jyaire Hill played in just four games, totaling 56 defensive snaps, while redshirting for Michigan a year ago. Morris revealed that he’s playing both outside and at nickel. With Sainristil gone, Michigan is looking to a multitude of options to replace him, including Hill, senior Ja’Den McBurrows and junior Zeke Berry.

“Ja’Den McBurrows has been doing good,” Morris said. “Jyaire Hill, I’ve seen him at nickel a few times.

“Honestly, sometimes it’s hard, because I feel like they’ve been moving a lot of different guys around at nickel. But it’s been a lot of guys just moving positions and trying stuff that I feel like they might not have as much last year. Zeke Berry sometimes. They’ve all stepped up and are doing good.”

Tyler Morris wants to be Michigan’s most reliable receiver

Morris notched 13 receptions for 197 yards and a key touchdown against Alabama last season, and there’s opportunity for him to become the Wolverines’ go-to target from the wide receiver position. He’s stepped up as a leader this offseason, first and foremost.

“This year, I definitely feel like I gotta step up,” Morris said. “Even though I still feel like I’m kind of one of the younger guys, in our room I’m one of the oldest. I just feel like I gotta be the one to step up, say some things, challenge guys. I try my best just to hold us all together, because that’s our room; we’re one unit. When it comes down to it, we’re going to need the guys on the field to perform the best they can.”

That includes himself, of course, and he wants to be reliable in any situation the Michigan offense faces.

“Everything, really,” the Michigan wideout said of what he wants to accomplish this year. “Just trying to step up, be a leader, just trying to bring the young guys with me. When the freshmen get here, trying to bring them all with me because I know now I’m in that role and one of the older guys. 

“Just playing all around. If they need me, if it’s a week we want to target the slot, then I wanna be there. If it’s a week we want to target outside, I want to be there. If it’s a week we want to run the ball a lot and we need somebody blocking, I wanna be there. Anything they need me to do at the receiver position, I want to be the guy to step up and do it.”

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