darrius clemons

Previously: The Story. Quarterback. Running Back. 

WIDE RECEIVER:

RATING: 4

Depth Chart

Michigan Football takes the field in front of an audience for the first time in calendar 2023 tomorrow, with a pair of teams drawn up from the roster competing in the annual spring game. Last year was a humorous affair, perhaps best remembered for Jim Harbaugh playing the role of referee... I have not seen any indication if that will happen again (Darrius Clemons whipping out the phone was another highlight). Regardless of whether we get any more borderline meme-able moments, there is plenty to learn despite this being coined by some as the most boring spring in recent Michigan Football memory. Just like last season, we've got seven storylines to watch for tomorrow: 

1.) IS AMORION WALKER GOD REINCARNATE?

Perhaps the only "hole" on the roster is at the 2nd outside corner spot after Michigan was unable to keep either Gemon Green or DJ Turner II away from the NFL and then couldn't land their top target in the transfer portal. If you buy the spring chatter, then those results are A-OK because Amorion Walker is the answer we've been looking for. The lanky wide receiver turned corner had interest from Alabama in the recruiting process as a DB, so there is some background, and the program has labeled him an athletic freak (T-Minus five months until Bruce Feldman gets word). Still, we, the viewing public, haven't seen him play much corner in his time at Michigan, a snap here or there last fall but that was it. The spring game will be his big introduction. 

Walker isn't the only corner worth watching, but he's the guy we've heard the most about. Will Johnson and Mike Sainristil have starting spots locked up and then there's a group of players who we went into the offseason wondering about. Walker has emerged as the player getting the hype but I will have my eyes out for Ja'Den McBurrows as well, in addition to Myles Pollard or any other of the young DBs. Michigan's roster is not exactly loaded at WR (more on that later), but there are several strong starters who we have a good reading on; any reps that Walker/McBurrows/Pollard take against Cornelius Johnson or Roman Wilson will be worth paying attention to. 

[Bryan Fuller]

2.) The depth RB rotation

Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards are not likely to play much, if at all (Corum is not available) tomorrow, meaning that we'll get a healthy dose of the reserve RBs and a read out on who could be getting the third and fourth string carries. CJ Stokes enters as the "incumbent", but his usage was greatly limited as a true freshman in 2022. Now with a full offseason to polish his game and get stronger, we'll get a good look at sophomore Stokes and whether he's in line for a larger role in 2023. He's been getting some positive buzz in the spring chatter and while his role will obviously be limited in the regular season with the quality of the two players ahed of him, Stokes has a lot to prove about not just this upcoming season, but his long term future on the RB depth chart with talented players younger than him in the program or on the way. 

The same could be said about Tavierre Dunlap, a back who is a year older than Stokes. After arriving in the 2021 recruiting class as a burlier complement to Edwards, Dunlap has seldom seen the field as a running back at Michigan. He carried the ball seven times over two games in '21 and then got nine carries in '22, appearing on special teams quite a bit more. There hasn't been a lot of momentum for him in his Michigan career and it probably wasn't a great sign that Kalel Mullings was the preferred mooseback when he wasn't needed for LB depth. If Dunlap wants a role in those sorts of situations this season, spring is a good place to start (the same could be said for Stokes too). 

The spring game also represents an opportunity to get a glimpse of freshmen early enrollees Cole Cabana and Benjamin Hall, depending on how much they play (there are rumors that Cabana is injured). Hall is likely in the same bucket as Dunlap in terms of competing for whatever few short yardage opportunities exist this season, though in all likelihood, he will be relegated to garbage time. Cabana could have an AJ Henning style gadget role as a true freshman as a receiver out of the backfield and his usage in the spring game is thus of interest, if Cabana plays (again, don't know if he will). 

[AFTER THE JUMP: More storylines!] 

Previously: Podcast 14.0A, 14.0B, 14.0C. The Story. Quarterback. Running Back

WIDE RECEIVER: OLIVERS TWIST WANT SOME MORE TARGETS

RATING: 5

Depth Chart

Sometimes not knowing where to start is a problem. Like, you know, the Rodriguez-era secondary where you didn't know where to start because everybody left the damn team.

Sometimes not knowing where to start is because there's a guy who looked like Braylon Edwards in one game and a guy who blazed past Ohio State's secondary and a guy who legitimately runs a 4.3, and then there's another one of those guys, and then you're getting back a guy who led the team in receiving yards for two straight years. Oh, and there are tight ends. And a running back.

This is less of a problem.

THE MANS. MENS? WE'LL WORKSHOP IT. WA'LL WORKSHOP IT? ANYWAY

zip zap zippity blad I have a touchdown now you're sad [Patrick Barron]

We'll start with Cornelius Johnson because there's more to say of recent vintage. With Bell's injury, Johnson emerged into Michigan's #1 receiver with 39 catches for 620 yards. That doesn't sound like all that much for a #1 receiver, but Michigan put up 42 points on Ohio State by throwing once in the second half. In that context it's a minor miracle anyone threw the ball at all.

Johnson did this in a slightly unusual way for a strapping 6'2" guy: with route artisanship. This first really popped in the Indiana game, where he turned a Hoosier DB 360 degrees and would have had an easy touchdown if JJ McCarthy hadn't gotten lit up on the throw.

This pass isn't complete, but THIS is how a receiver gets open. Excellent route that gets the DBs shoulders turned. pic.twitter.com/UhPw5Nr6r7

— Due# (@JDue51) November 7, 2021

He did catch a bomb later after slickly selling that corner route and turning into a go.

Those two occurrences weren't the first time Johnson had torched someone. People first got hyped about him giving future ND safety and first round pick Kyle Hamilton the business during his high school All-Star game, and in the opener he got open by five yards on an 87-yard touchdown. They were a tipping point, though. Going over Seth's UFR's from last year the sheer number of Johnson (route+) events really leaps out.