I guess it's Tuttle time. After a couple drives of Alex Orji's version of the offense doing nothing (0 points), Michigan surprisingly inserted seventh year Utah/Indiana transfer backup Jack Tuttle. The offense immediately got a boost as Washington tried to adjust. Michigan rather quickly put up 17 points across the second and third quarters before doing nothing in the fourth. Tuttle completed 10/18 passes for 98 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. He also ran 5 times for 14 yards and lost a fumble. Orji completed 3/7 passes for 15 yards and ran 3 times for 11 yards before departing. The offense looked more cohesive and calmer with Tuttle behind center, at least until the end of the game, when Michigan was down a couple scores in hurry-up mode. I would imagine Tuttle's time on task has not been significant running a two-minute offense since he's been hurt for the past several months, but the game was out of hand at that point. Michigan was not going to get two scores in the span of a minute or so.
Washington (and former Michigan) WR Giles Jackson (image via SI)
RUSH OFFENSE vs. WASHINGTON RUSH DEFENSE Michigan is #34 in rush offense (194.8 yards/game) and #44 in yards per carry (5.13). Kalel Mullings has emerged as the top running back (77 carries, 540 yards, 6 TD) with Donovan Edwards (59 carries, 258 yards, 2 TD) still playing a big role as a backup. QB Alex Orji is the third-leading rusher, but he has just 55 yards on 22 carries since taking over as the starter two weeks ago. LT Myles Hinton is likely to miss the game due to injury, and naturally, he's Michigan's best lineman, so fifth year senior Jeffrey Persi will likely get the start on the left side. According to PFF, Persi is the second best run blocker of the linemen, so perhaps the drop-off there will not be too significant. The rest of the line has been overwhelming, but it will be interesting to see if Michigan's platoon of Dominick Giudice and Greg Crippen continues at center. Defensively, Washington is #51 in rush defense (121.8 yards allowed/game) and #58 in yards allowed per carry (3.74). Last week they gave up 184 yards on 33 carries to Rutgers, including 25 attempts for 132 yards and 1 touchdown by Kyle Monongai. The leading tackler is senior MLB Carson Bruener (6'2", 226) with 30 tackles, followed by fifth year senior WLB Alphonzo Tuputala (6'2", 230) with 25. The Huskies start five transfers, including two on the defensive line; head coach Jedd Fisch brought with him from Arizona a redshirt sophomore DE/OLB Isaiah Ward (6'5", 227), who is quite clearly undersized. Senior DT Sebastian Valdez (6'4", 305) is in his first season at the FBS level after transferring from Montana State. Advantage: Michigan
Here's a roundup of the former Michigan player, former commits, and former coaches (or players-turned-coaches). NOTE: I will not regularly post updates about offensive linemen since stats are minimal and just posting PFF grades is kind of boring, but I did this week just to show who's playing where and what their opening day role was.
FORMER PLAYERS
WR Andrel Anthony (Oklahoma): Anthony did not play in a 27-21 win over Auburn.
LB Jeremiah Beasley (Missouri): Missouri (4-0) had a bye. Beasley has 2 tackles this season.
QB Alan Bowman (Oklahoma State): Bowman completed 26/50 passes for 364 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions in a 42-20 loss to Kansas State.
LB Semaj Bridgeman (Michigan State): Bridgeman did not record any stats in a 38-7 loss to Ohio State.
That's an ugly score. I didn't mind writing about a 27-24 victory when it came to the USC game, but I do have a problem with it after playing the Minnesota Gophers. In the game preview, I predicted a 38-13 victory. I had heard that Colston Loveland was likely to play, but I also assumed Will Johnson would play and I had no idea that Josaiah Stewart would miss the game. Regardless, Michigan has had some injury issues in past years against lesser Big Ten programs, and it didn't have a huge effect. Michigan had to hang on in a nail-biter here, and that doesn't bode well for the rest of the season.
RUSH OFFENSE vs. MINNESOTA RUSH DEFENSE Michigan is now #31 in rushing offense (205 yards/game) and tied for #33 in yards per carry (5.57) with UNLV. The breakout star of this year's team has been RB Kalel Mullings, who had 17 carries for 159 yards and 2 touchdowns against USC last week, including a 53-yard touchdown, a 63-yard run to set up the winning score, and the game-winning 2-yard score on 4th down. Those numbers are made even more impressive by the fact that the all-new offensive line has struggled. Michigan received just a 57.5 run blocking grade against the Trojans. There has been some platooning going on at center between Dominick Giudice and Greg Crippen, but the personnel at the other spots has been steady. RB Donovan Edwards broke out with a 41-yard touchdown last week, and new starting QB Alex Orji ran 13 times for 43 yards and averages 4.4 yards/carry for the year. Defensively, Minnesota is #56 in rushing defense (123.5 yrds allowed/game) and #62 in yards allowed per carry (3.81). Last week Iowa's Kaleb Johnson ran 21 times for 206 yards and 3 touchdowns, and North Carolina's Omarion Hampton put up 129 yards in week one, albeit on 30 carries for a so-so 4.3 yards/carry clip. Redshirt sophomore MLB Maverick Baranowski (6'2", 230) leads the team with 27 tackles, followed closely by fifth year senior WLB Cody Lindenberg (6'3", 240) with 26 stops. Baranowski and fifth year senior nickel Jack Henderson (6'2", 215) lead the team with 2.5 tackles for loss each, chased by fifth year senior OLB Danny Striggow (6'5", 255) with 2.0 TFLs. The middle of the line features fifth year senior DT Jalen Logan-Redding (6'4", 290) and redshirt junior NT Deven Eastern (6'6", 310); Eastern has only graded out on PFF higher than 57.0 when he played against FCS Rhode Island, while Logan-Redding has a couple grades in the 70s balanced with sub-60 scores against the two Power 4 opponents. Advantage: Michigan
Here's a roundup of the former Michigan player, former commits, and former coaches (or players-turned-coaches). NOTE: I will not regularly post updates about offensive linemen since stats are minimal and just posting PFF grades is kind of boring, but I did this week just to show who's playing where and what their opening day role was.
FORMER PLAYERS
WR Andrel Anthony (Oklahoma): Anthony did not play in a 25-15 loss to Tennessee.
LB Jeremiah Beasley (Missouri): Beasley did not record any stats in a 30-27 win over Vanderbilt.
QB Alan Bowman (Oklahoma State): Bowman completed 16/33 passes for 206 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions in a 22-19 loss to Utah. He was benched at halftime.
LB Semaj Bridgeman (Michigan State): Bridgeman did not record any stats in a 23-19 loss to Boston College.
A win is a win. I always try to keep things in perspective. Herm Edwards famously said "You play to win the game," and Michigan won the game. The Wolverines are 3-1 and their primary goals are still within play: win the Big Ten, beat your rivals, make the College Football Playoff, and win a national championship. Sometimes you win ugly, and sometimes you win pretty. It might help put things in perspective that star tight end Colston Loveland missed the entire game with an arm injury and Will Johnson was absent at the end of the game. This just happened to be an ugly victory, but oh well.
NOTE:Unfortunately, I ran out of time to finish the preview this week due to an unexpectedly busy Thursday night and Friday. So I'm posting what I had already written, plus a prediction for the outcome.
RUSH OFFENSE vs. USC RUSH DEFENSE Michigan is #50 in rush offense (176.3 yards/game) after a big week last week against Arkansas State, totaling 301 yards on the ground. The big gainer was RB Kalel Mullings, who had 15 carries for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Wolverines are #42 in yards per carry (5.24), and Mullings is gaining 7.5 yards every time he touches the ball. Meanwhile, Donovan Edwards seemed to run a little harder last week and gained 82 yards on 17 carries with 1 touchdown. The offensive line seemed to gel a little bit against the Red Wolves with RG Giovanni El-Hadi notching the highest PFF run blocking grade. Michigan also introduced its six-lineman package, inserting Andrew Gentry as the extra man. It's rumored there will be a change at center, where Greg Crippen will likely replace Dominick Giudice. Michigan also announced they would be making a change at QB, where 6'3", 235 lb. Alex Orji will put to use his skills that have allowed him to run 10 times for 58 yards so far this year. USC is allowing 100 yards/game on the ground, which is good enough for #33 nationally, but they're #77 in yards allowed per carry (4.17). The leading tacklers are senior LB Eric Gentry (6'6", 215) with 14 tackles, senior LB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (6'0", 231), and redshirt sophomore S Kamari Ramsey (6'0", 204) with 14, 13, and 12 stops, respectively. Mascarenas-Arnold (Oregon State) and Ramsey (UCLA) were both poached this past off-season, with Ramsey having come from defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn's prior stop with the Bruins. In fact, six of USC's defensive starters were playing for other teams last year, including fifth year senior DT Gavin Meyer (6'3", 290) and fifth year senior DT Nate Clifton (6'4", 295). Lynn is from the Ravens coaching tree, just like Wink Martindale, Mike Macdonald, and Jesse Minter. Advantage: Michigan
PASS OFFENSE vs. USC PASS DEFENSE We don't really know what the pass offense will look like this week, because Orji is taking over. Orji has not thrown the ball much, completing just 3/6 passes for 15 yards and 2 touchdowns. Michigan needs to take some shots downfield to keep the defense honest, but it remains to be seen whether Orji can complete any passes that are farther than about three yards downfield. Both touchdowns have come to players leaking out of the backfield in Edwards and TE Hogan Hansen. The pass blocking looked better last week, but it was against Arkansas State, so I'm not sure how much that translates. USC is #72 in pass defense (205.5 yards allowed/game) and #51 in yards allowed per attempt (6.2). They're #81 in passing efficiency defense. Both of their opponents have completed at least 66% of their passes, and LSU's Garrett Nussmeier completed 30/39 throws for 308 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Both of USC's interceptions have come from linebackers, and no defensive back has recorded a pass breakup except for third-string CB Marcelles Williams, playing late in a 48-0 blowout win over Utah State. I have questions about how well their secondary can hold up, but I also have questions about whether Michigan can effectively pass the ball. The Trojans are #94 in sacks per game (1.5) with Gentry and Ramsey notching one each.
ROSTER NOTES
USC players recruited by Michigan include: DT Bear Alexander, WR Zachariah Branch, S Zion Branch, LB Raesjon Davis, WR Kyle Ford, S Marquis Gallegos, WR Makai Lemon, DE Anthony Lucas, OL Jonah Monheim, OL Mason Murphy, DT Kobe Pepe, OL Makai Saina,
USC players from the state of Michigan include: LB Desman Stephens (Clarkston)
Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Kalel Mullings. I respect Michigan's 1-2 punch at running back, and they've done a good job (for the most part) of keeping guys fresh over the past several years and having at least two very good running backs. From Charbonnet/Haskins to Haskins/Corum to Corum/Edwards, the Wolverines have garnered a lot of respect. A couple games ago, though, the "Thunder" in this year's thunder/lightning duo only had 6 carries. That's not enough. Mullings had 15 carries for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns against Arkansas State, and he deserves to have just as many carries as Donovan Edwards, if not more. Michigan has a big game coming up this weekend, and Mullings should be getting the rock.
Michigan played Arkansas State for the first time last Saturday. Here's a look at the ten longest plays of the day for the Wolverines. (Okay, there are thirteen since there's a six-way tie at 13 yards.)
Kalel Mullings 38-yard run (2024)
Davis Warren 33-yard pass to Marlin Klein (2024)
Kalel Mullings 30-yard touchdown run (2024)
Kalel Mullings 30-yard run (2024)
Davis Warren 20-yard pass to Colston Loveland (2024)
Davis Warren 17-yard pass to Fredrick Moore (2024)
Benjamin Hall 14-yard run (2024)
Keshaun Harris 13-yard kickoff return
Semaj Morgan 13-yard run (2024)
Alex Orji 13-yard run (2024)
Davis Warren 13-yard run (2024)
Davis Warren 13-yard pass to Colston Loveland (2024)
Davis Warren 13-yard pass to Fredrick Moore (2024)
Just go away already, Red Wolves. I just wanted Arkansas State to quit. Michigan kept gashing them in the run game. Michigan kept stuffing their run game. And yet . . . Arkansas State wouldn't quit. It was 28-3. And then it was 28-10. And then it was 28-18 after a touchdown and a two-point conversion against Michigan's third- and fourth-stringers. So the final was closer than it should have been, because Michigan was trying to get its top players a rest going into the USC game next week. Those two teams are not just a 10-point differential away from each other. But the situation will be forgotten shortly and people will just look at the score. Good for Arkansas State for not quitting, but I wish they would have.
RUSH OFFENSE vs. ARKANSAS STATE RUSH DEFENSE After two games, Michigan is in unfamiliar territory as the #101 rushing team in the country (114 yards/game) and the #87 team in yards per carry (4.0). The Wolverines are one of just eleven teams in the country with zero rushing touchdowns at this point. Michigan is also tied for #114 in rushing attempts per game (28.0), and that signifies the biggest issue. They have been unable to sustain drives, and Donovan Edwards (8) and Kalel Mullings (6) managed just 14 carries between them against Texas last week. That's not enough touches for two of the three best athletes on the offense. Pro Football Focus ranks Michigan as the #47 run blocking team in the country. LG Josh Priebe and LT Myles Hinton rank as the top two blockers on the line, but there have been some major struggles opening holes. Starting running back Donovan Edwards has managed just 68 yards on 19 carries (3.58 yards/carry) so far this year. Arkansas State is #115 in rushing defense (199 yards allowed/game) and they're #131 in yards allowed per carry (6.22). They've squeaked by Central Arkansas and Tulsa by a combined seven points, but they've given up 235 and 163 yards rushing, respectively, and 5 total rushing touchdowns. Senior hybrid safety Justin Parks (6'0", 197 lbs.) and fifth year senior LB Charles Willekes (6'1", 225) - a former Michigan State linebacker and the brother of former MSU DE Kenny Willekes - are tied for the team lead with 17 tackles, followed by fifth year senior LB Marvin Ham (6'1", 231), a Colorado transfer, with 14 stops. The starting defensive tackles are 288 and 294 pounds, and some of the key backups are in the 270s. If Michigan is going to get back to playing smashmouth football, it needs to start this week against an undersized and less talented defense. Advantage: Michigan
Here's a roundup of the former Michigan player, former commits, and former coaches (or players-turned-coaches). NOTE: I will not regularly post updates about offensive linemen since stats are minimal and just posting PFF grades is kind of boring, but I did this week just to show who's playing where and what their opening day role was.
FORMER PLAYERS
WR Andrel Anthony (Oklahoma): Anthony did not play in a 16-12 win over Houston.
LB Jeremiah Beasley (Missouri): Beasley made 1 tackle in a 38-0 win over Buffalo.
QB Alan Bowman (Oklahoma State): Bowman completed 27/48 passes for 326 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. He also ran 5 times for 7 yards.
LB Semaj Bridgeman (Michigan State): Bridgeman did not record any stats in a 27-24 win over Maryland.
What's Michigan's offensive identity? Obviously, Michigan is still trying to feel out what it's good at besides hoping a tight end can make a play. With a walk-on quarterback, it needs to be a run-oriented program. With that being said, Michigan needs to commit to more creativity in the run game. This team can't subsist on 14 total rushing attempts from its top two running backs. Donovan Edwards (8 carries, 41 yards) and Kalel Mullings (6 carries, 25 yards) may not have had great days, but the offensive coordinator (and the offensive-minded head coach) need to figure out creative ways to get them the ball, get them going in the run game, and play complementary offensive football. The offense seems to be very disjointed as the staff appears to be relying on an odd mix of runs and straight dropback passing. They need more misdirection in the run game and they need to get Warren moving a little bit. I don't think the coaching staff has done a good job of adjusting to its personnel this year.
RUSH OFFENSE vs. TEXAS RUSH DEFENSE After one week of the 2024 season, Michigan is tied for #79 in yards per game (148.0) and #72 in yards per carry (4.35). Kalel Mullings kinda sorta seemed to take the lead running back role with 15 carries for 92 yards against Fresno State, passing up #1 RB Donovan Edwards (11 carries, 27 yards) in both attempts and yards. Michigan finished #22 in run blocking according to Pro Football Focus, but there were definitely some struggles. New LG Josh Priebe scored the highest in run blocking among offensive linemen (69.9) while new starting center Dominick Giudice was the lowest graded run blocker on the entire team (57.4). On the Texas side, fifth year senior DT Vernon Broughton (6'4", 305) graded out the highest among defenders against Colorado State with a grade of 89.8, but he was just a 56.8 against the run and made 2 tackles. Junior nickel Jaylon Guilbeau (6'0", 190) led the team with 8 tackles, followed by sophomore LB Anthony Hill, Jr. (6'3", 235) with 5 stops. Texas allowed 118 yards on the ground (#66 in the country) and ranked #70 in yards allowed per carry (3.69). I think Michigan will be able to run the ball, but the speed and size on defense is going to limit big plays. Advantage: Michigan
NOTE: I want to acknowledge that this post is coming out after Michigan's first game. I usually get this post done prior to the season - for obvious reasons - but I was scrambling to finish the countdown and just couldn't get it all wrapped up. Some of these predictions were already shared in the season countdown posts, but some were not addressed.
LEADING RUSHER I'm not sure how well this prediction holds up after watching game one against Fresno State, in which Kalel Mullings outgained Donovan Edwards. But I believed Edwards would be the lead back and put up a good chunk of yards. Prediction: Donovan Edwards, 1100 yards
Hit the jump for the rest of the prognostications.
Derek Jeter - SS - Kalamazoo (MI) Central: Jeter was committed to Michigan as a baseball player in the class of 1992 but chose to sign with the New York Yankees instead. The Hall of Famer will serve as an honorary captain for the game against Texas.
2025
Avery Gach - OG - Franklin (MI) Groves: Gach is committed to Michigan (LINK).
Julius Holly - DE - Alpharetta (GA) Alpharetta: Holly is committed to Michigan (LINK).
Bobby Kanka - DT - Howell (MI) Howell: Kanka is committed to Michigan.
Andrew Marsh - WR - Fulshear (TX) Katy Jordan: Marsh is committed to Michigan.
Eli Owens - TE - Alcoa (TN) Alcoa: Owens is committed to Michigan (LINK).
Ivan Taylor - S - Winter Garden (FL) West Orange: Taylor is committed to Michigan (LINK).
On the heels of Will Johnson's pick-six last Saturday night against Fresno State, here's a look at the longest interception returns in program history:
94 yards - Brandon Herron (2011 vs. Western Michigan)
92 yards - Thomas Darden (1971 vs. UCLA)
88 yards - Ernest Shazor (2004 vs. Miami-OH)
86 yards - Will Johnson (2024 vs. Fresno State)
81 yards - Mike Rotunno (1955 vs. Missouri)
81 yards - Mike Sainristil (2023 vs. Washington)
80 yards - David Long, Jr. (2017 vs. Maryland)
73 yards - Josh Metellus (2018 vs. SMU)
72 yards - Blake Countess (2013 vs. Minnesota)
72 yards - Mike Sainristil (2023 vs. Michigan State)
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PWO QB FTW. Well, it was a mild surprise when it was announced that former walk-on Davis Warren was named the starting quarterback for the season opener over Alex Orji and Jack Tuttle. Orji had received most of the hype in the off-season, and Tuttle is the most experienced. But Tuttle has been dealing with injuries and soreness, so he wasn't really an option. Rumors started coming out a couple days before the game that Warren would be the guy. He finished 15/25 for 118 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception and graded out as Michigan's #4 offensive player (69.7 on Pro Football Focus). Overall, I thought Warren was mostly accurate. He overthrew a deep shot to Tyler Morris, and he underthrew Fredrick Morris on an open post route that could have been a touchdown but turned into an interception. There were a lot of checkdowns and short throws, probably by design to make things easy for Warren in his first start. But overall, I thought Warren looked composed and accurate.
Here's a roundup of the former Michigan player, former commits, and former coaches (or players-turned-coaches). NOTE: I will not regularly post updates about offensive linemen since stats are minimal and just posting PFF grades is kind of boring, but I did this week just to show who's playing where and what their opening day role was.
FORMER PLAYERS
WR Andrel Anthony (Oklahoma): Anthony caught 1 pass for 4 yards in a 51-3 win over Temple. This was Anthony's first game back after tearing his ACL last season.
LB Jeremiah Beasley (Missouri): Beasley made 1 tackle in a 51-0 win over Murray State.
QB Alan Bowman (Oklahoma State): Bowman completed 25/34 passes for 267 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 44-20 win over South Dakota State.
LB Semaj Bridgeman (Michigan State): Bridgeman did not record any stats in a 16-10 win over FAU.
Name: Will Johnson Height: 6’2″ Weight: 202 lbs. High school: Grosse Pointe (MI) South Position: Cornerback Class: Junior Jersey number: #2 Last year: I ranked Johnson #2 and said he would be a starting cornerback with 50 tackles and 4 interceptions (LINK). He made 27 tackles, 1 tackle, 4 interceptions (for 80 yards and 1 touchdown), and 8 pass breakups. TTB Rating: 91
Johnson went ahead in year two and staked his claim for being one of the top cornerbacks in Michigan history. He was a First Team All-Big Ten corner and an All-American, helping to slow down some of the best receivers in the country. The 6'2", 202-pounder limited Ohio State's Marvin Harrison, Jr. to 5 catches for 98 yards when matched up over the past two seasons, and top-10 pick Rome Odunze for Washington had 5 total catches for 87 yards and 0 touchdowns in the national championship game.
Some of Johnson's highlights include jumping a Harrison slant route for an interception and returning an interception for a touchdown against Minnesota. He's been making highlight-worthy plays since the second half of his freshman year, including a mostly stellar game against Purdue in the Big Ten Championship Game in 2022. Every player is going to get beaten sometimes, but it seems like challenging Johnson is almost always a poor choice.
I had a tough time picking a #1 player this season. It came down to DT Mason Graham (who was #3), TE Colston Loveland (who was #2), and Johnson. I was recently listening to the Move the Sticks podcast with Daniel Jeremiah, who talked about a study that came out comparing defensive performance between pass rush or coverage. The results of the study showed that good coverage helps out the pass rush more than a good pass rush helps out coverage. On top of that, Michigan has decent backups on the defensive line (T.J. Guy at edge, Rayshaun Benny at DT), but even Michigan's #2 corner Jyaire Hill is unproven. If Johnson were to go down, it would likely be up to Hill and FCS transfer Aamir Hall to hold down the corner spots. Ultimately, if Johnson were to get hurt, games against Texas's Quinn Ewers, Oregon's Dillon Gabriel, and the wide receiver talent of Ohio State look a whole lot more difficult.
Name: Colston Loveland Height: 6’5″ Weight: 245 lbs. High school: Gooding (ID) Gooding Position: Tight end Class: Junior Jersey number: #18 Last year: I ranked Loveland #16a and said he would be a starting tight end with 35 catches for 435 yards and 5 touchdowns (LINK). He caught 45 passes for 649 yards and 4 touchdowns. TTB Rating: 85
Loveland took a big leap in 2023 despite the presence of Indiana transfer A.J. Barner, who then got drafted and made the Seahawks roster. Always a talented athlete, I thought he might just play second fiddle to other passing targets, but he was a prime target for quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Loveland finished #3 on the team in receptions, but it was by a thin margin: WR Roman Wilson had 48 and WR Cornelius Johnson had 47. They were a three-headed monster.
Though he has yet to have a 100-yard game, he did top the 70-yard mark four times last season, including a 4-catch, 79-yard, 2-touchdown performance against Michigan State. And he went for 5 receptions and 88 yards against Ohio State.
This year Loveland will be more of a focal point for opposing defenses because no proven receivers return. There's no speedy downfield threat like Wilson who has made plays downfield (though Fredrick Moore and Semaj Morgan have potential), there's no 6'3" target on the outside like Johnson (though Amorion Walker has potential), and there's no other proven tight end like Barner (though Marlin Klein has potential). So until those players show productivity on the field, it just makes sense that other teams would do their best to limit Loveland's catches. He's been talked about as the possible #1 tight end off the board for the 2025 NFL Draft, but with a weaker cast around him, it's likely to be tougher sledding in 2024.
Prediction: Starting tight end; 40 catches for 520 yards and 4 touchdowns
Name: Mason Graham Height: 6’3″ Weight: 320 lbs. High school: Anaheim (CA) Servite Position: Defensive tackle Class: Junior Jersey number: #55 Last year: I ranked Graham #9 and said he would be a starting nose tackle with 45 tackles and 4 sacks (LINK). He started thirteen games and made 36 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass breakup, and 3 quarterback hurries. TTB Rating: 84
Graham was expected to be a huge impact player in 2023, and he did not disappoint. He was voted by conference coaches as a First Team All-Big Ten player (yeah!), by Big Ten media types as a Third Team All-Big Ten player (huh?), and by other media as Second Team All-American. And he deserved all that hype and more. After getting a PFF grade of 80.3 as a freshman in 2022, he topped it by scoring a 90.0 as a sophomore in 2023.
Graham had a cast on his arm for a chunk of the season, and he was beating Minnesota linemen to death despite being one-armed at the time. Graham is extremely quick off the ball, has powerful hands, plays with great leverage, and has the explosiveness to finish plays that other guys come close to making. Along with Kenneth Grant, Michigan's top defensive tackles are the best duo I remember in a Michigan uniform. There is no better tackle combo in the NCAA in 2024, at least.
This year could be Graham's final season in a Michigan uniform. He has been talked about as a potential first round draft pick, and I wouldn't blame him for jumping to the pros if he has another good season. The bar has already been set for all-conference and All-American accolades, so it might be hard to top that season. But Michigan has at least one season left (barring injury) to watch Graham and Grant manhandle opposing linemen. Let's enjoy it while we can.
Name: Kenneth Grant Height: 6’3″ Weight: 339 lbs. High school: Merrillville (IN) Merrillville Position: Defensive tackle Class: Junior Jersey number: #78 Last year: I ranked Grant #18 and said he would be a backup nose tackle (LINK). He started five games and made 29 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery, 5 pass breakups, and 6 quarterback hurries. TTB Rating: 85
Grant made some giant leaps from 2022 to 2023. While he played in a bunch of games as a freshman, he made just 8 tackles and didn't really have a signature play. Linemen usually take some time to percolate in college, and . . . boy oh boy, Grant percolated.
He percolated into a 339 lb. defensive tackle who could chase down Penn State running backs in the open field from behind.
He percolated into a guy who could get his big, meaty hands in the path of quarterbacks' passes to break up 5 attempts and intercept another one.
And he percolated into a dude who perp-walked a Washington offensive lineman back into Michael Penix's face for a sack in the national championship game.
I often hear that planet-sized, athletic defensive tackles don't grow in the midwest like they do in SEC country, but Grant is an exception. He's quick, he's fast, he's strong, he can play low, and he has good anticipation. Physically, he's among the most athletic defensive tackles Michigan has fielded in my time watching the Wolverines, right up there with long-time NFLer Alan Branch and current NFLer Maurice Hurst, Jr.
I think Michigan's offense is going to struggle at times this season without an elite passer and without savvy veteran wide receivers - plus with a whole new offensive line - so there's going to be a ton of pressure on the defense to win games or at least give the offense a fighting chance. And without much proven depth behind the defensive tackles, keeping Grant healthy will be a big step toward battling for playoff contention in 2024.
Prediction: Starting nose tackle; 35 tackles, 3 sacks
Name: Donovan Edwards Height: 6’1” Weight: 212 lbs. High school: West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield Position: Running back Class: Senior Jersey number: #7 Last year: I ranked Edwards #13 and said he would be a part-time starting running back with 1,050 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns, plus 30 catches for 350 yards and 4 touchdowns (LINK). He ran 119 times for 497 yards and 5 touchdowns; he caught 30 passes for 249 yards; and he completed 1/1 pass for 34 yards. TTB Rating: 90
Well, Nostramagnus did a great job with the 2023 predictions, because I predicted Edwards would catch 30 passes and he did.
We're just going to ignore the fact that I predicted 1,050 rushing yards (he had 497) and 8 touchdowns (he had 5) and 350 receiving yards (he had 249) and 4 receiving touchdowns (he had 0).
Just ignore it.
Edwards struggled in 2023 by a lot of metrics. First, his production was way down, and his yards per carry was among the lowest of qualifying running backs in the Big Ten. He wasn't breaking big plays . . . or tackles. He supposedly started seeing a sports psychologist because of some of his on-field frustrations. And when he couldn't eke out a short yardage touchdown, he campaigned visibly to stay on the field . . . and the coaching staff still replaced him with Blake Corum to ensure they would score.
That's the bad stuff.
The good stuff is that he broke off a big touchdown run against Penn State and had two huge touchdown runs early in the national championship game (41- and 46-yarders) that set the tone against Washington. So he had his moments, but not nearly as many of them as we expected.
Now Corum is out of the way, and Edwards should be the unquestioned #1 back. He's on the cover of NCAA '25 and is rated as one of the top 50 players in the game. He got up to 214 pounds by the spring (now listed at 212) after being right around 200 earlier in his career, and the added weight/strength showed in the spring when he seemed a little more willing to try to bring the contact to defenders. A wholesale shift from finesse back to ground-and-pounder is unlikely, but if he can add a little thunder to his lightning for 2024, that would be an improvement. I have faith that Michigan's coaching staff is going to restore some of his confidence and figure out ways to help him return to his 2022 form, especially if he's on the field with run threat Alex Orji and fellow running back Kalel Mullings at times, because those are three dynamic runners that teams would have a very difficult time figuring out how to defend.
Prediction: Starting running back; 1,100 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns, plus 25 catches for 225 yards and 3 touchdowns
Name: Josaiah Stewart Height: 6’1″ Weight: 245 lbs. High school: Everett (MA) Everett Position: Defensive end Class: Senior Jersey number: #5 Last year: I ranked Stewart #23 and said he would be a backup defensive end with 25 tackles and 4 sacks (LINK). He made 38 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, and 3 quarterback hurries. TTB Rating: N/A
Michigan was very lucky to land Stewart in the transfer portal from Coastal Carolina last off-season. The Wolverines needed some juice at pass rusher, and they were able to find it. It's not often that players spurn a Michigan offer out of high school to become a Chanticleer, but Stewart was one who did it, so it makes sense that the Wolverines circled back to him after he had made a name for himself for Coastal. And it paid off with Stewart being a key piece of the national championship defense. After struggling a little bit against the run early in the season, he was able to steel himself, improved throughout the year, and was on the field for the game-sealing 4th down stop of Jalen Milroe in the Rose Bowl against Alabama.
This year Stewart will step into a bigger role now that Jaylen Harrell is playing for the Titans in the NFL. He has some quickness off the edge, but perhaps his best attribute is the power he possesses despite being undersized at just 6'1" and 245 pounds. His leverage advantage and toughness have been a pleasant surprise, and with another year of technique and strength work under his belt, I expect him to be even better in 2024 than he was in 2023.
RUSH OFFENSE vs. FRESNO STATE RUSH DEFENSE Michigan finished #55 in rushing yards (169.1 yards/game) and #52 in yards per carry (4.5) in 2023. Those aren't the world's most impressive numbers, but the consistency with which Michigan pulled off its run game was. Whether it was a good opponent or a bad one, Michigan was willing and able to run the ball. The guy on the cover of NCAA '25 is senior RB Donovan Edwards (119 carries, 497 yards, 5 TD last season), who had 41- and 46-yard touchdowns in the national championship game. He struggled for much of last year and was near the bottom of the Big Ten in yards per carry until the game against Washington. The backup is former LB Kalel Mullings, a 6'2", 233-pounder who ran 36 times for 222 yards and 1 touchdown last year. Up front the Wolverines lost their top six linemen to the NFL (four got drafted, two got signed as UDFAs); the assured starters are OG Giovanni El-Hadi, OT Myles Hinton, who transferred from Stanford prior to 2023, and OG Josh Priebe, who transferred from Northwestern this year. For Fresno State, one of the better players is fifth year senior DE Devo Bridges (6'2", 255), who had 30 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks last year. The other bookend is former 5-star USC DE Korey Foreman (6'4", 245), who has 24 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and 1 interception over three years in college. Both starting defensive tackles are sub-300 pounders. The leading returning tackler is weakside linebacker Malachi Langley (6'1", 236), who made 84 tackles and 5 tackles for loss a season ago. The Bulldogs finished #97 in rush defense (166.2 yards allowed/game) and #81 in yards allowed per carry (4.33) last season. Advantage: Michigan
Name: Jaishawn Barham Height: 6’3″ Weight: 248 lbs. High school: Baltimore (MD) St. Frances Position: Linebacker Class: Junior Jersey number: #1 Last year: Barham played for Maryland. He started eleven games and made 37 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 pass breakup. TTB Rating: N/A
You might remember Jaishawn Barham from when Michigan recruited him as a 4-star linebacker out of Baltimore (MD) St. Frances back in the 2022 class.
You might also remember Jaishawn Barham from when he picked off J.J. McCarthy in the red zone of Michigan's narrow escape against the Terps in 2023.
Michigan opponents are going to remember Barham for living in their backfield in 2024.
Barham escaped Maryland after two years of playing for his home state Terrapins. It's one thing to play in your home area, but when it becomes apparent that toppling the likes of Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State is going to be tough even when the program reaches its peak, that has to be frustrating. Meanwhile, Michigan lost its top two linebackers and leading tacklers from 2023 to the NFL draft with both Junior Colson and Michael Barrett getting picked.
So there was an opening for a linebacker alongside Nebraska transfer Ernest Hausmann, who was the #3 tackler for the Wolverines last year. In steps Barham, who has earned rave reviews from all parties. Offensive line coach Grant Newsome called Barham the most gifted second-level athlete in his time at Michigan, and Newsome has been with the Wolverines through the Devin Bush era, a guy who could blitz and fly sideline to sideline. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale has praised Barham for his physicality, athleticism, and versatility.
I think we can expect to see Barham used as both an inside linebacker and an edge rusher in 2024. He's fast enough and big enough to be an edge guy (he's taller and heavier than starting outside linebacker Josaiah Stewart), but he's also athletic enough and instinctive enough to roam the middle. If Barham lives up to the hype, he could be an exciting chess piece for the Wolverines to use in a variety of ways.
Name: Alex Orji Height: 6’3″ Weight: 235 lbs. High school: Sachse (TX) Sachse Position: Quarterback Class: Redshirt sophomore Jersey number: #10 Last year: I ranked Orji #50 and said he would be a backup quarterback (LINK). He played in six games and ran 15 times for 86 yards. TTB Rating: 55
Orji had a really weird odyssey last year as a quarterback, especially for one who is supposedly the heir apparent to the quarterback position. He started off the season as a deep backup who wasn't allowed to pass the ball at the beginning of the season to . . .
. . . well . . .
. . . yeah, he was just never allowed to pass all year. Not even once.
I say that with one caveat, and that's that there was a trick play - a QB pop pass call - against Alabama in the Rose Bowl where it looked like throwing the ball was a possibility, but Alabama covered it well so Orji kept it and ran. But it amounted to zero pass attempts.
Jim Harbaugh did praise Orji in the 2023 pre-season and say that Orji could be an outstanding kickoff returner.
Going into the 2024 season, Orji seems to be the betting favorite to win the quarterback position. As has been discussed here and elsewhere, Orji the freak athlete possesses a potential game-changing skill that nobody else has. None of the other quarterbacks have the arm strength of a Joe Milton or the speed of a Denard Robinson. What Orji has is a Tim Tebow-esque ability to be both a quarterback and a power runner. It remains to be seen whether Orji has the leadership or even the throwing ability of a Tebow.
Normally I would rank a starting quarterback higher than #8, but it's not clear whether Orji will even start the opener, let alone hold onto a starting job. Walk-on Davis Warren has been pushing to start, and the most experienced guy on the roster is Utah/Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle, who was the #2 quarterback in 2023 but who has been unhealthy for the majority of his career. It will be interesting to see who starts at QB and whether that guy can hold onto the job throughout the year. But even if Orji ends up as the backup, he should have a package of plays as a rushing threat.
Name: Ernest Hausmann Height: 6’2″ Weight: 235 lbs. High school: Columbus (NE) Columbus Position: Linebacker Class: Junior Jersey number: #15 Last year: I ranked Hausmann #31 and said he would be a backup linebacker (LINK). He made 46 tackles and 2 tackles for loss. TTB Rating: N/A
Hausmann is a Nebraska transfer who Michigan was lucky to stumble into after he played his freshman year at Nebraska. With a couple solid linebackers on the roster and then some big question marks, the Wolverines needed an heir apparent to Michael Barrett and Junior Colson. In stepped Hausmann, a good-sized player who had good athleticism and got to play quite a bit under the bright lights already. He could step in as a backup in 2023 without too much pressure, and that's exactly what he did. Backing up both Barrett and Colson, he finished third on the team in tackles behind those two starting linebackers.
So this year it just makes sense that Hausmann steps in to fill their shoes. I was impressed last year with how well Hausmann moved, and he looked even bigger than his listed 237 pounds (down to 235 this year). Hausmann will be the starter at weakside linebacker (Barrett's position) while Maryland transfer Jaishawn Barham comes in to play the MIKE spot. It should be one of the better linebacker units in the conference. Wink Martindale recently said it would be either Hausmann or safety Makari Paige with the "green dot" (in-helmet communications), so that shows how much the defense is going to depend on Hausmann.
Name: Dominic Zvada Height: 6’3" Weight: 180 lbs. High school: Chandler (AZ) Valley Christian Position: Kicker Class: Junior Jersey number: #96 Last year: Zvada played at Arkansas State. He was 17/22 on field goals and 41/41 on extra points. TTB Rating: N/A
Michigan has had some solid kickers in recent years that made it to the NFL, including Quinn Nordin and Jake Moody. Last year they took a transfer in James Turner from Louisville, who made some key kicks down the stretch and might end up on an NFL roster this season. So despite having homegrown Adam Samaha and Mississippi State transfer Hudson Hollenbeck on the roster, Michigan took a swing for the fences again and landed Arkansas State's starting kicker. Zvada was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist in 2022 as a freshman, and he was still pretty solid as a sophomore, converting all of his extra points and 17 out of 22 of his field goal attempts.
I don't have a ton of confidence in Samaha, who has seemed a little shaky since arriving on campus. Michigan has a tough schedule in 2024 and might need some clutch kicks this season to either ensure victories or tie up some games late. Michigan was blowing out teams in 2023 on a weekly basis - except for Maryland, Ohio State, and Alabama - but that's not always going to be the case this fall. Zvada has a chance to swing a couple games in Michigan's favor this fall, so I think he will be a key player if Michigan is going to make a run for the College Football Playoff.
Name: Myles Hinton Height: 6’6″ Weight: 342 lbs. High school: Norcross (GA) Greater Atlanta Christian Position: Offensive tackle Class: Fifth year senior Jersey number: #78 Last year: I ranked Hinton #45a and said he would be a backup offensive tackle (LINK). He played in thirteen games and started five. TTB Rating: N/A
Hinton is a former elite high school recruit who struggled to realize his potential in three years at Stanford. Michigan rescued him from Palo Alto after David Shaw resigned following the 2022 season, and Hinton came in with a chance to win an offensive tackle job in 2023. It wasn't quite meant to be as Arizona State transfer La'Darius Henderson won the left tackle job and Karsen Barnhart won the right tackle job, but Hinton managed to start four games on the right side and one on the left. He was generally good as a pass blocker and improved throughout the year as a run blocker, and he even won Co-Offensive Player of the Week when he started against Maryland after Henderson got injured. Overall, Hinton was significantly ahead of Barnhart when it comes to Pro Football Focus grades, but . . . well, Michigan won the natty, so I guess they made the right choice.
I feel a little queasy about not putting any linemen in the top ten for most important players in 2024, and Hinton was a tough choice to put here at #11. I wanted to rank him higher, but lots of other spots are missing quality backups, too. I think Hinton has the potential to be a very good tackle this year, and I have high hopes for him if Sherrone Moore and Grant Newsome can help him get rid of some of the mental/technique mistakes he made at Stanford. But Michigan does have some veteran tackles vying for playing time - as well as redshirt freshman Evan Link - so I think they might be able to weather an injury to Hinton without a terribly devastating impact to the offense as a whole.
Prediction: Starting offensive tackle; Third Team All-Big Ten
Name: Tommy Doman Height: 6’4″ Weight: 215 lbs. High school: Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s Position: Kicker/Punter Class: Redshirt junior Jersey number: #19 Last year: I ranked Doman #20a and said he would be the starting punter (LINK). He punted 53 times for 2,345 yards (44.5 yards/punt), forced 26 fair catches, and pinned other teams inside their 20 a total of 18 times; he also kicked off 99 times with 68 touchbacks. TTB Rating: N/A
Doman was a Third Team All-Big Ten selection in 2023 after playing multiple roles for the Wolverines. It's not often that someone punts and kicks off and holds for extra points/field goals, but those were Doman's roles last year. Holding is often done by a backup quarterback, and kickoffs can be handled by placekickers or dedicated kickoff guys. So it's impressive that Doman was able to master all those things at once. What else can he do?
Pass the ball?
Kick 55-yard field goals?
Decipher opponents' signals?
Michigan has an array of special teams guys to handle the various kicking and holding duties, so it's not clear what roles Doman will handle this year outside of punting. Hudson Hollenbeck dabbled in holding last year, so he could be the answer there. Dominic Zvada was brought in from Arkansas State to handle place kicking. Hollenbeck and Adam Samaha were both in the running to handle kickoffs. But this is bound to be a tougher season for Michigan than 2023 was, and Michigan's defense and special teams are going to have to make up for taking some steps back on offense. So Doman will be a key piece of those field position battles.
Prediction: Starting punter; Second Team All-Big Ten
Derrick Moore (image via Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)
Name: Derrick Moore Height: 6’3″ Weight: 256 lbs. High school: Baltimore (MD) St. Frances Position: Defensive end Class: Junior Jersey number: #8 Last year: I ranked Moore #27 and said he would be a backup defensive end (LINK). He made 34 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown, and 4 quarterback hurries. TTB Rating: 83
Moore has been a solid player for Michigan since he arrived on campus in 2022. With his stout frame and perhaps underappreciated athleticism, he never looked out of place. From his freshman to sophomore year, he shed some weight, from the 270s to the 250s. While he notched 5 sacks last year and even scored a touchdown on a blocked punt against Maryland, he has yet to have a real signature performance. Part of that was because he was playing behind Braiden McGregor, Jaylen Harrell, and Mike Morris over the past couple seasons.
This year I expect Moore to play a little bit . . . more. He was at 410 snaps last season, which was just 5 behind McGregor (who recently made the 53-man cut with the New York Jets despite being undrafted). But Michigan has a tougher schedule and a weaker offense in 2024; they also have less depth. So I think the starters will have to play more snaps rather than taking a break in the fourth quarter of half the games. I also expect Moore's performance to improve. He and Josaiah Stewart were a nice second wave of edge players in 2023, and they also happened to be the highest graded edges on the team, but there's still room for Moore to grow as a player. Some people have talked about him being a first-rounder in the NFL draft; I don't think we've seen the consistency from him to expect that, but he should be even better in 2024.
Name: Giovanni El-Hadi Height: 6’5″ Weight: 310 lbs. High school: Sterling Heights (MI) Stevenson Position: Offensive guard Class: Redshirt junior Jersey number: #58 Last year: I ranked El-Hadi #33 and said he would be a backup offensive guard (LINK). He played in fifteen games. TTB Rating: 84
It seems like El-Hadi has been around forever. It seems like he's been a backup forever. And it seems like a long time ago that he started three games in place of a banged up Trevor Keegan. But it hasn't been forever. He was a part of the 2021 class and started those three games in 2022. Normally it seems like a player with El-Hadi's recruiting pedigree and talent would have been playing by at least his second year, but Michigan has had the advantage of having a veteran offensive line room for the past several seasons. El-Hadi's PFF scores were higher in 2021 and 2022 than they were in 2023, but I wonder if that's a function of feeling a little stagnant while waiting his turn.
But the time has now come for El-Hadi to be a full-time starter. Keegan and Zak Zinter, both long-term starting offensive guards, have moved on to the NFL. Along with Myles Hinton at left tackle and Josh Priebe at the other guard spot, El-Hadi is one of three solidified positions on the offensive line. The battles have continued at center and right tackle, but El-Hadi was a shoo-in. Furthermore, Sam Webb has been touting El-Hadi this off-season, including saying he would take El-Hadi as the "breakout offensive player of the year." With the way Sherrone Moore has developed offensive linemen, it might be a good bet that El-Hadi turns into an all-conference lineman this season.
Prediction: Starting offensive guard; Second Team All-Big Ten
Height: 6'5" Weight: 306 lbs. High school: Edwardsburg (MI) Edwardsburg Position: Offensive guard Class: Fifth year senior Jersey number: #68 Last year: Priebe played for Northwestern. He started all twelve games at left guard and was named Third Team All-Big Ten. TTB Rating: N/A
Priebe is a Michigan native who started 29 games for the Northwestern Wildcats over the past four years. He played in eight games as a true freshman in 2020 and has basically been starting ever since. He had a couple rough appearances in 2023 according to Pro Football Focus, but Northwestern is not a good football program. Additionally, offensive linemen are very dependent on what's going on around them (combo blocks, communication, etc.), so it's tough to be a good offensive lineman on a bad offense. From what I've seen of Priebe, he has the tools to step in and be a solid player at Michigan.
And that's what I expect Priebe to do. Head coach Sherrone Moore has already announced that Priebe and Giovanni El-Hadi will be the starting offensive guards, and that's been the situation all camp, according to what I've heard. Despite guys like Raheem Anderson II, Dominick Giudice, Evan Link, etc. pushing for playing time, nobody seems to have been able to challenge for Priebe's spot. There was one insider report that said if Priebe had been at a place like Michigan, he would have been First Team All-Big Ten. While I think that might be going a step too far, Priebe should be a part of a solid interior offensive line in 2024.
Prediction: Starting offensive guard; Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
Name: Semaj Morgan Height: 5’10” Weight: 174 lbs. High school: West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield Position: Wide receiver Class: Sophomore Jersey number: #0 Last year: I ranked Morgan #68 and said he would be a backup wide receiver (LINK). He caught 22 passes for 204 yards and 2 touchdowns; ran 4 times for 67 yards and 2 touchdowns; returned 12 kickoffs for 186 yards; and returned 3 punts for 101 yards. TTB Rating: 76
Semaj Morgan was perhaps the most pleasant surprise of the 2023 season. Coming in as a receiver who's a little undersized without the most impressive athletic profile, it wasn't clear if he could carve out a role as a freshman. After all, he was a 3-star, the #70 wide receiver, and #501 overall in the 247 Composite. But he turned out to be one of Michigan's most exciting players overall. He broke off an 87-yard punt return against Iowa that would have gone for a touchdown if not for an outstanding chase down tackle by an Iowa safety. He caught a short pass against Indiana where he looked to be 100% cornered . . . and then he bobbed and weaved and found the end zone. Altogether, he was more elusive and creative with the ball than I expected.
Even though I think Tyler Morris will catch more passes than any other receiver, I'm ranking Morgan ahead of Morris. Overall, I think Morgan offers a variety of skills (receiving, rushing, returning) that other receivers on this squad don't have. The coaches seem to be pretty high on him, too, because they rewarded him with the #0 jersey for this season. I still have questions about whether Morgan can become a downfield threat and/or win jump balls this year like Jeremy Gallon, another short-ish receiver, used to do. But whether it's returning a punt, running a jet sweep, catching a screen, or turning a hitch into a 40-yard gain by forcing missed tackles, I think Morgan is going to be a dynamic player in 2024.
Prediction: Starting wide receiver; 33 catches for 375 yards and 5 touchdowns
