A Breakdown Of Which Freshmen Held Onto Their Redshirts, Which Were Burned
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A new rule was enacted in college football this season that allows players to play in as many as four games, and still hold on to their potential redshirts.
Most of Michigan's freshmen class took advantage of this new rule in 2018, but a few of them burned theirs early on.
Here's a complete look at how many games each freshman has played in (with only the bowl game pending) in U-M's 20-man rookie class.
| Player | No. of Games |
|---|---|
|
WR Ronnie Bell |
12 |
|
DE Aidan Hutchinson |
12 |
|
K Jake Moody |
12 |
|
FB Ben VanSumeren |
4 |
|
LT Jalen Mayfield |
3 |
|
QB Joe Milton |
3 |
|
RB Hassan Haskins |
2 |
|
RB Christian Turner |
2 |
|
WR Michael Barrett |
1 |
|
S Sammy Faustin |
1 |
|
CB Vincent Gray |
1 |
|
LB Cam McGrone |
1 |
|
TE Luke Schoonmaker |
1 |
|
DB Gemon Green |
0 |
|
DB German Green |
0 |
|
OT Ryan Hayes |
0 |
|
TE Mustapha Muhammad |
0 |
|
CB Myles Sims |
0 |
|
DE Taylor Upshaw |
0 |
|
DE Julius Welschof |
0 |
• Only three freshmen have played in all 12 games — wide receiver Ronnie Bell, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and kicker Jake Moody. This obviously means their redshirts were burned long ago, and the trio will all be sophomores next year.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) has actually tagged Bell and Moody with above average grades, at 66.3 and 64.2, respectively (64 is considered average).
The publication wasn't as kind to Hutchinson, however, slapping him with a 59.9 overall mark.
• Fullback Ben VanSumeren has made four appearances on special teams — Western Michigan, SMU, Nebraska and at Northwestern — and cannot play in another contest if he hopes to hold onto his redshirt. The fact that he hasn't played since the Sept. 29 win at Northwestern likely indicates the coaches are very much aware of this.
• Quarterback Joe Milton and left tackle Jalen Mayfield have both played in three games so far, meaning they can each see time in the bowl game and still keep their redshirts. Milton saw action against Wisconsin, Rutgers and Ohio State, while Mayfield played against Western Michigan, Nebraska and Maryland.
• Running backs Hassan Haskins and Christian Turner have each competed in two games so far, and will both be redshirt freshmen in 2019 even if they play in the bowl game. Haskins participated on special teams against Notre Dame and Western Michigan, while Turner saw action on both offense and special teams against Nebraska and Wisconsin. He has carried 13 times for 63 yards on the year (4.8 average).
• There are five Wolverine freshmen who have only appeared in one contest — wide receiver Michael Barrett, safety Sammy Faustin, cornerback Vincent Gray, linebacker Cam McGrone and tight end Luke Schoonmaker. Barrett, Faustin, and McGrone have only participated on special teams, while Schoonmaker and Gray played on offense and defense, respectively, against Rutgers.
• Defensive backs German and Gemon Green, offensive tackle Ryan Hayes, tight end Mustapha Muhammad, cornerback Myles Sims, and defensive ends Taylor Upshaw and Julius Welschof are the only Wolverine freshmen who have not seen game action this season.
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