ANN ARBOR -- Finally, something different.

For weeks, Michigan football coaches and players have stood in front of reporters and painted a portrait of positivity. About how "great" things were going in preseason camp and how competition was making everyone better.

Well, Mike Zordich is here to play Grinch, because things aren't so rosy when it comes to the Wolverines' young cornerbacks.

"They're not coming together," Michigan's secondary and special teams coach said Monday. "I don't know if they're just afraid to make plays, because they have the ability and they've shown the ability. They've done it."

Just not consistently enough, apparently. Aside from sophomore Lavert Hill, who's healthy now and improving in camp, Zordich indicated every other corner spot remains wide open ahead of Michigan's season opener Sept. 2 against Florida.

In other words, no one else has stepped up.

"They show flashes," Zordich said. "They just need to grab it. Somebody ought to grab it and run with it and take it. It's just not happening."

The competition -- or perhaps lack thereof, at this point -- remains centered around a group of players with zero combined college starts at cornerback, Hill included.

Sophomore David Long was atop the depth chart with Hill in the spring, but he apparently hasn't done enough to separate himself in camp. And Zordich had trouble explaining why.

"That's probably a question you have to ask David Long," Zordich said. "Because it's out there. Go grab it. Take it. It's there for the taking."

Also in question is senior Brandon Watson, who played in all 13 games last season for Michigan. Watson remains a big help in supporting the run-defense in camp, but hasn't broken out as the leader some internally had hoped for.

"Being the oldest guy out there, I would think, 'Hey, I should be in charge back here, I'm going to take this thing and let's go,'" Zordich said. "But that's not happening."

That leaves the door open for sophomore Keith Washington, who's taken some reps at safety, former receiver Drake Harris and freshmen Ambry Thomas and Benjamin St-Juste.

And while Zordich continues to wear his frustration on his sleeve, he is adamant there is no concern. He's been through this before, in 2010 as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff. Personnel was young and inexperienced then, but figured it out.

The hope is that these guys will, too.

"Hopefully some of them will read this article," Zordich said. "I don't want to sound the alarm, but I'm just trying to get these guys to move along.

"You hear the 'youth' thing, but that's no longer an excuse. You've had a spring and now you're friggin' two weeks away from a big game. It's time to go."