Michigan Football: Camp Superlatives … What We’ve Learned

Michigan’s camp is wrapping up, and though there was some recent bad news — redshirt freshman wide receiver Tarik Black will miss “some weeks” with a broken foot, though Jim Harbaugh is optimistic about a return — the team appears to be in good shape heading into game one with Notre Dame Saturday night.

Here are the camp superlatives heading into the season opener:

Likely Starters At The Most Intense Position Battles

Two immediately come to mind in offensive tackle and weakside linebacker.

We expect redshirt junior Jon Runyan Jr. to start on the left side and fifth-year senior Juwann Bushell-Beatty to get another shot on the right side. Both were among the most-improved players on the team this fall, and the buzz around Runyan Jr. goes back to spring, when he was projected to be the starting right tackle.

Runyan is “only” 6-5, but he’s athletic. As former U-M offensive lineman Doug Skene told us on today’s podcast, tackles are ideally taller with longer arm (like former Michigan All-American Jon Runyan Sr.), but 6-5 certainly isn’t a deal breaker. Runyan Jr. has had a really good camp.

Bushell-Beatty needs to play well, though. Redshirt freshman James Hudson and true freshman Jalen Mayfield are pushing him and right on his heels. Redshirt junior Nolan Ulizio (who is nowhere to be found on the depth chart) had a short leash after starting the season at right tackle last year, so Bushell-Beatty needs to play well.

At weakside linebacker, redshirt sophomore Devin Gil has emerged ahead of sophomore Josh Ross and redshirt frosh Drew Singleton, but all are capable. As position coach Al Washington said last week, he sometimes has to look twice on film to see who’s making plays.

Players Who Generated The Most Buzz

No. 2, of course — junior transfer quarterback Shea Patterson — is impressing with his arm and his feet, and teammates can’t help but smile in talking about him. He was on pace for more than 3,800 passing yards in the regular season alone last year, and he doesn’t have to be the “Shea-vior” … he just needs to be good and protect the ball.

On defense, we’ve heard about the usual suspects in star defensive ends Chase Winovich and Rashan Gary, linebackers Devin Bush and Khaleke Hudson, corners David Long and Lavert Hill — but junior linebacker Josh Uche is the guy everyone is talking about.

Uche has six career tackles, but teammates say he’s the best pass rusher on the team. He knows he has plenty to prove on game day, but he’ll get his chance.

Freshmen Who Should Play A Role

It’s not a big list this year, and one of the early head turners — running back Christian Turner — is in a soft cast and out for a bit. He would have had a chance to play (potentially) as the third back.

Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is way ahead of the curve and will see some playing time, even on a loaded defensive line. He’s doing his father, former Michigan All-American defensive tackle Chris Hutchinson, proud.

And former two-star wide receiver Ronnie Bell is a freak athlete who was probably going to play even before Black got hurt. He’s got a great future, one that might come sooner than expected due to Black’s injury.

Golden Opportunity

These are guys who have emerged due to injuries, etc. … Nico Collins is No. 1 on this list, by far. The sophomore receiver will be filling in for Black, and he’s had a very good camp. He’s a big target (at 6-4, 218), started to come on late a season ago and is in position to have a big year.

Guys like classmate Donovan Peoples-Jones, senior Grant Perry and redshirt freshman Oliver Martin will also get more balls thrown their way.

Redshirt sophomore tight end Nick Eubanks will be the No. 3 guy at his position with Tyrone Wheatley Jr. having transferred. He would have played quite a bit, regardless, but now he’ll have a bigger role behind position stalwarts Zach Gentry and Sean McKeon.

Surprise Performers

These are the guys who are at deep position group or haven’t contributed much before, but have helped themselves with great camps. Sophomore Brad Hawkins has come a long way at safety, and defensive coordinator Don Brown called him and classmate Jaylen Kelly-Powell two of his surprises in camp. Both have elevated their games and will play significant roles on this team.

Viper linebacker Jordan Glasgow, a former walk-on and current redshirt junior, is on the two-deep behind Hudson, and he’s had a great camp — and that’s not just coach speak.

Top Five Position Groups

1) The defensive line, led by bookends Winovich and Gary. These guys are high NFL Draft picks next year and possibly the best duo in the country. The interior line has some proving to do, but sophomore Aubrey Solomon, fifth-year senior Bryan Mone, redshirt sophomore Michael Dwumfour, etc., are more than capable.

2) Linebackers, and it’s a close second. Hudson and Bush are All-America types, and Gil, fifth-year senior Noah Furbush, Singleton, etc., are all outstanding players. This is one of the deepest, most talented linebacker groups in recent memory at U-M — and it has plenty of speed to burn.

3) Secondary. Junior corners David Long and Lavert Hill also boast All-America potential, and the safeties were both on All-Big Ten lists last year and better than given credit for (despite some shortcomings). Depth could be an issue, but sophomore cornerback Ambry Thomas is also a future star here.

4) Running backs. Senior Karan Higdon and junior Chris Evans are an outstanding one-two punch, and both have 1,000-yard season ability. There’s not as much depth here, but there are two guys with All-Big Ten potential leading the way. Walk-on Tru Wilson emerged as the No. 3 back in the spring and has kept that spot, according to Harbaugh.

5) Tight ends. Gentry, a 6-8 redshirt junior, is a future pro, while McKeon, a junior, has had a great camp. Eubanks is a guy who should catch a lot of balls this year in mismatches, as well.