What Steve Clinkscale wants to see from Amorion Walker, D.J Waller moving forward
The Michigan Wolverines do not have many spots on the roster where they lack depth and experience, but one may argue the cornerback room falls into those categories. Co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale is helming a room with plenty of young pieces that have to be ready to go at a moment’s notice.
Chief among them is sophomore corner Amorion Walker, who has started to work in the rotation in recent weeks after missing the early part of the year with an injury. He converted to corner from wide receiver in the spring and every rep has been critical to his development.
His experiment is still a work in progress, but Michigan still sees him as a long-term piece on the back end.
“Amorion has been progressing every week,” Clinkscale said. “I talked about it a couple of weeks ago, a couple plays each game. Last week, I think about 20 snaps. 20-25 snaps. I continue to see him grow with this knowledge on the field. It’s one thing to learn in the playbook, it’s another to do it in practice and it’s a whole other thing in front of 100,000 people. Playing, executing your assignment and being physical, stuff like that.
“I want him to work on being physical, a lot more physical than he was, I thought [Purdue] found him on the field and tried to run towards him. He’s really done a good job with that in the first two practices we’ve had [this week]. Continue to be a lot more vocal and take more pride in his preparation of his alertness and have more awareness of the field and what the opponent is trying to do. So far, this week, he’s been progressing towards that.”
Walker and freshman DJ Waller are different in that both bring size and athleticism to the group. Both are 6-3, which is typically the taller end of players at the position. Michigan knows it may take a little longer to develop them, but the reward could be great.
“I think that’s kind of been the trend,” Clinkscale said. “When I was at a couple of previous schools, I had 6-3, 6-5, 6-4 corners. I like long, fast guys. Will [Johnson] is tall, too. He doesn’t look as tall with those guys around but he’s 6-2. Finding those guys, helping them develop. If they can play like a small corner that’s an even bigger bonus. Teaching those guys how to be in a good position.
“At times, it’s hard for them to develop some of the finesse because they are longer, takes a little longer time but then they also tools those guys don’t have. They have long arms, they can keep separation on blocks and I like recruiting guys like that and developing them. I think that’s been a trend. I think the trend is you look at the NFL each year in the first round there are several guys who are 6-2, 6-3, 6-5 getting drafted. Everybody used to always play receiver and I think a lot of guys can understand you can still get to the league playing corner at that size. A lot of people will be in here to watch it. You guys like watching them? They stand out.”
Waller’s ascension has been the most impressive given his arrival ahead of Michigan’s fall camp. Not many predicted he would find his way into the rotation as a freshman, but Michigan trusts him when he is on the field.
“We’ll keep working, keep developing them,” Clinkscale said. “D.J. is just a freshman and to be out there in the second quarter or the first quarter of these Big Ten games, I don’t think that’s been done. It’s good to see him keep straining and keep working hard. He’s kind of a war daddy, he’s a guy that’s going to work through some adversity and he’s doing a great job and so is Amorion.”
Michigan heads to Penn State on Saturday for a Big Ten East showdown with major implications. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET with FOX’s Big Noon Saturday on the coverage from Happy Valley.
