... on offense.
We've been touting redshirt freshman tackle James Hudson throughout the offseason, having heard good things about him from a number of sources. From what we're hearing now, he's getting close to pulling even with fifth-year senior Juwann Bushell-Beatty at left tackle. That's a major fight going on there, with the younger performer continuing to advance. It's to the point, according to some, that the reps going forward could be evenly split.
On the other side, redshirt junior Jon Runyan is performing well enough that he'd make it tough for anyone to take that spot away. Michigan is looking at a solid eight players who are game ready heading for fall camp, and that's an acceptable number any year.
Junior quarterback Shea Patterson continues to lead the pack, followed by (not surprisingly) redshirt sophomore Brandon Peters, redshirt freshman Dylan McCaffrey and true frosh Joe Milton. it continues to be a sophomore siege at wideout, with more veteran players getting passed up on the depth chart.
Junior tight end Sean McKeon and redshirt junior tight end Zach Gentry are 1-2 at the position, and they're both going to play plenty.
On the defense, we noted redshirt freshman linebacker Drew Singleton has been playing very well, a stance backed by defensive coordinator Don Brown early in spring practices. Singleton is backing up junior inside 'backer Devin Bush Jr. these days, with sophomore Josh Ross and redshirt sophomore Devin Gil looking strong at the other inside linebacker.
The biggest update on a deep and talented defensive line involves redshirt freshman Donovan Jeter, now tipping the scales at more than 300 and holding his own. Fifth-year senior linebacker Noah Furbush pointed to Jeter as one of the spring standouts that caught his eye so far, and other observers say he'll be someone to watch after sitting out his true freshman campaign with an injury. He's not getting pushed around, in fierce competition up front.
Sophomore Ambry Thomas looks to be Michigan's starting nickel back in the fall, but will continue to push for a starting spot. He's gotten a long look this spring, while junior Lavert Hill sits out with an injury.
We asked defensive backs coach Mike Zordich who's the No. 3 man in behind last year's starting safeties, senior Tyree Kinnel and junior Josh Metellus. He wasn't ready to say publicly, but some are leaning toward sophomore Jaylen Kelly-Powell. Sophomore J'Marick Woods is still making noise as a big hitter, but with a major emphasis on coverage this spring, he's working on that aspect of the game.
Zordich obviously has no qualms about sending messages through the media, and left no doubt he's ready to see Hill back and getting after it. Thomas has been one of everybody's big mentions of the spring on defense.
The other, obviously, is junior defensive tackle Michael Dwumfour, who everybody is talking about, from head coach Jim Harbaugh, to Dwumfour's linemates, to those lining up opposite him. There's spring talk, and it's always taken with a grain of salt, but nobody has reason to go as far as they have on the potential Mo Hurst successor — especially Harbaugh.
That's good news, on what should become one of Michigan's strongest position groups.
We've been touting redshirt freshman tackle James Hudson throughout the offseason, having heard good things about him from a number of sources. From what we're hearing now, he's getting close to pulling even with fifth-year senior Juwann Bushell-Beatty at left tackle. That's a major fight going on there, with the younger performer continuing to advance. It's to the point, according to some, that the reps going forward could be evenly split.
On the other side, redshirt junior Jon Runyan is performing well enough that he'd make it tough for anyone to take that spot away. Michigan is looking at a solid eight players who are game ready heading for fall camp, and that's an acceptable number any year.
Junior quarterback Shea Patterson continues to lead the pack, followed by (not surprisingly) redshirt sophomore Brandon Peters, redshirt freshman Dylan McCaffrey and true frosh Joe Milton. it continues to be a sophomore siege at wideout, with more veteran players getting passed up on the depth chart.
Junior tight end Sean McKeon and redshirt junior tight end Zach Gentry are 1-2 at the position, and they're both going to play plenty.
On the defense, we noted redshirt freshman linebacker Drew Singleton has been playing very well, a stance backed by defensive coordinator Don Brown early in spring practices. Singleton is backing up junior inside 'backer Devin Bush Jr. these days, with sophomore Josh Ross and redshirt sophomore Devin Gil looking strong at the other inside linebacker.
The biggest update on a deep and talented defensive line involves redshirt freshman Donovan Jeter, now tipping the scales at more than 300 and holding his own. Fifth-year senior linebacker Noah Furbush pointed to Jeter as one of the spring standouts that caught his eye so far, and other observers say he'll be someone to watch after sitting out his true freshman campaign with an injury. He's not getting pushed around, in fierce competition up front.
Sophomore Ambry Thomas looks to be Michigan's starting nickel back in the fall, but will continue to push for a starting spot. He's gotten a long look this spring, while junior Lavert Hill sits out with an injury.
We asked defensive backs coach Mike Zordich who's the No. 3 man in behind last year's starting safeties, senior Tyree Kinnel and junior Josh Metellus. He wasn't ready to say publicly, but some are leaning toward sophomore Jaylen Kelly-Powell. Sophomore J'Marick Woods is still making noise as a big hitter, but with a major emphasis on coverage this spring, he's working on that aspect of the game.
Zordich obviously has no qualms about sending messages through the media, and left no doubt he's ready to see Hill back and getting after it. Thomas has been one of everybody's big mentions of the spring on defense.
The other, obviously, is junior defensive tackle Michael Dwumfour, who everybody is talking about, from head coach Jim Harbaugh, to Dwumfour's linemates, to those lining up opposite him. There's spring talk, and it's always taken with a grain of salt, but nobody has reason to go as far as they have on the potential Mo Hurst successor — especially Harbaugh.
That's good news, on what should become one of Michigan's strongest position groups.
