Which Michigan Football Reserve is Playing Like a Starter?

Looking at Michigan’s secondary, there has to be a confidence that is growing about those who are slated to start.

Jyaire Hill, Zeke Berry, and Smith Snowden have all played a lot of football. Hill and Berry are both two year starters are Michigan. Snowden played for head coach Kyle Whittingham at Utah and should be the team’s starting nickel corner when the games begin.

Football is a fickle game, though. The injury rate is 100 percent. Dealing with injuries is the rule, not the exception. Somebody is going to get hurt for Michigan at any position, which will mean they’ll need to find some depth in certain positions.

Who at cornerback is growing into a role that looks more like a fourth starter than a backup?

Big Time Recruit

One of Michigan’s biggest priorities on the recruiting trail was Shamari Earls. Earls was a four-star cornerback who was scouted by both Charles Woodson and Will Johnson before being given the number two for his jersey.

That number comes with some expectations. It’s like the number one for a wide receiver. Great players have worn that number in the past.

As Ben Parker once said to his nephew Peter, with great power, comes great responsibility.

Time to Deliver

Michigan is going to face a tough schedule this year. Oklahoma, Indiana, Oregon, and Ohio State are sandwiched around games against Iowa and Penn State.

Michigan is going to have a tough time against some high powered passing games, which means they’ll need as much help from their secondary as possible.

Earls is going to be part of that. Whether it’s to spell someone like the aforementioned starters, or potentially stepping in their place if an injury were to occur.

Earls' size is intriguing, and he has displayed some impressive ball skills during fall camp. Taking the ball away is going to be paramount in some of the tougher games that Michigan plays this season.

Think back to Will Johnson, and how many game-changing plays he made during the 2023 season that helped catapult Michigan to a national championship.

Comparing Earls to Johnson would be a stretch, there are not many cornerbacks that have played as well at Michigan as Johnson did. The ball skills, however, are a trait that Earls appears to share with someone he also shares a number with.

The good news for Earls is that he looks like he is making progress in finding his way onto the field.

“Shamari is playing like a starter, and honestly I'm going to probably have four of them between Zeke, Sug, Snowden and Shamari," cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford said. "Night and day from day one, on and off the field. Took a lot of flak as far as spring goes with some confidence, but he's definitely, definitely grew and I think he's learned a lot from those three guys, from those upperclassmen -- knowing how to watch film, knowing how to practice. Just trying to be consistent every single play. So I think he's learned a lot over the last eight months. I'm very impressed with him.”

Confidence From the Coach

The quote that Earls has been playing like a starter was important to note from his position coach.

That seems like a small quote, but it’s an extreme vote of confidence for a sophomore who did not see time a season ago. Earls earning that confidence from a new coaching staff should help him when it comes time for him to play.

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STORY: https://t.co/DikDpG6ZyM pic.twitter.com/flVrTSk2Kv
— Trent Knoop (@TrentKnoop) August 26, 2026

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