Jesse Minter talks Michigan corners, why Amorion Walker's spring game was good for him

Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter enters his second season with an extremely talented defense, ready to take the group to another level. There aren’t many weaknesses at any position, and there’s depth everywhere … but there are a few question marks.

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One — the “other” corner. Everyone expects Will Johnson to ascend to All-Big Ten level this year, having shown elite ability. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh gave converted receiver Amorion Walker the nod at the other spot early in spring practice, but Walker struggled a bit in the spring game. Former walk-on Payton O’Leary had a big day, often at Walker’s expense, proving Walker still has work to do.

Minter insisted he wasn’t concerned.

“Truth be told the other spot, that’s the big question mark right now,” Minter said on the In the Trenches Podcast with Jon Jansen. “He had a lot of guys battle for that spot throughout spring. Amorion certainly has … what I say is the traits, the skills to be able to play the position. He hasn’t played the position enough to be really, really comfortable yet.

“I think he might not like me saying this, but I think one of the best things that happened to him was the spring game — going through a little bit of adversity, having guys make plays. The toughest part about being an elite corner — and I’ve always been a DB guy — is really the mental side of it … the down-after-down, locked-in mindset that it takes to be an elite corner, because in a game like 70 plays, they might throw the ball at your guy six times. If you’re relaxed on one of those, it can lead to a bad play … and if you can’t handle the bad play and it leads to another bad play, then that’s where the snowball effect occurs.”

So, he added — good that it happened now that they have a lot of time between now and September to continue to work with him.

“He’s really, really got a chance to get a lot better between now and then,” Minter said.

Overall Michigan secondary group played extremely well

The other guys vying for that spot, meanwhile, stepped up. Several Michigan corners made plays in the spring game they’d made throughout practice.

All will get a shot in the fall, Minter continued.

“I thought Ja’Den McBurrows had a good spring,” Minter said of the Michigan junior. “I thought Keshaun Harris really, really stepped up and had a good spring. [Sophomore] Myles Pollard made some plays throughout spring. I think Jyaire Hill is going to be a guy. I don’t know if I’ll put him on Will’s track, but I think he’s going to be capable of helping us this year. Just a really, really good competitive mindset that it takes to be successful at that position.

“So, I’m excited to see that battle continue. I wouldn’t say there’s anybody written in stone right now, and it’ll be our job as coaches to put the best combination of five players on the field when we have five DBs on the field. That could be really any combination of those guys.”

But they have versatility, too, thanks to safeties who can cover and Michigan grad student nickel Mike Sainristil, who can also play some corner.

Moore could move to nickel if Sainristil were asked to play some corner, which he could be.

“My expectations for Mikey are to be one of the top DBs in the whole country,” Minter said. “He’s talented enough; he’s skilled enough. He’s got the right mindset; he’s made plays. What a move! Coach Harbaugh — have all the credit in the world for that one.

“I’m really excited about him deciding to [return]. He probably would have been picked … he would have crushed the combine, he would have had a great pro day. But he has really, really high goals for himself. And that’s what makes him the type of player that he is. I’m so excited about him.

“Really, really high expectations … a tremendous group at the safety position,” Minter said. “I feel really good about Rod Moore, the amount of snaps he’s played here, the plays he’s made in big moments. Makari Paige, the jump he took this past season; RJ Moten kind of being a jack of all trades for us. You throw Mikey in there, and his versatility to play really all the spots back there. I think that itself is a major, major strength.

“The safeties are always the traffic control cops and to have experience there, to have older guys that have played and played a lot and know what it takes to communicate at a high level is a major advantage.”

One they expect to take full advantage of this fall on the march toward a potential third straight Michigan Big Ten title.