The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1523593
W I D E R E C E I V E R S 56 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY JOHN BORTON T here wasn't anything wrong with Michigan's five-man nucleus of scholarship wideouts that finished spring ball — unless you were starting a pickup basketball team and looking for length. Still, the Wolverines couldn't get by for a season on a handful of pass catchers, given injuries and the constant on-the-move nature of the position. Michigan offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell made that quite clear after the spring game. Eight might be enough, but five clearly wasn't. "I think we've got some explosive guys," Campbell commented. "It's a top-loaded room, and we need to get some guys to help out there. We will probably look at some guys at that position. How many? I'm not sure. We just need to have numbers. Hamstring injuries are go- ing to happen, quad injuries. We just need to make sure we have enough guys to field a roster." Less than two weeks later, Michigan's wide- out ranks grew by two. C.J. Charleston — a 6-foot, 190-pound former Youngstown State receiver — arrived by the transfer portal to become a sixth- year performer for the Wolverines. Then a very familiar name —Amorion Walker — returned via the portal after leaving Michigan for Mississippi and spending all of one semester at his new school. The 6-3, 180-pound junior couldn't quite find the fit in his first two years at Michigan, trying wide receiver, then defensive back, while Jim Harbaugh praised his freakish speed and change- of-direction ability. He departed after two seasons of limited action, but with an "I'm Back In The Big House" social media message, returned to throw him- self into the mix, presumably at wideout. That's good news for Camp- bell, wideouts coach Ron Bel- lamy, and the rest of the offensive schemers at Michigan. It's not bad news, either, for the core five: 6-3 senior Peyton O'Leary, 5-10 sopho- more Semaj Morgan, 5-11 junior Tyler Morris, 6-2 sophomore Kendrick Bell and 6-1 sophomore Fredrick Moore. That's a solid mix of returning play- ers. It just wasn't extensive enough. Campbell listed three of the five — Morris, Moore and Morgan — among Michigan's most explosive players, along with the likes of senior running back Donovan Edwards and junior tight end Colston Loveland. Certainly those M men will be at the heart of the Wolver- ines' passing attack. Morgan caught 22 passes for 204 yards and 2 touchdowns a season ago, the best among Michigan's returning wideouts. He also broke into the punt return game in a big way, taking his debut on punt handling back for 87 yards down to the Iowa 5-yard line, setting up a short touchdown for Blake Corum in the Big Ten title game. Morgan pulled in 4 passes for 24 yards against Alabama in the Rose Bowl, as well, and he is looking to 2024 as a big breakthrough season. With the chief wideouts from the national championship sea- son — Cornelius Johnson and Roman Wilson — now just a fond memory, others need to come through. Morgan and his fellow pass catchers will get every op- portunity, Campbell noted. " I t's a n o p p o r t u n i ty fo r them to go out there and do it," CAUGHT SHORTHANDED Michigan Relies On Imports To Bring Depth To A Solid Core U-M's Leading Wide Receiver By Yardage Season Player Stats 2023 Roman Wilson 48 catches, 789 yards, 12 TD 2022 Ronnie Bell 62 catches, 889 yards, 4 TD 2021 Cornelius Johnson 40 catches, 620 yards, 3 TD 2020* Ronnie Bell 26 catches, 401 yards, 1 TD 2019 Ronnie Bell 48 catches, 758 yards, 1 TD 2018 Nico Collins 38 catches, 632 yards, 6 TD 2017 Grant Perry 25 catches, 307 yards, 1 TD 2016 Amara Darboh 57 catches, 862 yards, 7 TD 2015 Jehu Chesson 50 catches, 764 yards, 9 TD 2014 Devin Funchess 62 catches, 733 yards, 4 TD *Only played six games due to COVID-19 pandemic Junior receiver Tyler Morris caught 13 passes for 197 yards last season, including a 38-yard reception for a score in the Rose Bowl win over Alabama. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER