The 2019 football season is over. Seniors are graduating, others will take the leap to the NFL and there's always attrition to the transfer portal. Every team has a different look, and 2020's U-M squad will be no different.

Let's take a look at which young Wolverines need to have big off seasons in order to make an impact in 2020.

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This duo of freshmen wide receivers started making more and more of an impact as the season wore on. Both saw significant action in the bowl game, due in part to junior wide receiver Tarik Black being in the transfer portal. Sainristil played 19 snaps and Jackson played seven. Sainristil notched one catch for eight yards against Alabama. Jackson touched the ball on six of his seven snaps from scrimmage. He had two carries for two yards, and led U-M in receiving with four catches for 57 yards, including a 40-yard catch and run.

The flashes were there in 2019 for both true freshmen. Sainristil was an early enrollee last spring, and was able to get a head start on Jackson within the offense. He played 173 snaps this season, and posted eight receptions for 145 yards and one touchdown (against Notre Dame). Jackson's role as the kick returner got his feet wet as a contributor. He averaged 25.9 yards per return, and returned one kick for a touchdown against Maryland. In the pass game, he had nine receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown on the season.

Both players are perfect examples of offensive coordinator Josh Gattis' speed in space philosophy. Jackson at 5-foot-9 and Sainristil at 5-foot-10 fit in nicely at the slot receiver position. There is certainly increased opportunity there for the taking for both, as Black is gone and with junior receivers Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones having decisions to make on their futures.

The next area of improvement for both this off-season is continuing to get stronger and more put together physically. Sainristil is a very good route runner, but still has room to improve there. Jackson will have to improve there, as well, (so does the entire receiving corps, frankly) in running crisper routes. The experience they got this year will be big for their futures, and an off-season of workouts and being a year older will make them even bigger parts of the offense for Harbaugh and Gattis next year.

With senior left tackle Jon Runyan and both senior guards Ben Bredeson and Michael Onwenu departing, the U-M offensive line will have a new look to it come next fall. There is a possibility for junior Cesar Ruiz to leave for the NFL, which would open up another starting spot.

Assuming Ruiz returns, there will be three spots up for grabs — left tackle, left guard and right guard. Redshirt freshman Ryan Hayes showed promise early in the year when he replaced the injured Runyan. He will likely take a tackle spot. Junior tackle Andrew Steuber started at the end of 2018 before suffering a season-ending injury in camp this preseason. He could compete again at tackle, or move inside to guard. One of the guard spots is where U-M may have to go young (junior guard Chuck Filiaga is another possibility). The young guy that could step in at guard would be the freshman Rumler, the 6-foot-3, 321-pounder who didn't appear in any games in 2019.

Step one of playing early as an offensive lineman is being physically ready, meaning getting stronger and quicker will be at a premium, along with learning the right technique and footwork to go against very good Big Ten defensive fronts. The next step is being mentally ready, knowing the playbook, different reads, adjustments, checks at the line, etc. Starting with winter conditioning, spring practice and summer workouts, Rumler will need to get himself ready in all of these areas. Even if he isn't a starter, you always need a guy or two ready behind the top five to step in. Redshirt freshman Jalen Mayfield was ready to go this year once Steuber went down. There's always moving pieces on an offensive line, and U-M will likely need Rumler to be ready to contribute in the two-deep next year.

The viper linebacker position is a key one in defensive coordinator Don Brown's system. Jabrill Peppers manned the spot in 2016 and senior Khaleke Hudson has been the viper in 2017 and 2018. With Hudson's graduation, there is a hole to be filled.

Barrett redshirted in 2018, only appearing in two games. This year, he was a key contributor on special teams, even completing a crucial pass on a fake punt. Despite being a key cog on special teams for the Wolverines, he only played 29 defensive snaps on the year.

The good news for Barrett is that he looks the part. He has a similar build to Hudson at 6-feet and 227 pounds. He has certainly taken advantage of the strength and conditioning at U-M in his first two seasons. He showed off his speed (which is key for the viper spot) on several occasions this season, including a 23-yard kick return against Alabama.

His off-season will be crucial in taking all of the first-team reps in practice and workouts. He's been the de facto viper in waiting all year, knowing next year will be his chance. He'll be an upperclassman in 2020 and will need to be a leader on the defense. There's a lot there for the taking this off-season for Barrett.

It remains to be seen whether or not redshirt junior Michael Dwumfour will be back for his fifth-year, and there is no official announcement on whether or not senior Carlo Kemp will get another year of eligibility for U-M. But regardless of the status of those two, U-M needs help on the interior of its defensive line.

Hinton got to see a good amount of playing time in the last four games of the season. He finished the year with 10 total tackles, including a career-high six against Ohio State. The 6-foot-4, 303-pounder adds size to the interior, and looked like he has a bright future when he got his chances in 2019.

Size is an area that U-M's defensive line lacks. Hinton and Smith both add that element. He only appeared in two games, but Smith could beef up the line next year at 6-foot-3, 305 pounds. He is already one of the stronger players on U-M's team, but needs to work on his technique this off-season to be in the rotation next year. Hinton, meanwhile, is in the rotation, but needs to continue his progression as a young player. Playing lower needs to be a focal point for him.

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