Kyle Whittingham, the new Michigan football head coach, officially named Jay Hill as the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator at the start of the month. Hill moved to Ann Arbor after serving as the associate head coach, defensive coordinator, and safeties coach at BYU for four years.
Last summer, BYU cornerbacks Tre Alexander and Jonathan Kabeya joined the Coug Connect podcast to discuss playing for Hill. Alexander concluded the 2025 season by playing in 12 games for the Cougars, recording 34 tackles and an interception, while Kabeya appeared in four games and had 10 total tackles.
“I don’t think people understand, playing with Coach Hill, you can talk about this, that man knows every single play that is going to happen before it happens,” Alexander stated. “I am telling you, Coach Hill, he is a football connoisseur. ”
The figures support these statements. In 2025, Hill assisted the Cougars to rank among the top ten in the country in red zone defense, red zone touchdown defense, interceptions, and defensive touchdowns. In the previous season, BYU led the country in interceptions with 22 and finished third in passing defense efficiency with 105. 91.
Kabeya stated that, on set, Hill was always one step ahead, knowing what would happen before it happened.
“When you play for someone like that, you trust them and make plays from there,” Kabeya stated.
Furthermore, Kabeya stated why he enjoyed playing for Hill, which may attract other players to Ann Arbor.
“This is by far the most enjoyable coached defense I’ve ever played for,” Kabeya remarked. “I am really doing everything. As a nickel, I can blitz, cover, play zone, and they toss me outside as well. You’re really demonstrating your versatility. ”
With such high acclaim, the Michigan defense, especially the secondary, should be well-prepared for success under the new leadership.
