Michigan will look to a number of veterans to help in the transition from a pro-style offense to a spread. At least one freshman figures to crack the rotation, as well.
True frosh early enrollee Erick All has been one of the surprises in the early going, if not THE biggest surprise on offense. By all accounts the Fairfield (Ohio) four-star shows no fear, catches everything in sight and isn’t afraid to mix it up with bigger defenders.
“Mike [Sainristil] and Erick have really stepped up for being kids out of high school and done a really good job for us,” tight ends coach Sherrone Moore said Tuesday, adding All’s mental makeup has really set him apart. “And the kid is extremely tough. He does some things for a freshman you don’t really expect. He doesn’t care who he is going against whether it’s [linebacker] Khaleke Hudson, [end] Josh Uche in the run game, Jordan Glasgow, whoever is covering him.
“He wants to win, and he’s going to do everything he can to win. He’s tough as nails, physical and catches everything. He has suction mitts for hands. He’s going to be a really good player for us.”
He’s so good catching the ball and getting open that Moore has had to share him with the receivers at times, though All spends most of his time with the tight ends.
“He’s a tight end by nature … just physical for a freshman for him being here and going through 10 practices,” Moore said. “He will throw his face in the fan, doesn’t care who it is … linebacker, defensive lineman. He’s a physical, physical kid. In the pass game when he knows what the route is and what he’s supposed to run, he runs it extremely fast and goes and gets the football. I’m really excited about him.”
That’s caused the veterans and others to have to up their games. Zach Gentry is gone, leaving with a year of eligibility remaining to give the NFL a shot, but senior Sean McKeon has had a great offseason, Moore added.
Veteran Nick Eubanks, meanwhile, has improved his blocking skills to become a more well-rounded tight end.
“It’s a credit to him and what he’s done this offseason,” Moore said. “He hasn’t had any drops. “He’s going to catch the ball and make competitive catches. I’m really proud of him as a receiver.
“Nick has always had the receiving knack and ability, but he’s taken steps in the running game to help himself. He really wants to be more physical. Having both those two has been really good. They’ve been phenomenal, especially Sean. Sean as a blocker has been really good, as he’s always been, but his receiving ability, catching the ball in traffic, making the hard catches, making the competitive catches to the point where Khaleke [Hudson] came up to me and said, ‘Sean has gotten so much better.’ I said, ‘yeah, he has.’”
But he’s not the only one. Redshirt freshmen Mustapha Muhammad and Luke Schoonmaker have responded to the challenge, as well.
“Both those kids are really coming on,” Moore said. “Mustapha has had a couple really good practices in a row here. He’s really showing up, and what you saw in his high school film is really showing up. He was a little sick at the beginning, pushed forward and got better.
“Both those kids are going to be outstanding players. They just have to continue to learn the system, and both have done a great job in the weight room. Mustapaha is 250, 255 and Schoonmaker 235 or 240, and both can run. They just have to keep pushing themselves.”
Especially with All pushing them, he added. The frosh is off to a great start with no signs of slowing down.
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