Games Played through 13: TE and WR
Will be tons of youth and potential at TE next year even though we'll lose a bunch of talent and experience. Loveland is going to be a complete baller next year!
We'll have lots of untested guys at WR next year - talented guys to be sure, but mostly untested in big moments against starter-caliber defenses. We'll need Anthony, Henning, Wilson, and Clemons to continue to improve and I think we have some raw gold in Morris and Walker among others.
Although mashing will probably be Michigan's favorite activity, Pass Catching will remain a thing Michigan is able to do in upcoming seasons.
December 6th, 2022 at 10:39 AM ^
Sooo... Is Cristian Dixon hurt, or a transfer candidate?...
December 6th, 2022 at 11:32 AM ^
Gosh, totally forgot about him. Even though we are 13-0, I'm worried we could lose some WR's due to lack of balls thrown. Someone like Andrel Anthony for example.
December 6th, 2022 at 10:39 AM ^
Really excited for Clemons. He seems like he will be a difference maker.
December 6th, 2022 at 10:49 AM ^
We could almost add Edwards to this list. 😊 He has:
- 5th most receptions
- 6th most receiving yards
- 3rd highest number of receiving touchdowns: Johnson (6), Bell, Schoon and Wilson (3), Edwards and Loveland (2).
December 6th, 2022 at 11:37 AM ^
Tied for 5th by your own count.
December 6th, 2022 at 10:50 AM ^
What is Hibner’s potential as a receiving TE? It’s been a luxury having 2 options out there as we’ve seen
December 6th, 2022 at 11:05 AM ^
Per his recruiting post he was a grow a TE with a high athletic potential. Hansen, the one who’s in the portal, seemed more like the masher/blocker type based on his size and his lack of burst in route running.
December 6th, 2022 at 11:06 AM ^
Feels like TE is where Herbert and the S&C staff have shown the most impressive gains, especially for the younger players like Loveland.
December 6th, 2022 at 11:07 AM ^
I’d wager all of the scholarship tight ends are going to see the field next year. Loveland, Hibner, Bredeson will definitely be a major part of the offense but Klein may be too depending on his development. It would be great to get Hansen back out of the portal because he’s such a large guy (6’5” 250+) but we’ll see. All deciding to do the dash is annoying but I figured he would have left after this season had he not been injured. Onward and upward I suppose.
December 6th, 2022 at 11:38 AM ^
He didn't decide to do the dash. The UM medical staff wouldn't clear him because he had his back surgery in Florida outside the consult of the UM medical staff. He had to leave if he wanted to continue to play college ball.
December 6th, 2022 at 11:44 AM ^
Regardless of circumstances he chose to leave. Which is totally fine for what it’s worth, but he did make the choice to leave the program. My use of annoying was in the context of roster projection not passing judgment on his choice to head to a different program.
December 6th, 2022 at 1:14 PM ^
What proof do you have that this was the actual reason All did not come back? Do you have actual sourced information or is this just a hunch? Because you are reporting this as fact, and I am wondering how you have the information that nobody else does (or hasn't reported) yet.
December 6th, 2022 at 4:09 PM ^
This has been widely reported by Michigan Twitter insiders. People that have been right in past.
December 6th, 2022 at 11:17 AM ^
My take on WR/TE:
WR: Strong rumor that CJ might be back. If so I would expect the WR rotation to be CJ, Wilson, AA with Clemons, Morris and Walker being the next group. If there’s some names I didn’t mention it’s because they might be looking for a bigger role elsewhere.
TEs will be Loveland as the freak pass catcher , Hibner and Bredeson getting plenty of run also. Apparently Klein is looking good and had passed Hansen who hit the portal.
December 6th, 2022 at 11:23 AM ^
That’s great to hear about Klein passing Hansen. Always have faith in the staff, especially at this position, but he was a Build your own Tight End project and Hansen showed up as big as an upperclassmen Erick All. We’re going to need 4 so if he can go that’s huge. The extra playoff practices are only going to help too.
edit:
Also, if CJ sticks around, you can actually have a little more versatility with the receivers and who’s in what position. Being able to put CJ in the slot for those crossers they had Bell running this year would be unfair. Anthony and Clemons should be able to eat up those snaps at the Y/Flanker spot CJ has been in. Exciting stuff.
December 6th, 2022 at 11:18 AM ^
Thanks for doing this, but now your first title is killing my OCD...
Why not "Games Played Through 13: OL and DL"?
December 6th, 2022 at 11:33 AM ^
No real reason other than after the first one, I didn't like how it looked so I tried something different. It's also Adversity Training for people with OCD
December 6th, 2022 at 11:31 AM ^
Plenty of depth at these positions, even with All and Hansen transferring. And Bell moving on.
Tonielli, Morgan and Moore in the ‘23 class. My guess is they all redshirt but maybe they get enough run on ST to burn the redshirt
December 6th, 2022 at 11:43 AM ^
I am excited to see what Morris can do next year. They put him out there on that key play and he delivered. I know it is one play but that is the level of confidence staff have. Last two games have stopped the narrative on passing game and I am looking forward what some of the freshmen freaks can do next year.
December 6th, 2022 at 12:27 PM ^
We are ridiculously deep at WR. We should be fine at TE after adding freshmen, but the right transfer might make sense.