True freshman wide receiver Andrew Marsh undoubtedly had his breakout moment on Saturday at USC. The 6-foot receiver out of Katy, Texas caught eight passes for 138 yards and his first collegiate touchdown.
For context — in Michigan’s previous five games before the USC matchup, Marsh had five catches for 110 yards total, with 80 of them coming the week prior in his very first start in the home win over Wisconsin. He more than doubled his season-long output in one game alone.
With his breakout game in
the rearview, Marsh should have the receiver job opposite Donaven McCulley locked up. He earned it in the first place thanks to his counterparts in the receiver room having an abundance of drops and inconsistent in the first month of the season.
Talking to the media on Monday, head coach Sherrone Moore spoke glowingly about the young wide receiver, including him on a shortlist of playmakers who have evolved over the course of the season. Moore also elaborated on what Marsh has done to progress from Week 1 to now.
“Consistency,” Moore said. “It started in the bye week. He was continuing to make plays, kind of like he was doing in fall camp, but he did it more consistently. (He was) aligned exactly in the right place, knew where to go, and was able to make those competitive plays going through the bye week and has obviously done that as we’ve gone through these past couple of games. So we’ll continue to give him a chance to do that.”
In Chip Lindsey’s press conference on Wednesday afternoon, he echoed much of what Moore had said.
“Andrew Marsh is coming on,” Lindsey said. “The position he plays requires a little more from a standpoint of moving around and lining up in different spots, having to block support sometimes, not block support sometimes. So I just think his natural progression of being a freshman … when you come here and you have to learn all those things at the next level, it takes a little time. But the moment’s not been too big for him. When he’s gotten opportunities he’s made the catch, and I think that’s the biggest thing.”
It’s not often that true freshmen get the opportunity to play right away at any college, but especially a blue blood like Michigan. Marsh seems to have grabbed onto a role and doesn’t appear to be letting it go any time soon. Hearing both Moore and Lindsey rave about him just six games into his collegiate career is an incredibly positive sign of the things to come.
