The Wolverine

November 2020

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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NOVEMBER 2020 THE WOLVERINE 39   MICHIGAN FOOTBALL monplace for Collins and Peoples- Jones, in particular, the last two years, with many wondering which wideouts will serve as deep threats in 2020. "It could be any of us," sophomore receiver Mike Sainristil told reporters on a Zoom call Oct. 8. "We're doing a great job learning how to create sepa- ration. That comes from small details and techniques that [offensive coor- dinator] Coach [Josh] Gattis works on — leaning in on guys at the top of your route, creating shoulder separa- tion, nudging off guys, etc. "It's small things like that and can go unnoticed, but it works out if you do it the right way." Sainristil only caught eight passes for 145 yards and a touchdown last season as a freshman, but will step into a much more prominent role this season. The Maize and Blue will also have a new quarterback in redshirt soph- omore Joe Milton throwing to the club's revamped receiving unit, with the 6-5, 243-pounder possessing the strongest arm of any quarterback head coach Jim Harbaugh has had yet at U-M. "He threw me a post route [Oct. 7] in practice and the first thing I told myself was 'Joe is in, so keep running because the ball isn't going to land short,'" Sainristil laughed. "As I was tracking the ball, I noticed it was the highest one I'd ever seen thrown. "It was in the air hanging and I asked myself when and where it was going to drop. I kept my head down and continued to run. The ball can be tough to track when it's that high because you don't know when it will land." The sophomore also noted Gattis has advised his receivers to never stop running on their routes down- field when Milton is in, because "the ball is never going to land soon." Fortunately for the Wolverines, they have the speed in place at wide- out to catch up to Milton's down- field rockets. Sainristil tabbed the five fastest wideouts on the team as freshmen Roman Wilson and A.J. Henning, sophomore Giles Jackson, junior Ronnie Bell and himself. "I think Roman will come out with [the title of fastest receiver]," Sainris- til admitted with a laugh. "That guy flies. The two freshmen really help us in the receiver room, in terms of depth. It adds two more fast guys who can make plays. "They're unselfish players as well — that's the type of people we need in that room; guys who will do their part, and put it out there for those around them." — Austin Fox MISCELLANEOUS NOTES • Former Michigan All-American defensive tackle Chris Hutchinson was one of the people leading the way to get football back after the Big Ten postponed the season Aug. 11. He and several other U-M parents organized the "Let Them Play" protest at Michigan Stadium Sept. 5 in hopes they'd drum up support, and head coach Jim Harbaugh was even in attendance. Hutchinson, an emergency room physician at Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital in what had been one of the most infected regions of the entire country, worked with the virus on a daily basis. He felt it safe enough for his son, junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, and others to play. "You're going to have some risks, but these kids would have more risks going to social events," he said. "They're locked in and getting tested three times a week and have motivation to stay healthy, so I think they should be playing." He also lauded the university's efforts in protecting their sons. "We know it will be as safe as they can possibly make it. Jim has done a great job, and I have nothing but the utmost confidence in his ability to keep it safe," he said." Our athletes are safer playing than they are going to parties on campus. Coach Harbaugh has been great throughout this and has assembled a great team. He's been nothing but supportive." • Game times have been set for two of Michigan's eight scheduled games so far. The Wolverines will play at Minnesota at 7:30 p.m. (ET) in the opener on Oct. 24, with the game to be televised by ABC. U-M will play at Ohio State on Dec. 12 at 12 p.m., with FOX televising the game. • On Sept. 30, Michigan freshman linebacker Osman Savage entered his name into the transfer portal, with his U-M tenure ending before ever appearing in a game. He came to U-M as a four-star prospect and the No. 159 overall player nationally per Rivals.com, arriving from powerhouse St. Frances High School in Baltimore. The Wolverines signed two of Savage's teammates in the 2020 cycle as well, in four-star running back Blake Corum and three-star linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green. Savage was one of the headliners of Michigan's entire 2020 recruiting class, checking in as the seventh-highest-rated prospect. He was also part of a loaded incoming linebacker crop that included five total members, four of which were rated as four-stars recruits. Savage was unlikely to earn a starting job in 2020, with redshirt junior Josh Ross, and redshirt sophomores Cam McGrone and Michael Barrett expected to earn those roles. He could, however, have potentially made what is expected to be a very inexperienced two-deep at the position. With Savage's departure, the Wolverines are now slated to have 12 scholarship linebackers on their roster this season. They're also on pace to have just 77 scholarship athletes on the team (the NCAA allows programs to have 85), though that number excludes all past walk-ons who have been given a scholarship at one point or another. — Chris Balas and Austin Fox Freshman Roman Wilson (above) was dubbed the fastest wide receiver on the team by sophomore Mike Sainristil. PHOTO VIA TWITTER

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