Michigan is expecting big things from its rising sophomore tight end Colston Loveland. Impressing during his freshman campaign, Loveland is entering his second year with the program having an opportunity to make a major impact on the field this season.

For his position coach, Grant Newsome, expectations are high and the belief in his second-year play is high, as Newsome discussed Loveland and his development on the recent In the Trenches podcast episode released this week.

"He's on the right track. It's impressive," Newsome said. "The cool thing for him, I don't think he realizes quite yet just how good he is and how good he can be. That's great for us because he works every day like he isn't one of the best tight ends in the country. He works every day like he isn't one of the most talented guys we've ever had come through here. There's so arrogance, there's no cockiness, he just puts his head down and grinds and is so humble, so mature about it.

"He's got an immense amount of ability. I was joking with Jake Butt who is the best tight end I've ever seen come through here in my nine years here. He watched a practice and afterward he and I sat down and talked and he said, yeah, he's going to be better than I am. He may be better than I am."

While Loveland might be on the right track to make plays, he will also be asked to do more in the run-and-pass game as well.

His development will also largely hinge on his ability to block, which Newsome said has come naturally for a player that wore many hats for his high school program.

That natural ability is giving him an advantage when it comes to being more comfortable as a blocker.

"He was very natural, especially for a guy who, playing out in Idaho, playing smaller football, he was the best player on the field every single week so they used him all over the place. His coaching staff, they had him at quarterback, they had him at receiver," Newsome said. "Outside of snapping the ball, he played everywhere on the field at some point. As he should. He's the best player in the state for a reason. For a guy who didn't really have a background in blocking, that's not what he did a lot of in high school. To come in, a lot of things we know as former offensive linemen that are sometimes tough for guys to get used to and perfect. Playing with tight hands, playing with a great base, getting his cleats in the ground.

"All the things that are tough for offensive lineman who have been doing for their entire lives, or at least their high school careers to do, came pretty natural to him. The more you watch last year's film, a lot of times if he would lose a block it's, oh, he's not quite strong enough yet or improving little technique things. The foundation was very, very, very good. Especially for a guy that is not his background."