The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1493247
2023 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE 44 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2023 BY EJ HOLLAND The first in-home visit Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh conducted this past December was with tight end signee Zack Marshall. The three-star prospect out of Carlsbad (Calif.) High might not be the most highly touted signee in the 2023 class, but he has a ton of upside and is extremely valued by the Michigan staff. Harbaugh made that very clear on his trip to Southern Cali- fornia. Of course, his quirky personality was on full display as well. "He has a very fun taste in music," Mar- shall said. "We were talking about ethnici- ties. We're actually white, Black, Spanish and Native American. "We're Choctaw. He said he knew a song about Choctaw and had us pull up a song called 'Indian Outlaw' by Tim Mc- Graw. He's such a fun guy to be around. He sat right in front of the TV and said, 'This is what I do best.' "He had a Diet Coke in one hand and the remote in the other. We told him to make himself at home, and he sure did." Marshall committed to Michigan in the summer, shortly after making an unof- ficial visit. Relationships played a key role for Marshall, and both Harbaugh and tight end coach Grant Newsome were very in- volved in his recruitment. "I love those guys," Marshall said. "They are both so personable. Coach Newsome is like a father figure to me and kind of like a friend. I'm so happy that they've done so much to help me out. They've made this possibility a reality. They continue to amaze me with their humility and kind- ness." Aside from the staff, Marshall fell in love with Michigan's tradition, culture and elite academics. "First, the football is amazing," he said. "They made it to the Fiesta Bowl and had a great team. They also have an amazing culture. "I think Joel Honigford said it best, 'With great team success comes great in- dividual success.' They preach that. 'The team, the team, the team.' That's some- thing I really embrace. "It also has an awesome education. Lastly, they have a very strong Christian culture. With all that, there was no say- ing no." Marshall racked up more than 1,000 yards receiving as a junior before taking a step up in competition and transferring to Carlsbad for his senior season. While he had to sit out for the first half of the season due to transfer rules, he still flashed and proved to be one of the best receiving tight ends on the West Coast. Marshall does need to add weight and get more comfortable as an in-line blocker. However, he enrolled in January and believes he'll be ready to compete for early playing time. "Seeing how Michigan uses their tight ends to their strengths is really fun to watch," Marshall said. "I'm excited to get in there with them. I'm also excited to get with Coach Herb [director of strength and conditioning Ben Herbert]. Overall, these men that are in that Michigan cul- ture are so uplifting. I'm excited to be a part of it." ❏ Early Enrollee Zack Marshall Has Big Upside As Pass-Catching Tight End 2023 Projection Marshall will have the benefit of enrolling early and going through spring practices. With the tight end room losing a couple of players, it wouldn't be surprising to see Marshall get some time in the rotation, especially considering the number of tight ends U-M utilizes in its offense. Marshall is a plus pass catcher but needs to develop as a blocker. Marshall racked up 44 catches for 1,012 yards and 9 touchdowns as a junior before transferring to Carlsbad High, where he averaged 12.3 yards per catch with 5 TDs as a senior. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND STATISTICS Year Rec. Yds. TD 2022 23 284 5 2021 44 1,012 9 2020 13 262 4 HONORS • Tight end MVP at the 2022 Elite 11 Camp. • Helped Carlsbad go 10-2 in his senior year, leading to an appearance in the Open Division title game. • Part of a Santa Fe Christian Eagles team that posted a 10-1 record his junior season with a playoff appearance. • Entered his senior season ranked as the No. 14 athlete nationally by On3. RECRUITMENT • Pledged to Michigan Aug. 13, 2022, after receiving offer on July 31, 2022. • Picked U-M over offers from Utah, Ari- zona, Washington State and California. • Recruited by U-M tight ends coach Grant Newsome. DID YOU KNOW? • Enrolled early at U-M. • Transferred to Carlsbad High for his senior season after playing at Santa Fe Christian; had to sit out the first four games of 2022 due to a transfer rule. • Teammate of 2024 five-star QB Julian Sayin (Alabama commit) at Carlsbad. • Played wide receiver for two seasons. • Son of Kelly and Evangelina Marshall. • Born July 9, 2005. THEY SAID IT On3 director of scouting and rankings Charles Power: "Zack Marshall looks to be among the more refined pass catch- ers among 2023 tight ends. Marshall is advanced with his route running and has the ability to win off the line and cre- ate separation with change of direction. He's coordinated and is a ball-winner in contested-catch situations." ZACK MARSHALL TIGHT END 6-4 • 230 CARLSBAD HIGH SOLANA BEACH, CALIF. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ 527 26 45 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 28 33 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 46 67 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 24 65 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 28 33 consensus