The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1547256
NOVEMBER 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 23 alization that we're not doing enough to support our defense, but at the end of the day, we win or lose this thing together. We've got to do more." Buchanan opted to follow head coach Kyle Whittingham and his staff from Utah — a big move for a native of Henderson, Nev., who broke through impressively as a rookie in Salt Lake City. Buchanan played in all 13 Utah games a year ago, making 26 catches for 427 yards and 5 touchdowns, including 4 receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown in the Utes' 44-22 win against Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl. He'd certainly established strong roots in the West and found favor with the home crowd. But Buchanan saw a chance for more, trekking across the country with the coaching staff that gave him the opportunity. A pair of one-play losses against Big Ten competition didn't dis- suade him from positivity about both the move and his future in maize and blue. "I know the type of guys we have in this building," Buchanan stressed. "I know the type of coaches. I know the culture that Whit has put on tape over the years, and I believe that this is in this building. We haven't put it on tape yet, but everything I've seen through winter, through spring and through camp, I've seen the flashes and I know what we're capable of. "We've definitely gotten punched in the mouth. It's a good wake-up call. It's valuable for us to recoup. I think we'll come back the back half of this season and turn this thing around." And yes, Buchanan is aware of the out- side heat generated by Michigan's early losses. He acknowledges it … but doesn't absorb it. "Not great," Buchanan said, regarding some of the early reviews. "I believe in every single coach on this staff. I followed them for a reason. The outside noise? I know what's been said, and I don't agree with it. I don't resonate with it at all. At the end of the day, none of that matters. I have full belief in this staff and I know the rest of the team does. I have full belief that it will turn around." Buchanan made absolutely certain to put in the kind of time to ready himself for a strong season. For him, that meant extensive hours with fellow sophomore Bryce Underwood, the quarterback charged with getting him the football. Needless to say, the results came quickly. "A lot of hours throwing, after hours," Buchanan mused. "We're in The Big House, two days before the first game, putting the lights on and getting work in there. Just being willing to work with him and being flexible. Whenever he wants to go, I'm there. I work with his schedule, rather than the other way around. Him seeing how bad I want it, and we're the same in that. We both want it as bad as each other. He trusts me and trusts my mindset going into things." Two days after that session, Under- wood and Buchanan electrified the home crowd of 110,879 with the game-saving launch, leap and happy landing. It hasn't been all cheers, no fears since then. Buchanan and Michigan's other newcomers experienced both sides of life in the maize and blue fishbowl. From the sound of it, Buchanan stands ready to keep rising above the crowd. "It kind of differs from person to person, depending on who you ask," Buchanan said, regarding how players react to the sudden skeptics. "For me, I don't mind. Nobody in the world believes in us, and I understand why. But at the end of the day, the only people's opinions that matter are in this building. For me, yeah sure, it fuels a little bit, because I know what we have and I know what we're going to do." ❏ Buchanan Sailing Toward A Breakthrough Season Michigan hasn't featured a 1,000-yard receiver since Jeremy Gallon went for a program- record 1,373 yards in 2013. Prior to that, Mario Manningham accumulated 1,174 yards receiving in 2007, shortly after a stretch from 1998-2005 in which the Wolverines featured a 1,000-yard receiver each season. Sophomore JJ Buchanan has a shot at being the next — if not this season, then soon. Buchanan's 482-yard total in Michigan's opening six games projects out to 964 yards over the course of a 12-game regular season. One strong outing in the final six games, though, could get him into the Top 10 in a single season, surpassing the 1,035 a pair of Wolverine luminaries — Tai Streets in 1998, Braylon Edwards in 2002 — once posted. Nothing is guaranteed, of course, except for the opposition and the defenses getting tougher. But if Buchanan just doubled his six-game output over the final six Michigan regular- season contests, he'd still post the top yardage accumulation since Gallon washed over op- posing secondaries in 2013. Buchanan himself? Not his priority, he insisted. "I don't really think about it," Buchanan said, regarding potential 1,000-yard receiver status. "I think about winning out, winning as a team. If that comes with it, cool. If it doesn't … I'm going to try to make every play that comes my way. At the end of the day, if we win out and I have 150 yards, I honestly couldn't care less. That's my opinion on it." — John Borton Buchanan's miraculous 47-yard Hail Mary touchdown grab against Western Michigan made an instant, unforgettable impact in his first game as a Wolverine. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL