Ann Arbor, Michigan. A familiar offensive name for Michigan football spent his first spring training on the other side of the ball.
Senior wide receiver Mike Seinristeel has moved into the back room of the defense, working mostly full-backs in the nickel role, head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed Tuesday.
The move – a surprise of sorts – was first reported last month by The Wolverine.
“(We) project it as a two-way player or maybe even a three-way player,” Harbaugh told reporters. “He’s got the skill set for that.”
This spring, Sainristil is one of 11 scholarship recipients on a list that includes three new freshmen and former quarterback Eamonn Dennis, who also made the switch.
Senior Ronnie Bell continues to recover from an ACL tear and is expected to return this fall alongside veterans Cornelius Johnson, A.J. Henning and Roman Wilson, as well as speedy playmaker Andrel Anthony.
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“He has a wide receiver skill set, he has a corner and a nickel corner skill set,” Harbaugh said of Sainristil, who is 5ft 10in and weighs 185 pounds. “His skill set reminded me a lot of Jimmy Ward and what he had in college, his skill set.”
Sineristeel has caught 22 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns in the 2021 season and has also contributed to kickbacks and hits. Expect Michigan to continue using him on special teams.
Meanwhile, Sainristil has a real chance to contribute defensively. The Wolverines are only bringing back three cornerbacks with significant experience, including starting DJs Turner and Jermon Green, and they may need help if any of them get injured.
INJURY NOTES: Speaking of injuries, Rod Moore is expected to miss the remainder of the spring ball post-season surgery, Harbaugh confirmed. Moore is listed as a potential starter in the fall.
… Defenseman Ja’Den McBurroughs, who played four games last season as a true rookie, also pulled out this spring after undergoing surgery to repair an unknown injury.
HIRE ANALYSIS: Veteran coach Rick Minter, who was head coach at the University of Cincinnati from 1994 to 2003, was hired by Michigan as a defensive analyst. Minter, 67, is the father of Jesse Minter, the Wolverine’s newly hired defense coordinator. The iron of the now-defunct American Football Alliance.
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