RETURNING PLAYERS: Peyton O'Leary (RS Sr.), Joe Taylor (RS Sr.), Amorion Walker (Sr.), Logan Forbes (RS Jr.), Fredrick Moore (Jr.), Semaj Morgan (Jr.), Kendrick Bell (RS So.), Channing Goodwin (RS Fr.), I'Marion Stewart (RS Fr.)
NEWCOMERS: Donaven McCulley (RS Sr.), Anthony Simpson (RS Sr.), Andrew Marsh (Fr.), Jamar Browder (Fr.)
DEPARTURES: C.J. Charleston (graduation), Tyler Morris (transfer to Indiana)
OUTLOOK: Michigan's receivers did not have a banner year in 2024. Part of it may be a chicken-or-egg situation with the poor quarterback play: no receiver was going to have a great year with Davis Warren and Alex Orji throwing the ball, and not many quarterbacks were going to have great passing numbers throwing to what Michigan put out there at receiver. Tight end Colston Loveland led Michigan's team in receptions (56), yards (548), and touchdowns (5). By comparison, the leading wideouts in each category were Semaj Morgan (27 catches), Tyler Morris (248 yards), and Morris again (2 touchdowns).
Morris headed for the greener pastures of, uh, Bloomington, Indiana, this off-season, so it's a pretty complete overhaul of the receiving group. Morgan is back, but he had a measly 139 yards and a paltry 5.2 yards per catch. That's not an indictment of Morgan's talent, but Michigan's overall inability to push the ball downfield, set up screens appropriately, and generally call an offense. I have more faith in new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey than the departed Kirk Campbell, so I expect Morgan to benefit significantly. But he has yet to prove that he can be a downfield threat.
The prize of Michigan's transfer efforts at receiver is Indiana transfer Donaven McCulley, a 6'5", 203 lb. possession guy who caught 48 passes for 644 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2023. While he doesn't have a ton of downfield speed, he's the type of big target with experience that Michigan lacked out wide in 2024. He can probably be penciled in as a starter this fall.
Other unknowns include the quick Fredrick Moore (11 catches, 148 yards, 1 TD in 2024), former walk-on and possession guy Peyton O'Leary (10 catches, 102 yards, 1 TD), former quarterback Kendrick Bell (7 catches, 70 yards), and reed-thin speedster Amorion Walker (3 catches, 34 yards). The most intriguing of those is Walker, who is 6'3" and 182 lbs. Once penciled in as a starting cornerback by Jim Harbaugh - and briefly at Ole Miss in the spring of 2024 - he spent last year at receiver. If corners don't get a hand on him, he can run real fast; if corners do get a hand on him, he can fall down real fast.
One of Lindsey's tasks will be to figure out which veteran receiver can play a good-sized role in the offense and provide some help for some limited quarterbacks: QB Mikey Keene is limited by his stature, and QB Bryce Underwood is limited by his inexperience. But another task will be to figure out what roles can be played by freshman Andrew Marsh, incoming UMass transfer Anthony Simpson, and freshman Jamar Browder. Marsh comes in with some questions about his overall speed, but he reportedly finds a way to make things happen. Simpson is a bit of a screen and gadget guy, but he could be fun to watch. And Browder is a 6'3" guy with some upside, but he's probably somebody who needs to bake in the oven for at least a season.
Overall, Michigan has an array of pieces. While last season was similar at receiver to the 2023-2024 Michigan basketball team that got Juwan Howard fired because he couldn't construct a roster, this year could be closer to the 2024-2025 Dusty May version of the basketball team: a well constructed squad probably lacking championship potential.
With Lindsey and Underwood/Keene here and Loveland gone there should be a lot more WR targets to go around in 2025. Opportunity is ample because Michigan has lost all of their top targets from the last couple years (Loveland, Barner, Johnson, Wilson, Morris) and nobody else has done anything other than flash occasionally.
ReplyDeleteMcCulley seems like a lock to start but as I've mentioned in a few other threads, we can't just ignore that he was benched by Cignetti in 2024 and elected to sit out the season after that. Meanwhile, the 2023 team he put up stats for was terrible. So it's hard to know how good he is relative to the level of expectation at Michigan. I'd feel a lot better if he was a potential WR3 rather than a likely WR1. It is what it is.
Morgan is intriguing because he was used effectively as a playmaker in 2023, but didn't show much improvement in 2024. The QB caveat is there though.
Moore showed up late in the year - but where was he earlier in the season? He's more intriguing to me than the others, including Walker. Walker will be a senior and has done nothing at Michigan in two seasons as a WR sandwiched around his position switch year in 2023 (and his spring internship at Ole Miss LOL).
That's my top 3 (McCulley, Morgan, Moore). It's not great.
Bottomline is that there are a lot of guys here but nobody yet that looks like a reliable down to down threat to get open and help move the chains. Perhaps one of the freshman will exceed expectations.
I like the optimistic Howard/May analogy but without the coaching change I am not sure it will fit. Maybe Lidnsey is all the change we need tho. Fingers crossed...
I'll repeat what I said last year: "we desperately need another playmaker on O for another playoff run"
ReplyDeleteDidn't have any at WR for 2o24; 2o25 is yet another question mark
https://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/2024/03/2024-spring-football-preview-wide.html?m=1
So same conclusion in '24 and in '25?
DeleteSeems to me that it might be needle-moving that we are losing our top 3 rushers and top 2 receivers:
Loveland (to NFL)
Edwards (to NFL)
Mullings (to NFL)
Morris (to Cignetti)
Orji (to Mullen)
That is a pretty significant loss of playmaking and production. All 5 of them proved their playmaking bonafides on the 2023 national champs and then elevated to be the top producers on the 2024 team. All 5 of them are gone. Replaced by... FILE NOT FOUND*
Seems like this would be enough to move the needle on the "we-need-one-more-playmaker" narrative, even if some (like Morris and Orji) are not exactly irreplaceable.
I think it's a pretty different context now, especially with any optimism that OL might be able to carry forward the Moore-Smash philosophical foundation being more or less kaput.
My take --
The need for playmakers seems very real in 2025 while there was plenty of meat left on the bone in 2024.
2024 issue was inept coordinator, inept QB, and mediocre OL prevented the playmakers from getting properly utilized.
2025 has upgraded/addressed QB and OC but the potential playmakers are far more limited or, more optimistically, TBD.
(YMMV but Morgan and McCulley at least have SOME resume. Haynes is in the convo too but has just 3 plays over 30 yards in his career, none in competitive situations, and Marshall didn't elevate from 4th or 5th string until the final 2 games of last season. Someone will surely emerge and make some plays in 2025 but this is not a case of NFL-bound talents that opposing DCs have to gameplan for like in 2024, unless one is hiding under the wood)
We need more playmakers, specifically at WR, again
DeleteWe aren't replacing one of the greatest TE in program history. Not unlike when Hutch left, Loveland's production will have to be replaced by committee (which happened in our lowly 2o24)
Edwards was square peg in round hole type deal. We'll miss "THE DON," and his BOOM, but his stats should be (somewhat) easily replaced. While I loved Mullings as a Harball/SMASH type running back, he didn't produce for a few games midseason (for whatever reason). RB should be fine so long as Haynes fits into the culture & remains healthy, and Marshall beefs up a bit to spell Haynes regularly
*obviously need OL too, but no sh:t
Morris? LMAO. Less than 2 catches for a whopping 2oyds per game and a grand total of two tuddies ... NO, his lack of production in Maize & Blue will not be missed. Hopefully your Hoosier's RPO will help him "make more plays" than the TWO he had at MICHIGAN: Moore getting him matched up w/a LB in the Rose Bowl and a garbage time play v NW
Orjicat? Thank God & good riddance
Lank, you make some good points and I agree with skepticism re the offense. You are right that "Seems to me that it might be needle-moving that we are losing our top 3 rushers and top 2 receivers" but then you equate that with "playmakers." I agree that Loveland, Edwards, and Mullings were all playmakers but Morris and Orji - no. Then you also say that Marshall was 4th or 5th string, which is clearly wrong. It seemed clear that the coaches were looking to work Marshall into the rotation late in the year, sometimes even taking a few snaps from Edwards. 3rd string at worst, and understandable given Mullings and Edwards. I think it's arguable that Marshall and Haynes could be just as good as Mullings and Edwards. No drop-off at WR since it was a disaster last year. This year doesn't look great either but I don't think it will be down from last year. The big fall will be at TE and there's simply no replacing Loveland. We have to hope that better OC calls/scheme, plus improved line play plus what I hope will be a sizable upgrade at QB can make the offense better. I think it can (admittedly a very low bar to clear). But I agree that this offense lacks playmakers, especially if Underwood is not playing.
Delete@je93
DeleteThat's a lot of words that doesn't address the question. I'll rephrase.
Last year we had multiple playmakers returning from the national championship (including NFL bound guys like Edwards, Mulling, and Loveland) despite losing multiple starters from a top 10 offense. This year we don't return much at all, from an offense that was not very good at all.
So - it's pretty different isn't it?
Can always use another extra guy I suppose but now it's not clear we have ANY guy.
@BlueNC
Marshall didn't see the field until 11/23. Despite starting the bowl game (with Edwards and Mullings unavailable) he was the 4th leading rusher. He ended up being the third best option but Dunlap and Hall were ahead of him for most of the year.
Orji was the 3rd leading rusher on the team and had the longest run of the day against OSU. He was used by Harbaugh and Moore in a playmaking role. He wasn't a good QB, but he made some plays there. For an offense that sorely lacked it, he was a meaningful contributor.
"I think it's arguable that Marshall and Haynes could be just as good as Mullings and Edwards"
I do not agree. I think if either Marshall or Haynes was a star we would have seen more from them. Marshall can somewhat be excused for being a freshman but even still he sat behind Hall and Dunlap for most of the year.
"No drop-off at WR since it was a disaster last year."
Well this kind of depends on how you classify Loveland who mostly played WR by alignment (and was covered mostly by DBs). Regardless of that -- I hope you are right but we'll see. Morris was a significant contributor on a national champ squad and then became our WR1 -- he was snagged by Cignetti (who benched McCulley). I don't know about you but I trust Cignetti and Harbaugh over Moore when it comes to evaluating WRs at this point. Hope I'm wrong.
I look at the way my comment was framed above. We lost our top 5 producers on offense and at least 3 of them look like NFL guys and I don't see anyone clearly stepping in to fill the void.
We'll have to hope the OC/QB upgrade translates to overall performance because I just don't see a lot of guys (beyond Morgan) where I'm like "yes please let's get the ball in their hands so they can make stuff happen". Again, I hope I am wrong.
WRT to Marshall.
DeleteI'll just add that while Michigan doesn't NEED a third RB to play, when they have guys who bring something significant to the table, they tend to be able to get them some snaps. "Lets see what this guy can do".
In 2020 this was freshman Blake Corum emerging into the rotation that featured 3 other NFL guys.
In 2021 this was freshman Donovan Edwards (who played not only when elevated to RB2 but also when Corum and Haskins were both healthy).
In 2023 this was Kalell Mullings (drawing snaps even when Edwards and Corum were healthy).
With the offense struggling in 2024 the coaches did seek out a 3rd option briefly, but it was Hall (not Marshall) the coaches went to against Indiana. That's not a great sign for Marshall. Hall looks unexceptional and the coaches watched these guys practice together all season long and didn't see a need to draw Marshall into the starting lineup until their hand was forced against Alabama. The one meaningful carry he got against OSU before that was when Edwards was already hurt too.
In other words the coaches didn't work hard to get him the ball the way they have with other freshman backups.
All of that is to say that Marshall maybe a perfectly fine starting RB (a la Karan Higdon, Deveon Smith, etc.). He looked like it against alabama. But he is probably not a difference-maker or a big time play-maker or future NFL star because those guys tend to show more than he showed his freshman year.
I'll be glad to eat crow here. I like Marshall as a runner, but I don't think Marshall is on the star trajectory (nor is Haynes). But RBs are RBs so I'm sure they'll get a lot of credit (or blame) depending on how things go with the OL, QB, and Coordinator. Some of this is just circumstantial and being in the right place at the right time.
Get that dinner plate ready. Hall has been a decent but not exceptional back and tested. Yet my the end of the year, the coaches used Marshall ahead of him and talked about Marshall quite a bit during the season. It was understandable why true frosh Marshall didn't get carries until later in the year. RBs and TE were the only good spots on offense with depth. Will he be Blake Corum good? Probably not but not many are. But I think Marshall (as he matures) may be on the Haskins or Mullings level, possibly better. Haynes I can't say because I don't know enough but it's not hard to think he could be a very good back. He certainly was in demand.
DeleteThere's almost always "a guy." Almost every team has one or two playmakers, either because they're good or because the coaching staff finds a way to accentuate his strengths, get him open, etc. Even on Michigan's worst teams back in 2008-2009, there was Tate Forcier, Brandon Minor, Martavious Odoms, etc. who made plays at times.
DeleteSo even if we don't know who it is, we basically know someone will break out. It could be Marshall or Haynes or both. It could be Underwood. It could be McCulley or Fredrick Moore. It could be Haynes and Underwood. Moore and Marshall. But chances are there will be a guy.
@Lank, your question was answered. While we all love Edwards, his low production is replaceable. Morris & Orji? Addition by subtraction. Mullings will be tougher, but looking at RBs since Moore came along (and even before), I believe our RB room, WR runs & Underwood can replace the 2K yards 2o24 had last year. Loveland missed games last year, and we won anyway. He's a generational talent, but we've seen the production spread out while he was injured
Delete"Morris was a SIGNIFICANT contributor on a national champ"
8th in receptions, 7th in yards, tied for 6th in TDs ... was he though?
Jordan Marshall was listed on injury reports throughout the season (lower extremity). Sitting behind Hall was not about ability or performance, but availability
DeleteI think a lot of hopes were pinned on Tyler Morris after his catch-and-run TD against Alabama in the Rose Bowl, and a lot of people didn't recognize that he outran a linebacker who got stuck in man coverage against him. If I remember correctly, it was #32 Deontae Lawson, who was listed at 6'2" and 230 pounds.
DeleteYes, THIS ... one must know the game to not be fooled by this single play
Delete@BlueNC
DeleteOh yeah, I think Marshall is definitely far ahead of Hall going forward. I think he can be a very good college back but I don't see him being at the level of NFL guys like Corum, Edwards, Haskins, Evans, Charbonnet. Typically (not always, but typically) these guys are doing more in their freshman year, even if there are a couple guys ahead of them. At this point I don't think Hall is enough of an obstacle to excuse the lack of role for Marshall until after Edwards went down and Mullings opted out.
That said -- je makes a good point about injuries potentially factoring in. Marshall returned kicks against Texas and Indiana. So maybe the coaches wanted to play him more and then by the time he was healthy enough to be in the mix at RB it was late in the year. I don't know -- that's injury/health guessing but it's a plausible excuse.
I'll increment my Marshall hopes upward. But his longest run of the year was still 8 yards.
@Thunder
Yeah I agree with the take here that someone will produce. No doubt about it. The floor of production is something like 1,500 receiving yards and rushing yards each. Someone has to run for those yards and catch those yards, even if they are walk-ons.
But there is a difference between that someone being a high NFL pick (e.g., Loveland) and a guy like Odoms or Minor who don't even sniff NFL interest. If Michigan has no NFL caliber talent at the skill positions, then the offense will probably continue to get shut down against playoff-caliber defenses. The ceiling is low in that case, even if the OL, QB, and scheme is improved.
So Michigan can give 200 carries to a walk on and at some point said walk on will bust a few 20+ yard carries. But the difference between him getting say 8 of those in a season and maybe a NFL-caliber guy getting say 20 of them is pretty important to a team. That's the difference between having a playmaker vs a JAG.
You know what I think RBs DONT MATTER (TM) but if you are talking about an NFL guy vs a student body walk-on OK it does start to matter somewhat. I think Marshall/Haynes even Hall will do fine though. I'm really not worried about RB at all, but the concern about overall lack of playmakers on offense is inclusive of this position.
I didn't have that concern last year. This year I do.
@je
I agree the '24 production can be replaced. I don't think that's the bar. You don't need any playmakers to get that 2024 level. I think the bar is closer to '23 or '22 or '21. Is the skill position talent there, to do that, even if OL/QB/OC are all firing on all cylinders? I'm skeptical. When our RB1 might be a backup from Alabama and our WR1 might be a backup from Indiana and our TE1 might be a guy who had 100 something receiving yards on the season as TE1 last year...I don't hold all that much optimism even if Morgan, Marshall, and Hansen ascend.
RE: Morris
Well this has been covered in this space before. Morris played a lot on the national champions. He was a highly regarded by the Harbaugh staff and a highly rated recruit. According to "analytics" he ran pretty fast on the play against Alabama, against multiple defenders in NFL-laden talented D.
https://touch-the-banner.com/2024-season-countdown-18-tyler-morris/
2024 was a disaster for Michigan on the offensive side of the ball and it remains to be seen if Morris was to blame at all for that or not. In my eyes, this upcoming season (at Indiana) is very relevant to the hindsight assessment of Morris in 2024. Did he simply not have it, and that's why he didn't produce much? -- or was his production suppressed by ineptitude at QB and on offense overall? If he's a bench guy for Cignetti then I think it's on him. If he's productive in an offense that is similarly run-heavy as Michigan's, then I think '24 was on Michigan not Morris. We'll see I guess. I would not be shocked either way but my guess is that Morris is pretty good.
You asked about how I came to the same conclusion as last year, not if we'd improve. I answered
DeleteWho blamed Morris for our 2o24 offense? I mean, you said he was a SIGNIFICANT contributor to our NC team, but the stats don't reflect that. Even with the awful QB play last year, he didn't do much with the ball in his hands. How many contested catches did he make (zero? one or two?). I wish him well, but he wasn't a playmaker here, period
*Haskins was RS (at LB) his FR year; ditto Mullings. Corum never started a game, never had more than 7 carries or 2o yards in a game as a FR. The Don never started a game, had more 5 carries only twice (OOC garbage time), and other than NIU, (one BOOM) never ran for 3o yards as a FR. Evans too. Charbonett is the exception, but the RB room was empty in 2o19
Marshall will be just fine - so long as his body is growing bigger & stronger - and Haynes is there to absorb some of the hits he blasted through against Bama
Who said Marshall wouldn't be fine? I agree he'll be fine. I just hope he doesn't try too hard to add bulk since it didn't seem to help Edwards or Corum.
DeleteRB is not a concern. Like in 2024. Lack of playmakers on offense is. Unlike in 2024.
So we agree on RB, in a WR thread.
DeleteAre you going to address the WR portion of this exchange?
I'll repeat what YOU said last year: "we desperately need another playmaker on O for another playoff run"
DeleteON O!
So you consider the playmakers ON O... Loveland, Edwards, Mullings included ON O.
You responded to a WR thread to quote yourself about overall needs ON O.
I addressed the comment. You want to have a micro convo about WR only? That's a dodge. Have it with yourself. Or refer back to the other times you've had it with me.
#toothirsty
Hi Lank!
DeleteYES. We need a playmaker at WR ... again. You're still dodging on Morris SIGNIFICANT impact ...
#jeisrightagain
#namechange
#dotheyknow
0nLy f0cUsInG oN sIzE
ReplyDeletehttps://www.diehardsport.com/college-football/five-star-wr-trending-maize-and-blue-with-michigan-visit-upcoming/
DeleteThe rent is free here? Nice!
Too easy
Delete#dotheyknow
does who know?
DeleteYou know ... do they?
Delete#football
#basketball
#msports
#football
DeleteJust talking football.
Any chance of our freshman WR contributing immediately? It is kinda of depressing that our top WR options are Indiana's backup, a walk-on and 5'10" receiver with only 27 catches.
ReplyDeleteYes because Yes. All I can say is that our WRs might be better than they looked in '24 due to the QB/OC, so there might be some untapped ability in guys like Morgan and Moore for example. Even so the opportunity for a freshman to do something is very clearly there.
DeleteWhich is why it's a little disheartening the the portal and freshman class returned such modest hauls. Marsh is a highly rated guy but the 2 other freshman are 3-star longshots.
@FT we need FR to be competitive. Push the starters, and work their way into the rotation (Semaj did this in 23). Last year we had none of that, and it showed
DeleteSemaj was still here in 2024 and Loveland too. Morris didn't just "work his way into the rotation" in 2023, he was one of the leading guys on the national champions. He was here in 2024 as well.
DeleteUm, who said neither was here?
DeleteMorris was a leading guy on the NC team? By what measure? 8th in receptions, 7th in yards, tied for 6th in TDs (ONE ) ... was he though?
You dodged yesterday; let's see if you can address it this time
Snaps. Morris played a lot. Harbaugh loved him.
DeleteHarball? Harball!
When it comes to talking about who mattered most in the 2023 season you gotta look at the OSU and Alabama games -- do or die down to the wire. Loveland, Morris, Morgan, Orji, Edwards, Mullings were key contributors off the bench in those games. When it matter more than it can possibly ever matter - Harbaugh put those guys in the game and they got the ball. He trusted them. He valued them. He played them. He won big doing so. Not even up for debate. He didn't have to use those guys, he had plenty of options, but he CHOSE to.
Snaps = playmaker? What does that say about Oleary?
DeleteWhat about the PERFORMANCE stats?
Maybe it's not up for debate, and that's why you dodge and write about feelings
Hi Lank! Your entire argument is that Morris is a playmaker. He wasn't
Delete#namechange
#dothey know
But let's switch to snaps. How does Morris snap count in 2o23 compare to the rest of the Offense? Other WRs?
Since Anon is dodging too, I'll answer:
DeleteIn the Rose Bowl, Morris got 18 snaps, so less than a third of the 6o. Among WRs, CoJo got 53 (just shy of 3x more), and Roman got more than double at 47
In the NC, Morris got 26 snaps. Half of CoJo's and a little more than half of Roman's. ZERO catches. He did get more snaps than Darius Clemens though ...
Tyler Morris was a backup, getting backup reps and backup production, in less than half our games
As a starter, the snaps changed but the production was poor. Blame QB, but I can't remember a tough catch, or - other than one in NW garbage time - a single play when he did something with the ball in his hands ... That's not a playmaker
Beyond debate!
Delete#jeDub
Good thing offers don't matter 🤷🏽♂️
ReplyDeletehttps://www.on3.com/teams/michigan-wolverines/news/michigan-wolverines-football-offers-campbell-wr-transfer-sincere-brown/