Game week is officially upon us, meaning the position battles that defined fall camp are all but wrapped up. This Saturday, fans will finally get to see what the team looks like when it takes the field at the Big House after a long offseason.
Ahead of the matchup with New Mexico, second-year head coach Sherrone Moore held his first weekly press conference of the season on Monday and provided some updates about some of the remaining position battles. Some weren’t all that surprising, like true freshman
Bryce Underwood being named the starting quarterback, while a couple others caught us off guard a bit.
Here’s a quick rundown of some of the key updates that Moore provided during his press conference on Monday, and what it means for those involved:
Bryce Underwood is the starting QB
This one isn’t much of a surprise, as the writing has seemingly been on the wall for the freshman to take command of the offense since the spring. He’ll be just the fourth true freshman to start at quarterback for the Wolverines in program history, and the first since Tate Forcier in 2009. Moore also announced that redshirt freshman Jadyn Davis is QB2.
RB3 battle still ongoing
It wasn’t really a surprise, but Moore mentioned that Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes are 1A and 1B at running back. However, there’s still a battle behind them for RB3. Bryson Kuzdzal was mentioned as a name to watch, as was Micah Ka’apana. Perhaps the most surprising name mentioned was Jasper Parker, a true freshman that did not enroll early but has been turning some heads in fall camp. With those guys named by Moore, it would appear Princeton transfer John Volker is a bit further down the depth chart than we might have originally anticipated.
Channing Goodwin is WR3
Moore named Donaven McCulley as Michigan’s top receiver — not much of a surprise considering his past success at Indiana and his skillset the coaching staff has been raving about. Also unsurprisingly, Semaj Morgan was the second wide receiver mentioned. However, redshirt freshman Channing Goodwin was the third wide receiver that Moore named behind McCulley and Morgan on the depth chart, a bit of a departure from the previous expectation that Fred Moore would be that guy.
Goodwin played sparingly last year as a first-year player but could be in store for a big leap as a sophomore. Additionally, Sherrone Moore mentioned Kendrick Bell, Andrew Marsh, Peyton O’Leary and Jamar Browder as guys that will also get playing time. Marsh was also announced as the starting kick returner to open the year.
Starting offensive line named
Moore listed the starting offensive line as Evan Link (LT), Giovanni El-Hadi (LG), Greg Crippen (C), Brady Norton (RG) and Andrew Sprague (RT). Four of the five spots aren’t really surprising, but Norton grabbing the starting right guard spot was a bit out of the blue. Nathan Efobi had been the favorite to start there, but Moore mentioned Efobi as a backup that will still see some playing time in the opener.
Norton was a bit of an under-the-radar addition from the transfer portal this offseason. The junior is a former FCS All-American that had previously played tackle at Cal Poly. It’s a positive development that he’s taken to the switch to guard and will look to be a mainstay on Michigan’s offensive line both this year and next year.
Blake Frazier was also listed as the team’s third tackle, while true freshman Andrew Babalola is set to undergo knee surgery that will keep him out for the year.
Trey Pierce making an impression
The top of Michigan’s defensive tackle depth chart has appeared set for much of the offseason with Rayshaun Benny and transfers Tre Williams and Damon Payne Jr. slated to get most of the snaps. However, one of the bright spots of the position group has been the large number of players that can rotate in throughout the game to keep guys fresh.
Third-year defensive tackle Trey Pierce was a name Moore spoke glowingly about, going as far to say he could be an All-Big Ten level player. While the depth is great, having another player that could emerge as a star alongside Benny could be a big development.
Status quo in the secondary
The secondary has been a hot topic this offseason, as there are seemingly a million combinations for the corner, nickel and safety spots. Moore noted Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry are the starters on the outside, while Jo’Ziah Edmond, Shamari Earls, Jayden Sanders and Elijah Dotson are also vying for reps. There aren’t really any surprises on that front in terms of the pecking order, but it is noteworthy that Dotson was mentioned, as he was originally recruited as a safety but has now switched positions.
