The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2021 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 81 [ T I G H T E N D S ] PLAYER BIOS POSITION COACH Jay Harbaugh is in his seventh season with the Wolverines and his third as the tight ends coach, after having been moved over from his post as running backs coach, where he served for four seasons from 2017-20. He coached tight ends in his first two campaigns at Michigan (2015-16). He is also entering his second season as special teams coordinator, after serving as an assistant for that unit from 2015-19. Harbaugh has been around football his entire life — his dad, Jim, is Michigan's head coach, and his un- cle, John, is in the NFL leading the Baltimore Ravens. Under his leadership, U-M's tight end group achieved immense success in 2015 and 2016. Jake Butt became Michigan's all-time leader in tight end receptions (138) and yards (1,646), scoring seven of his 11 career touchdowns with Harbaugh guiding the group. Butt won two Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year Awards as the Big Ten's best at the position, was a consensus first-team All-American both years and took home the 2016 John Mackey Award for the nation's top tight end. As the running backs coach in 2020, Harbaugh helped Hassan Haskins rank 24th in the country in yards per carry (6.15) and post six rushing touch- downs. In 2019, Harbaugh led a group that included a pair of all-conference standouts. Zach Charbonnet, a third-team All-Big Ten pick by the media, set a Michigan freshman record for rushing touchdowns, finding the end zone 11 times. Haskins, an All-Big Ten honorable mention selec- tion, totaled 622 yards and four scores on 121 car- ries. In 2018, Karan Higdon compiled 1,000 yards on the ground — a first at Michigan in seven seasons — un- der Harbaugh's guidance. Higdon was awarded with a spot on the first-team All-Big Ten squad and was named a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award (best all-around player) and the Doak Walker Award (best running back in the nation). During his first year in charge of the running backs in 2017, Harbaugh oversaw a group that had three ball carriers run for more than 500 yards — marking the first time since 1991 that three or more U-M backs reached that figure. Harbaugh spent the three seasons prior to coming to Michigan under his uncle's tutelage, including the 2014 season as an offensive quality control coach focusing on statistical analysis, self-scouting reports and breakdowns of opposing defenses. He was also part of the Baltimore Ravens coaching staff that won Super Bowl XLVII in 2013, beating his father's San Francisco 49ers. In college, he spent four seasons as an undergradu- ate assistant at Oregon State under head coach Mike Riley. Harbaugh also interned for the San Francisco 49ers in the scouting department during the summer of 2011. A native of San Diego, he holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Oregon State. RETURNING PLAYERS ERICK ALL • TE So. • Fairfield, Ohio Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 229 • S ta r te d t wo ga m e s a n d played in all six during the 2020 season. • Caught 12 passes for 82 yards, highlighted by a career-long 33-yard reception at Minnesota. • Played in 11 games as a true freshman in 2019 and caught one pass for 10 yards, a crucial red-zone third down reception to move the chains. • Also contributed on special teams and assisted on one tackle. • Honored by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Associa- tion for his performance at wide receiver (South- west All-District first team) and tight end (Division 1 All-State third team) during his prep career. • Grabbed 73 passes for more than 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns during his three years at Fairfield High. • Tabbed as a four-star recruit, the No. 15 prospect in Ohio and the No. 16 tight end in the land by Rivals. Year GP/GS Rec. Yds. Avg. TD 2020 6/2 12 82 6.8 0 2019 11/0 1 10 10.0 0 Totals 17/2 13 92 7.1 0 LUKE SCHOONMAKER • TE R-So. • Hamden, Conn. Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 252 • Saw game action in all six con- tests at tight end and on spe- cial teams, but did not record any statistics. • Appeared in 11 games and played tight end in nine in 2019, and contributed two receptions for 54 yards and a score. • The first touchdown of his career came on a 25- yard reception against Illinois. • Redshirted during his first year at Michigan, see- ing game action only against Rutgers. • Tabbed by Walter Camp as a first-team All-State performer after his senior season, while USA Today made him a second-team pick. • Ranked by Rivals as a three-star recruit, the No. 3 player in Connecticut and the No. 39 tight end nationally. Year GP/GS Rec. Yds. Avg. TD 2020 6/0 0 0 0 0 2019 11/0 2 54 27.0 1 2018 1/0 0 0 0.0 0 Totals 12/0 2 54 27.0 1 MATT HIBNER • TE Fr. • Burke, Va. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 233 • Did not see game action as a freshman in 2020. • Played for the U.S. National Team in the 2020 Interna- tional Bowl and scored two touchdowns. • Rated a three-star prospect, the No. 15 player in Virginia and the No. 31 tight end nationally by Rivals. NEWCOMERS LOUIS HANSEN • TE Fr. • Dover, Mass. Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 232 • Tabbed to the Super 26 All-State Football Team in 2019, and was the only junior to make the list, but his senior season was canceled. • All-Independent School League first-team and All-New England Preparatory School Athletic Council first-team selection as a junior. • Totaled 39 receptions for 548 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior. • Regarded as a four-star prospect, and the No. 5 tight end and No. 84 overall player in the class of 2021 by Rivals. Luke Schoonmaker, now in his fourth year as a Wolverine, has the size (6-5, 252) and experience to become a contributor at tight end for U-M. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL