Erick All: Turning the 2020 season from ‘the worst season I’ve ever played’ into a key role for 2022
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Going into the 2020 season tight end Erick All was being called a “sure-handed” pass-catcher according to teammates and his coaches. The four-star recruit from the class of 2019 from Fairfield (Ohio) was predicted to be a major breakout performer for the 2020 season, but drops got in the way.
According to Pro Football Focus, All dropped 25% of balls that were on target to him, and the analytic site gave All a 28.1 grade for hands/drops. 2020 was not a good year for the tight end.
Erick All was one of the four Michigan football players that attended the Big Ten media days on Tuesday in Indianapolis, and he was asked about that 2020 season and what it did to him mentally. All acknowledged that it was the worst season he has ever played. He gives thanks to mentor Greg Harden — who would mentor student-athletes at Michigan — for helping him get his focus back.
“Man, it’s that was my worst season I’ve ever played in my life,” All admitted during Big Ten media days. “Ever. And I’m like, it’s just the game. Like, when when I talked to Greg, Mr. Greg Harden, he basically put me back in that mindset. And basically reminded me football is a game, you’re supposed to have fun, you’re not supposed to treat it like a job. And I’m not supposed to treat it like it runs your life. It’s a sport. You don’t need football, you need to focus on what you do after football and what other things you can focus on other than football. It basically changed my life because I was probably more than likely going to be stuck in the same mindset.”
The starting tight end at Michigan said hearing all that hype going into the season killed him mentally, especially after dropping that first ball during the season. He said it was like a switch flipped in his brain and it was over. But now he is treating the game like it should be treated — having fun, but staying competitive.
“Just hearing all the hype about me, just killed me and I dropped that ball, I just dropped one ball,” said All. “And it was just a switch that just hit my brain like it was just over for me. Talking to Greg to flip that switch back in the right spot. I got into the game as more of like a fun, fun and competitive and I’m treating it like how it should be treated. I feel like that’s the way to succeed in this game. Going out there worrying about targets and worrying about receptions it’s going to lead you down the wrong path. And I can tell you that firsthand.”
Last season, in 2021, All bounced back in a huge way after regaining his focus. He caught 38 receptions for 437 yards and two scores. PFF had him with a significantly better 9.5% drop rate for 2021.
Now Erick All, along with Luke Schoonmaker, is listed on the Mackey Award watch list for the nation’s best tight end. Jim Harbaugh made a statement on Tuesday that he believes Michigan has the best two tight ends in the country.
“Erick All. I think, in my opinion, his biggest competition for being the best tight end in the country will be Luke Schoonmaker and I think Luke Schoonmaker’s toughest competition to be the best tight end in America will be Erick All,” Harbaugh admitted on Tuesday.
Later on, Harbaugh talked about his veteran players on the team like Cade McNamara, Ronnie Bell, Erick All, and others, about how much leadership they have shown to the younger players. How they are coaching them up and setting a tremendous example.
The last John Mackey Award winner at Michigan was Jake Butt back in 2016. He helped show what a dynamic tight end can do for an offense. Erick All has those same qualities, just like running 47-yards against Penn State — on a less than 100% ankle — for a winning touchdown.
The Michigan offense is loaded at wide receiver and tight end, but we can most certainly expect Erick All to have a tremendous season in Ann Arbor.
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What Jim Harbaugh said at Big Ten media days press conference
