The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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42 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY JOHN BORTON M ichigan's first-year offensive coordi- nator and second-year quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell spoke exclusively with The Wolverine regarding his side of the football. Here are his early-summer thoughts on the U-M offense as a whole, the individual position groups and more. The Wolverine: You said after the spring game you believe you'll feature an extremely explosive offense, with explo- sive personnel. What might that look like, in terms of the strengths of this group? Campbell: "Just look at the players we have on offense at the skill positions this year. [Senior tailback] Donovan Edwards is a home run hitter. He has career high- lights of explosive plays. [Junior tight end] Colston Loveland, [sophomore receiver] Semaj Morgan, [junior wideout] Tyler Morris in the Rose Bowl. [Grad running back] Kalel Mullings — every time they touched the ball, it seemed like an explo- sive play. However [junior quarterback] Alex Orji is used, he's an explosive player. "There are other guys, as you go down the list. That's just the nature of the ath- letes we have. It's not going to be hard. It doesn't have to be structurally different. It's their skill sets and what they're able to do with the football." The Wolverine: Donovan Edwards says all the new potential offensive starters carry the same mindset: "Something to prove." Do you like that, in terms of how they're approaching this season mentally? Campbell: "Absolutely. Anytime any- body is doubted, for whatever reason, if they can find motivation outside of the building, it's always good. Anytime any- one wants to speak not highly of you, it's good. We want to use it as a chip on our shoulder. We use it as motivation, and not hate. It's good those guys are finding other ways to motivate themselves to be the best offense in the country." The Wolverine: Everyone understands there are all new full-time starters on the offensive line, but certainly not players who haven't seen action. What's the step forward you want these guys to take this summer? Campbell: "The nameplates are going to change on those jerseys, but the pro- duction is not. We have really good foot- ball players there. The number of starts hasn't been there, but the experience is more than some may perceive. A lot of these guys, last year, were playing in the third quarter against Michigan State and Minnesota and Nebraska. They were play- ing halves of football last year. That's go- ing to carry weight. That's a huge part of it. "We're not looking in the past. Zak Zinter, Trevor Keegan — they're not walk- ing back through the door. Our guys are taking the steps that this is their position, this is their team, and that's where I want them to continue to go. "This is their offense. This is Team 145. Just keep fighting forward — don't look back." The Wolverine: You're the offensive coordinator, Grant Newsome now has the offensive line, but will the head coach still want to be hands-on with these guys? Campbell: "I think Sherrone Moore is an outstanding head coach. He is going to do whatever he feels is necessary to help our team win." The Wolverine: You said after the spring game you needed to add personnel at receiver, and you did. Are you set there, and what do you like about this group? Campbell: "We have added a lot of length. We added Amorion Walker, and he's long, and he can run. We've got some speed. We've got some guys that are natural ball catchers. The room looks totally differ- ent now, as far as competition, than it did in the spring. "I'm not saying they're going to play right away, but some of the freshmen just make you feel comfortable that the room is deeper. [Freshmen] Channing Goodwin and I'Marion Stewart are really good foot- ball players. They are going to push those older guys, and they're not too much older. The [sophomores] Fred Moores, the Semaj Morgans and the Kendrick Bells, they're going to push them to get better. "The length is exciting, and the speed is exciting." The Wolverine: How big of a role will your tight ends play in making life easier for a new QB? Campbell: "When you look at our of- fense, it goes through your best players. There's no doubt that Donovan Edwards and Colston Loveland are our best play- ers. Colston being a tight end and one of our best players is very advantageous for a quarterback. In the past, I've been a very tight end-friendly coordinator. You go look Coordinator Kirk Campbell Expects Explosiveness, Preparedness OFFENSE Q&A Campbell is in his first season as the program's offensive coordinator and third overall, having served as an offensive analyst in 2021 before becoming the quarterback coach last season, a role he still retains. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL