The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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70 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW well short of Martavious Odoms' 2008 frosh records of 49 receptions and 443 yards, he showed signs that it was all starting to click. He ramped up his game even more this spring. "That boy is focused," junior running back Chris Evans told reporters in late May. "I like him a lot. "On the plane [to Paris this spring] he sat behind me, and he was reading a book. He's not really about that 'rah-rah' stuff — he's about his business." While there's plenty more to learn, Peo- ples-Jones acknowledged he feels much more comfortable with a year under his belt. "It's just getting used to the play speed and everything that comes with college foot- ball," Peoples-Jones said. "That's something that every player has to get used to. "I'm trying to get better every time I'm out there. Every time I watch myself on film, just pick at something and try to perfect that." Kindred Spirits Black is no different, a highly motivated guy who is relatively quiet off the field. On the field, though, there are few who are more competitive. Black admitted this spring it killed him inside to watch his team- mates struggle last year and not have an op- portunity to help them. "It was very difficult," Black said. "That was very hard. I don't know if there's any other way to put it." But when it comes to proving he's the same guy he was before his injury, a break that required surgery and months to heal, he simply shrugs. "I always feel like I have something to prove," he said. "No matter how good my performance was, I still feel like I have to prove myself. I always keep that chip on my shoulder." Both his and Peoples-Jones' primary goals, however, aren't of the individual vari- ety. They came to Michigan to win, and last year left a bad taste in both of their mouths. It's still hard to fathom at times, Peoples- Jones insisted. "We didn't have a good season last year. No one wants to be 8-5 again," he said. "When something like that happens, we've got to kick-start things." Peoples-Jones notched a career-high six grabs for 58 yards versus South Carolina in the Outback Bowl. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL