The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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28 THE WOLVERINE ❱ MAY 2023 BY CHRIS BALAS M ichigan football held its annual spring game April 1 — the late Bo Schembechler's birthday — in a cold and windy Big House. The weather didn't dampen the enthusiasm, nor did it detract from what proved to be an outstanding game. The Maize team, coached by run- ning backs coach Mike Hart, took down safeties/special teams coach Jay Har- baugh's Blue squad 22-21 on a last-minute two-point conversion. Receiver Peyton O'Leary, a former walk-on, caught the two-pointer on a pass from junior quarterback Davis War- ren, part of a big day for both. O'Leary led all receivers with 6 catches for 126 yards, while Warren completed 8 of 13 passes for 163 yards with 1 interception. The squads were drafted by Michi- gan assistants during the week, but the selections came after the starters were split evenly. Sophomore defensive tackle Kenneth Grant went No. 1 overall among the remaining players (to the Blue team), and the game was broken down into three 12-minute quarters and a 15-minute fourth quarter. Junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy started for the Maize team, with mixed re- sults. He threw an interception on third- and-8 from the 44-yard line, brought in by graduate safety Quinten Johnson, after the ball sailed on him. He brought the Maize back from seven points down with a 5-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Jake Thaw, however, and fin- ished 7-of-10 passing for 84 yards with a touchdown and a pick in one half of work. McCarthy's best throw of the day was a 22-yard out pass into the wind to grad student receiver Cornelius Johnson. Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle had his ups and downs quarterbacking the Blue team. He completed 6 of 12 passes for 57 yards but had an interception and a fumble. He also grossed 28 yards rushing, however, showing some agility both scrambling and on designed runs. The Blue team started with the ball to begin the second half tied 7-7, quarter- backed by Alex Orji. It took a few series to get going, but the sophomore had some nice moments. The Maize defense, led by sophomore linebacker Ernest Hausmann, forced a fumble and a Blue turnover on his first drive — the Nebraska transfer was one of the game's top defensive players, notching a game-high 8 tackles (4 solo, 1 for loss) — but Orji and freshman running back Benjamin Hall got it working. Hall broke a 31-yard run to the 1-yard line to end the third quarter tied 7-7 and scored from 1 yard out to start the fourth, putting the blue up 14-7. Hall finished with 96 yards on 13 car- ries in an impressive showing, leading all rushers. Veterans Blake Corum and Dono- van Edwards didn't play after sitting out much of spring while recovering from injuries. Sophomore CJ Stokes and fresh- man Cole Cabana were held out, as well. The Maize tied it at 14-14 on the next drive, sparked by a 33-yard pass from Warren to O'Leary, capped by graduate student back Leon Franklin's run from 3 yards out with a little less than 10 minutes to play. The Blue got right back into scoring territory on its next drive, headlined by a long completion from Orji to freshman wide Fredrick Moore that got them in- side the opposing 30-yard line. The drive was capped off by a 5-yard pass from Orji to graduate transfer tight end AJ Barner, putting the Blue up 21-14 with five min- utes to go. But the Maize had one last comeback drive in them. The group put together a long and methodical drive finished by a touchdown run from Franklin with 1:44 to go, followed by O'Leary's two-point con- version to go up 22-21. A Maize defensive stand ended the game. Moore led the Blue receivers with 4 catches for 62 yards, while Orji completed 4 of 6 passes for 47 yards and ran for 18 more. Junior tight end Matthew Hibner had the longest reception of the day, a 52- yard catch-and-run for the Maize, while junior Jaydon Hood led the Blue in tackles with 7, including 4 solo stops. NEWCOMER JOSAIAH STEWART IS OFF TO A GREAT START AT EDGE Coastal Carolina edge transfer Josaiah Stewart almost looks wiry from a distance in a Michigan uniform, to the point that he could be mistaken ❱ MICHIGAN FOOTBALL Maize Squad Outlasts Blue In Exciting Spring Game Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle completed 6 of 12 passes for 57 yards but had an interception and a fumble in the spring game. He also showed some agility both scrambling and on designed runs. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL