Chris Wormley Answers Your Questions

Image via ESPNHS Football 

Incoming defensive lineman Chris Wormley has been a busy guy the last few years.  Besides keeping up with his classes and coursework, Wormley was a three-sport athlete at Toledo Whitmer, participating in football, basketball, and track & field.  His academic and athletic efforts earned him scholarship offers from some of the best institutions and programs in the nation, including the majority of the Big Ten, Alabama, Florida, and Notre Dame, among others. And as if those undertakings weren't enough to keep him swamped, Wormley also held down not one but two jobs for much of his high school career - one umpiring baseball and another making pizzas.

Despite his tireless schedule, Chris found a few minutes to speak with me before punching in at work in order to discuss his future at Michigan and answer several reader questions.

Throwing heavy objects:  "Last year I made states in both shot put and discus, and I place sixth in disc and ninth in shot.  My farthest so far for shot is 58.3 feet and discus is 184.1. . . .yeah, there's the strength and then the technique is pretty big."

Screaming like a Panther:  "That photo shoot was for The Blade, which is our newspaper in Toledo.  The photographer was just doing different poses and different shots.  It was for defensive player of the year for all of division one in Ohio."

Kickin' it with Koger:  "Oh yeah, he actually went to Whitmer as well.  Right before my sophomore year is when we started talking and stuff.  He was my host up there when I went on my visit, so he showed me around campus and everything.  I definitely talk to him and stuff. . . . He would say stuff on my Facebook [during the recruiting process] like, "Go Blue!" and one of my good friends lives across the street from him, so I'd go over there, and he'd be over there for discing or something and we'd throw it across the yard.  But he wasn't too annoying with it to the point where I'd get annoyed, but he'd put stuff in my ear. . . . Oh, man, who'd win [in a game of basketball] between me and Kevin (laughs)?  Well, he's been away from basketball for five years now and he's pretty massive, but I think my shot's a little better than his right now, so I'd have to take me. . . . I think I'd win."

Strengths and weaknesses:  "I think one of my strengths is my size.  You know, most D-ends are 6'4'', but I'm 6'5''/6'6'' - and my intelligence of the game, too, knowing the game.  I think one of my weaknesses is going side to side, which is definitely a big part of defensive end.  You have to change your direction, so that's something I'll have to work on during the next four years."

Height, weight, position:  "I'm 6'5'' and 270 [pounds]. . . . Hopefully they can give me a target weight when I get up there but as of now they haven't given me a certain weight that I should get to. . . .As of now they said [I'll play] the 5-technique, but depending on if I lose a little weight or gain twenty pounds that could affect the 3-tech position that way, whether I go down there or just stay at the 5-technique."

Redshirting:  "Well, I think most freshmen come in and try to get on the field and try to play.  But if not and I get redshirted, then that's an extra year of school, an extra year to get bigger and stronger and work on the game of football."

Strong motivation and drive:  "Just wait and see.  You can watch film all you want and roll back the tape of the games, but come out to practice, come out to a workout, go in the classroom and I'll definitely prove you wrong, whoever thinks that my motivation isn't at 100%." 


Learn from the pros:  "I like the way Jared Allen plays for the Vikings, just how he plays defensive end and his style of play.  I like to watch Jared Allen and DeMarcus Ware.  Those are my two favorite defensive end players."  

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