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Mike Sainristil proving too good to keep off the Michigan defense

Chris Balasby:Chris Balas•08/24/22•

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Mike Sainristil made a spectacular one-handed catch to score the third touchdown of his career in a Michigan football victory over Maryland. He's now playing some corner, too. (Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Michigan senior Mike Sainristil made some huge plays as a receiver last year, including a road win at Nebraska and a home victory over Ohio State. In typical fashion, however, he took one for the team when he moved over to bolster the secondary in the spring, taking reps at corner. 

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Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has an eye for these kinds of things — and he was right again. Sainristil shined in practices, making plays all over the field. 

It wasn’t totally surprising. Sainristil did play both ways in high school, and he excelled at (and was recruited for) both by different teams. At least for now, the Michigan senior is  almost exclusively a defender after catching 37 passes for 539 yards with five scores in his first three years. 

“Earlier in camp I was kind of splitting equal reps. As the weeks have gone on, I’ve been focusing mainly on defense,” Sainristil said. “It’s simply because I want to make sure I understand the defense to a ‘T,’ given the fact that I’ve played offense for three years. 

“I want to do my best and soak in as much knowledge from the defensive guys as possible.”

At the same time, Sainristil has been so good — and the Michigan receiver room is so deep — that it’s hard to see him moving back. Veterans Ronnie Bell and Cornelius Johnson have been outstanding, and those behind them — Roman Wilson, Andrel Anthony, A.J. Henning and the others — continue to make big plays. 

Sainristil has competition on defense, as well. Michigan veterans Gemon Green and DJ Turner have been very good at corner, and frosh Will Johnson will be a star, in time. 

But there’s a role for Sainristil, and he’s embracing it. He knows the offense so well that he can go back at any time, if needed. And he probably will from time to time. 

For now, however, he continues to learn the defense. 

“I understand the defense,” Sainristil said. “I know base personnel, nickel personnel, dime personnel. I’m comfortable in practice right now, of course, but I still don’t have games played under my belt so until then, I won’t know how comfortable I really am. Even then, games are going to go along and I’m going to be put in situations I’ve never been in simply because I’m on a new side of the ball.”

Even he’s not sure what to expect. He just knows he’ll be prepared when his number is called.

“Will I be 100 percent comfortable this year? Who’s to say?” Sainristil said. “But I am going to play to the best of my ability from all sides.”

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