The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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20 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2022 Keegan (6-6, 324) started 11 games at that position last year, earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. Redshirt junior Ryan Hayes (6-7, 307) started all 13 games at left tackle, garnering second- team All-Big Ten status from conference coaches. Sophomore Zak Zinter (6-6, 320) battled past injury to start 11 games at right guard in 2021, getting named second-team All-Big Ten by conference media. Those three return, fresh off a domi- nant blocking performance against Ohio State at the end of last year's regular sea- son. As stated, the center and right tackle spots don't appear to be hurting. Sophomore center Greg Crippen (6-4, 290) returns after impressing many in six appearances last season. U-M then made the big splash by landing grad transfer Olusegun Oluwatimi (6-3, 310). The Rimington Award finalist from Virginia fit it very quickly, Harbaugh assured. "First impressions of Olu? He hasn't missed a beat," Harbaugh said. "He came in and hit the ground running, like he's been here for three or four years. Very good leadership, very mature guy, very strong guy. He's a great addition." Unprompted, Harbaugh then talked about the remaining position. "At right tackle, Trente Jones is the frontrunner right now," he said. "And there are some good young players — [sophomore Reece] Atteberry, and quite a few. The offensive line looks good." The 6-4, 307-pound Jones is a redshirt sophomore who has put in solid time as a backup. He appeared in 13 Michigan games last year, at right tackle and on special teams. Atteberry (6-5, 307) has also been making some noise behind the scenes for the Wolverines. He appeared in eight games last year, on special teams and at guard. There are others battling as well, with offensive line coach Moore looking for a strong encore to his debut as O-line boss in 2021. WIDE RECEIVERS One of Michigan's potential biggest contributors at the wideout spot made his presence felt in spring ball not as a player, but as an instructor. For now, that's enough. Grad student Ronnie Bell figured 2021 would be his last year in a Michigan uni- form, and that he'd go out with a bang. Instead, he got banged up early, an ACL tear forcing him to sit out and reconsider his immediate future. As of early March, he was shouting out instructions and waiting for his chance to get back in the mix. He'd done some straight-line running, but no contact. "He's doing good," Harbaugh said. "He's on track, doing a ton of coach- ing right now. He's like another coach out there. He's in a great place physi- cally and contributing a lot in a coaching role." Bell caught one pass in 2021, for a 76- yard touchdown, before getting side- lined for the season. He led the team with 26 catches for 401 yards in the CO- VID-truncated 2020 campaign, while pacing the Wolverines with 48 grabs and 758 yards in 2021. Bell figures to stop the downward trend in the numbers, a circumstance beyond his control. He'll have plenty of company in the catching crew. Junior Cornelius Johnson paced the group a year ago with 39 receptions for 620 yards. Sophomore Roman Wilson made 25 catches for 420. Sophomore A.J. Henning caught 10 throws for 79 yards, but proved a major weapon in the end-around game, rushing nine times for 162 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Junior Mike Sainristil caught 22 passes for 312 yards and looks to add defensive duties to his playbook this season. "Mike has been playing corner, nickel corner, for the start of spring ball," Har- baugh noted. "We project him as a two- way player, or maybe even a three-way player. He's got the skill set for it." Sainristil's availability for defense might come not only from his own ver- satility, but also from the next wave of young, athletic receivers for the Wol- verines. Sophomore Andrel Anthony made a dozen catches for 248 yards last fall, but stunned his hometown of East Lansing with a 155-yard, two-TD effort at Michi- gan State. Those numbers included a 93-yard touchdown grab. He'll take a step up, while three early entry freshmen — 6-3, 205-pound Dar- rius Clemons; 6-4, 180-pound Amorion Walker; and 6-0, 175-pound Tyler Mor- ris — have already turned heads. "Freak show," Harbaugh noted, ad- miringly. "All three receivers, physically, what they can do in terms of running, jumping. Those traits are quite off the charts." RUNNING BACKS Perhaps the biggest loss on offense involves the departure of tailback Has- san Haskins, who leaped tall Buckeyes in a single bound. His 270 carries for 1,327 yards and 20 touchdowns put wins on the board and smiles on maize and blue faces. The cupboard isn't exactly bare, how- ever. Quite the contrary. Sophomore tailback Blake Corum re- turns after seeing his 1,000-yard sea- son taken away only by a late-season ankle injury. He still wound up with 143 tries for 952 yards, making for a 6.7-yard average that led all U-M players with double-digit carries. He'll team with sophomore Donovan Edwards to form another major one- two punch. Edwards carried 35 times for 174 yards and three touchdowns on the season. He also showed off his throwing arm, firing a 75-yard touchdown pass in the Big Ten Championship Game. A late-season ankle injury cost Blake Corum a chance to top the 1,000-yard plateau as a freshman, but his average of 6.7 yards per carry led all Michigan running backs. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL