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| Courtney Avery |
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 174 lbs.
High school: Mansfield (OH) Lexington
Position: Cornerback
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #5
Last year: I ranked Avery #25 and said he would start at slot corner. He did start five games and had 19 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, .5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery.
Avery was the returning starter at slot corner last season, but he was forced into a tough spot immediately when starting field corner Blake Countess tore his ACL in the opener. Avery bumped outside and had some struggles. Afterward, the coaches inserted Raymon Taylor into the starting outside job and tried to keep Avery in the nickel package. It was a slightly down year for him after having been a pretty solid role player.
This spring Avery said he didn't take any reps at the nickel spot, and freshman Dymonte Thomas seems destined to take that position. Meanwhile, Avery looks like the primary backup at field corner behind Countess once again, although the additional practice time and reps should make him a more prepared backup there this season. The nickel and field corner positions are very different from each other. Michigan has had a rough time keeping corners healthy and on the field over the past several seasons (Countess, J.T. Floyd, Troy Woolfolk, Boubacar Cissoko, etc.), and the young guys generally aren't studs who should see the field right away. It will be good to have a veteran backup like Avery ready to step in if the need arises.
Prediction: Backup field corner
I will never forget the interception he made to seal our victory in The Game
ReplyDeleteI am still holding out hope that one of the freshmen (beyond Dymonte) comes in and surprises. The opportunity is there for one of them to assert himself. That's probably wishful thinking as you mention, but I don't see any naturals at field corner in the upper classes.
ReplyDeleteSleeper pick for freshman to surprise: Mike McCray
DeleteQuite possible...but would like it even more if it was Hurst. We need beasts on the Dline more than at LB..
DeleteI would think Avery would be the first guy in if Countess, Taylor, or Thomas are hurt - any one of them. Am I wrong?
ReplyDeleteAlso assume he'd come in for dime packages. Does Michigan use dime packages very much?
Avery is a nice player to have. Not a game-changer but a good reliable vet with experience. Hopefully this is the kind of depth player we'll consistently have at most positions.
I feel pretty bad for Avery if D. Thomas does indeed supplant him at the Nickel spot. He has been a multi-year starter and is a Senior. Guys with that profile usually get the "benefit of the doubt" from the coaching staff and get to hold on to their starting spot at least for the beginning of the season. I completely understand wanting to get a talent like Thomas on the field, however.
ReplyDeleteYou dont think he'll start at slot corner this year with countess back?
ReplyDeleteI think I addressed that in the post...
DeleteOther sites have him starting over Taylor this year
ReplyDelete