The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1540586
NOVEMBER 2025 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 23 Bryce Underwood unloaded a 33-yard bomb down the eastern sideline that McCulley went up and snagged, soar- ing over a Wisconsin defender before crashing back to earth. It all seemed for naught, officials on the field ruling McCulley out of bounds when he came down. McCulley wasn't sold on the verdict. "I was on the sideline like, 'Come on,'" McCulley recalled. "I was just talking to God like, 'I need this.' The foot was in." Indeed, the foot was in, replay officials determined. That set the Wolverines up on the Wisconsin 34, and two plays later, McCulley struck again. He gathered in a short toss from Underwood, streaked toward Michigan's south end zone, banged off a would-be Wisconsin tackler, spun and careened across the goal line. In a span of 1:03, Michigan went from hanging on to in control on the way to a 24-10 win, and McCulley went from hopeful contributor to heading the highlight reel. "I was just hungry for the touchdown," he said. "That's just the type of player I am. I want to get in that end zone." Head coach Sherrone Moore had seen this breakthrough coming for a while. He proved more than receptive to the fact of it arriving when it did. "Him having the breakout game he did — 6 catches, 112 yards — a lot of great YAC [yards after catch], a long of 33 and a touchdown was just an unbelievable job by him," Moore said afterward. "We'll continue to emphasize that and put him in position to do that, along with [fresh- man receiver] Andrew Marsh. Both those guys had their best games as Wolverines. "He's a competitor off the field. He was a competitor when we got into the spring. He would just compete, com- pete. He'd push the receivers, he'd push the DBs, because he would make plays. Guys would get mad, and there would be talking and chirping. When you get into spring ball and fall camp it gets hot, it gets competitive. "He's an outstanding human being who just cares about his teammates and about helping the team win in any way possible." And he's far from finished, Moore re- minded McCulley on the field that day. "We'll keep featuring him, doing things to put him in position to be suc- cessful," Moore said. "It goes to his hard work. He practiced his tail off this week, and he does every week. But you could see the spark in his eye that 'I'm get- ting in the end zone.' That was his first touchdown. He needs more of that, and he's going to have more of that. I told him when he scored his first one, 'That's not going to be your last one, Bro. I love your smile, I love how happy you are, and I love how much energy you've got, but let's save it, because we're going to continue to do it more and more.' "He's peaking right now." Moore proved a prophet in that mo- ment. McCulley provided one of the few highlights in Michigan's 31-13 loss at USC, securing an 8-yard Underwood touchdown pass in the back of the end zone to tie that game at 7-7 with 3:09 left in the first half. This one saw U- M's hopes slip away in the second half, but McCulley's remain undimmed for the back half of the season. He remains more determined than ever to be there when Underwood is looking to connect downfield. The duo showed some getting-to- know-you rust early in the season, at Oklahoma. Underwood fired one throw in McCulley's direction, when the wide- out had already begun blocking down- field. Underwood also hurled a pass that fell harmlessly outside while McCulley broke open down the middle of the field. McCulley insists the connection will be there with increasing frequency. "Me being a quarterback, I say this all the time, wherever he needs me to be, that's where I'll be," noted the for- mer QB. "If he scrambles a little bit or something like that, that's where I'll be. I'll be there." While Michigan was racking up a 15-0 season and a national championship in 2023, Mc- Culley found himself putting together his best season (48 catches, 644 yards, 6 touch- downs) at Indiana. He's since proven himself a willing blocker in Michigan's system, especially when he sees junior tailback Justice Haynes and sophomore tailback Jordan Marshall disappearing downfield. "I love blocking for Justice and for Jordan," he said. "You have to block as a receiver. When you block and they take the ball for 50, 60 yards, I can't ask for something better than that as a receiver." He can also ask for more opportunities like he received against the Badgers and Trojans — and he will. "That's always my mindset — put the ball up in the air for me," McCulley urged. ❏ MCCULLEY PACED WIDEOUTS AT THE MIDWAY Grad transfer Donaven McCulley stood out as Michigan's leading receiver through six games, managing 22 catches for 348 yards and a pair of touchdowns. That put him No. 1 on the Michigan roster in all three categories at the midway point. Projected over a 12-game regular season, he'd wind up at just shy of 700 yards receiving, although recent results could bolster that number, and so could extra games. Here's a look at Michigan's top wide receiver totals (receiving yards) for the past five full years (COVID season skipped). 2024, Tyler Morris: Morris made 23 catches for 248 yards and 2 touchdowns to pace Michigan wideouts. Then-freshman Semaj Morgan had more catches (27), while tight end Colston Loveland became Michigan's top receiving target (56 catches, 582 yards, 5 TDs). 2023, Roman Wilson: In the 15-game national championship season, Wilson delivered 48 catches for 789 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Wolverines. 2022, Ronnie Bell: Bell toiled for Michigan and tolled for the opposition in 2022, securing 62 catches for 889 yards and 4 touchdowns. 2021, Cornelius Johnson: Johnson produced 39 catches for 620 yards and 3 touchdowns for the first of Michigan's three straight Big Ten championship squads. 2019, Ronnie Bell: Bell rings twice in this category for the Wolverines, hauling in 48 catches for 758 yards with a single touchdown in 2019. — John Borton ❱ Head coach Sherrone Moore "He's an outstanding human being who just cares about his teammates and about helping the team win in any way possible."