ANN ARBOR >> There is nothing like it for a safety, the big, bruising hit, the “kill shot” as Michigan’s Brandyn Hillman describes, then standing over the player, saying a few choice words, while motiving the defense and moving on to the next play.

If Hillman could do that every play, he would. There’s no doubt he wants to, but defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan has been working with him during spring practices to pick and choose his time for those hits. After all, making one of those tackles while missing two isn’t great math or effective defense.

“Hillman is a kid that’s very unique,” Morgan told reporters this week. “You saw the best of him last year with just what he can do, the physicality, throwing his body around and all that. He just plays crazy sometimes. He just runs through people. He’s gonna be physical, (but this year) trying to play more controlled and not just be a one-trick pony.”

Morgan appreciates the aggression with which Hillman plays, but said he wants him to operate with more controlled aggression.

“Right now, I’m trying to get my guy just to focus,” Morgan said. “He plays with aggression, but all that anger, he’s just a mean guy sometimes, and I got to get him focused on just staying focused throughout a series of a game. But he has grown up.”

Hillman said Wednesday that he is embracing what Morgan is encouraging and is working this spring to not always go for the highlight-reel hit, but to understand the situation and do what needs to be done.

“My focus this year is — as y’all can see, I can hit people. That’s not a thing for me,” Hillman said. “Kind of just taking my time out there, really breaking it down. Trying to minimize the kill shots. Keep them, but that’s my aggression. Just knowing when to do it. Like (Morgan) said, I’ve only got one body, so I’ve got to take care of my body as long as I can so I can stay on the field as long as I can.”

Against Indiana late last season, Hillman knocked out two starters within three plays with clean hits.

“Kinda gives a spark to the team,” he said.

In the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama, Hillman had 37 snaps, four tackles, including a sack, and a pass breakup. He said he gained confidence from that performance.

“I’m ready,” Hillman said of an increased role this season. “I can feel it. I’m ready.”

And he intends to follow Morgan’s advice and play more controlled, which won’t be easy, but is necessary. Hillman said when he gets too hyped on the field, he feels like he stops breathing. Morgan has seen and diagnosed that response, hence the move toward toning things down.

“My coach understands it. He sees it every day,” Hillman said. “When I’m hitting somebody, when it’s an open-field tackle, I don’t have to kill him, just get him down to the ground. If I do get the kill shot, yeah, I can go take it.”

Hillman, who played quarterback in high school, understands the physical and aggressive nature of football, especially on defense. That’s his source for playing the way he does.

“I just feel like you’ve got to play like that in football,” Hillman said. “You can’t be soft. It’s an aggressive game, so either you hit somebody or you get hit. I don’t want to get hit.”

He has been described as having an old-school approach to playing defense, much like fullback Max Bredeson on offense. Hillman calls Bredeson the “tone setter” on offense, and he’s the guy on defense.

Hillman has been taking snaps at safety and nickel this spring. The defensive backs have been working at different spots this spring, Morgan said, in what defensive coordinator Wink Martindale calls a “positionless defense.” It gives the players versatility and the coaches options, and spring practice is the time to tinker.

“I’ve been moving around. I’m cool with it,” Hillman said. “As long as my defense needs it … I ain’t got no problem with it,” Hillman said. “Coach needs me at safety, I’ll go to safety. Coach needs me at nickel, I’ll go to nickel. I ain’t got no problem with it.”

Hillman is the father of 2-year-old daughter Branaya and considers himself a “girl dad.” School, football and parenting are a lot, but his daughter is a constant bright light, especially when things can be tough.

“I would be lying if I said it was easy,” Hillman said. “I like it. It’s not like I just became a dad. It’s been two years. It’s fun. It gives me more motivation to keep going, not to back down. Some of my hardest days, I can look back at my daughter and I’ll be good.”

Morgan admires how Hillman has managed to balance every aspect of his life.

“But right now I’m trying to get my guy just to focus,” Morgan said. “He’s done a great job of focusing on school and focused on his beautiful daughter and now just trying to do it all together.”