The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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26 THE WOLVERINE SEPTEMBER 2019 STATE OF THE OFFENSE WIDE RECEIVERS Here is where the return from injury causes the most double takes in prac- tice. Michigan has some major talent in place, with a couple of performers really stepping to the fore early on. "Tarik Black has had a great camp and has turned it up even more than the way he did in the spring," Gattis said of the redshirt sophomore. "The spring was an adjustment period for him, but he has bought in to the coach- ing and to the details. He and [sopho- more] Ronnie Bell are two who have stood out at receiver, and Tarik will be a big-time playmaker for us. "Donovan Peoples-Jones is doing well, too, and hasn't missed a snap of practice. He has done a good job learn- ing the details and the techniques we teach at the position, and has done a great job catching up." True freshman receiver Mike Sainris- til proved the talk of spring ball, and Gattis is still talking. "Everyone is excited about Mikey Sainristil because he has picked up right where he left off in the spring," Gattis said. "[True freshman] Cornelius Johnson is having a great camp as a freshman and is wowing people the same way Mikey did in the spring. "We don't always play fast, but these guys have to continue to play fast when we do choose to go at that speed." Jansen also knows Collins will be a huge factor before all is said and done. "Nico Collins had a breakout season last year," Jansen said. "I have seen him. It looks like he's a little bit faster, he's obviously stronger, he still has that 6-4, 6-5 frame, to be able to go up and get balls. We saw that last year. "There is going to be a certain level of confidence that he continues to play with." OFFENSIVE LINE Allowing for competition and the possibility of someone getting nicked up, four of Michigan's five offensive line spots appear set. Those are four returning starters, led on the left side by fifth-year senior left tackle and first- team All-Big Ten performer Jon Run- yan Jr. and returning senior left guard, 2018 captain and second-team All-Big Ten performer Ben Bredeson. Junior center Cesar Ruiz returns for his third season on the field, and so does senior right guard Michael On- wenu — whom Gattis insists tips the scales at 370, regardless of what your program may read. That leaves the competition at right tackle, between redshirt sophomore Andrew Stueber and redshirt fresh- man Jalen Mayfield. There is no early victor in this fight, Gattis assured. "The battle at right tackle been great, though it's too early to name a starter," Gattis noted. "We have two starters there … in my mind, we have six start- ers up front, though we'll never line up in a six-offensive-lineman forma- tion, so no one will ever have to worry about that. "It's unfortunate we can only play five at a time." It's fortunate one of them is On- wenu, both Gattis and Jansen agree. "Mike Onwenu is 370 pounds and has really good feet and can run and move well," Gattis said. "He actually has one of the lowest body fat percent- ages of all of our offensive linemen. "When he knocks back a defensive lineman, you see the guy move — it's like running into a brick wall." Jansen has seen Onwenu and came away impressed with the work of not only the senior, but also Michigan strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert. "Michael Onwenu has leaned up, Ben Bredeson has leaned up," Jansen said. "These guys understand that with Josh Gattis' up-tempo style of of- fense, instead of getting an average of 75 plays a game, they're going to be looking at 85, 90, even upward of 100 plays a game when we start playing teams like Indiana. "The style of play where both teams are going to be the up-tempo, no-hud- dle style of offenses, you're going to see a lot more plays run on both sides of the ball. These guys are in great Offensive coordinator Josh Gattis said senior tight end Sean McKeon "was one of our top two offensive players in the spring," and dubbed him and redshirt junior Nick Eubanks the two best tight ends in the country. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN