The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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SEPTEMBER 2023 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 27 both fully healed from the injuries they endured during the 2023 campaign. "Blake has been phenomenal," Moore said. "This offseason, he just worked, worked, worked and worked. And now he's at the point where it feels like he's back. "I'm just excited to see him and 'Dono' spread their wings and continue to do what they've been doing in training camp, because they're both feeling really good, they're feeling healthy." Edwards might have summed it up best, noting: "You can't cover me and worry about Blake at the same time. You've got to pick and choose; you've got to choose the matchup that you want to lose at." When they're not getting the foot- ball, sophomore C.J. Stokes (273 yards rush and 1 touchdown in 2023) or 5-11, 234-pound freshman Benjamin Hall are waiting for their shot to run behind Zinter and his linemates. Offensive Line Harbaugh insists Michigan goes 10 deep on the offensive line — at least. The competition looks fierce enough that Harbaugh intends to start one set of tackles in Game 1, and another in Game 2. A less-than-imposing nonconference schedule allows for that, but so does Michigan's "Brute Squad" talent. "Coach Harbaugh said it — we've got 10 dudes who could start damn near anywhere in the country," Zinter said. "It's great to have depth in the offensive line. It's going to take more than just five guys to play this year and get us the wins. "You guys saw some big packages out of us last year. Who knows, maybe we'll get 10 on the field and a running back. It definitely opens up some stuff to get creative." Heading into the season, the "Big 10- Plus" offensive line shapes up like this: grad Karsen Barnhart (6-foot-5, 316 pounds) and Arizona State grad trans- fer LaDarius Henderson (6-4, 315) bat- tling at left tackle; grad Trevor Keegan (6-6, 320) at left guard, backed by ju- nior Giovanni El-Hadi (6-5, 318); Stan- ford grad transfer Drake Nugent (6-2, 301) likely starting at center, but pushed hard by junior Greg Crippen (6-4, 309); Zinter (6-6, 322) at right guard, backed by sophomore Andrew Gentry (6-7, 327); and grad Trente Jones (6-4, 325) at right tackle, backed by senior Jeff Persi (6-8, 320) or senior transfer Myles Hin- ton (6-6, 340). Senior Reece Atteberry (6-5, 309) was on the two-deep but was switched to defensive line in camp. Wide Receivers Harbaugh made it clear that com- ing into camp, the Wolverines featured an established top three receivers: grad Cornelius Johnson (32 catches, 499 yards, 6 touchdowns in 2023), senior Ro- man Wilson (25, 376, 4) and sophomore Tyler Morris (3, 25, 0). But that's far from the whole story, Harbaugh detailed. "That's a whole group there of really good players," Harbaugh noted. "Three of the freshmen — Karmello Eng- lish, Fredrick Moore and Semaj Mor- gan — those three have really come in and asserted themselves, right off the bat. They've taken reps with the ones, they've taken reps with the twos. They're not playing like freshmen. "Karmello, Fredrick and Semaj, their ability to get out of a break, we haven't seen that from any freshmen, or too many receivers that have come out of here. Fredrick Moore's ability to track the ball is as good as I've seen. Semaj Morgan — quick, fast, and a shorter stature but a very big catch radius. He can catch balls away from his body, he can high point. He's been really good." In addition, junior Cristian Dixon has been steady in camp and sophomore Darrius Clemons is getting over an in- jury, and either could contribute. Tight Ends Sophomore Colston Loveland's touch- down catch in the win at Ohio State fully signaled the arrival of the 6-5, 245-pounder from Idaho. It highlighted his 16 catches for 235 yards and 2 touch- downs as a freshman. He could be a Mc- Carthy go-to target this year, but there exists plenty of veteran length and savvy to supplement. The Wolverines picked up another Indiana transfer, 6-6, 251-pound A.J. Barner, in the offseason. The senior started eight games last year and served as a captain for the Hoosiers, making 28 catches for 199 yards and 3 touchdowns. Junior Max Bredeson also made his pres- ence known last year, appearing in 14 games with 5 grabs for 78 yards. ❑ Offense At A Glance RETURNING STARTERS (6) QB J.J. McCarthy, RB Blake Corum, WR Corne- lius Johnson, LG Trevor Keegan, RG Zak Zinter, OT Karsen Barnhart TOP THREE STORYLINES How prolific will Michigan's passing attack be this year? The stars are aligned for an effort upwards of 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns. Junior quar- terback J.J. McCarthy comes in brimming with confidence. It could get better, with an offense looking to throw more. How many transfers will earn a starting job between the offensive line and tight end? Grad transfers LaDarius Henderson and Drake Nugent look like strong candidates to start at left tackle and center, respectively, although Jim Harbaugh recently said grad left tackle Karsen Barnhart has enjoyed the best camp of any offensive lineman. Senior transfer A.J. Barner could start at tight end, especially if Michigan paired him in a two-tight end set with sopho- more Colston Loveland. Who will lead the team in receiving — grad wideout Cornelius Johnson or senior wideout Roman Wilson? This could be close, provided they both stay healthy. We're going with Wilson because of his excellent fall camp thus far and his breakaway speed. TOP THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH • QB J.J. McCarthy — The ball will be in Mc- Carthy's hands every single play, and he trig- gers everything. His ability to escape a rush and his decision making once he does could prove crucial. • RB Blake Corum — Corum wants to lead this team not just for 11 games, but all the way through. He's worked diligently to go the distance and could be a key factor in Michi- gan doing the same. Look for another 1,000- yard season from him, and perhaps as part of a 2,500-yard rushing duo. • RB Donovan Edwards — Ohio State's de- fense developed a nervous tic over the winter, believing Edwards might still be running. His breakaway performance in Columbus set the bar sky high for him. Edwards' ability to catch the football also adds a dangerous dimension. FRESHMAN TO WATCH • WR Fredrick Moore — Moore is part of a freshman trio at wideout that is getting snaps with the ones and the twos in fall camp. His abil- ity to track a football is excellent, Harbaugh said. Honorable mentions: WR Karmello English and RB Benjamin Hall. — John Borton