ANN ARBOR, Mich. — All summer long, Michigan football receivers, any time they were in front of a camera or found a microphone, were quick to dispel any notion that the position group was behind the proverbial 8-ball.
Yes, we have little idea as to what the receiving corps will look like in terms of production this year, given that the established receivers — Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson — moved on to the NFL. But offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell is equally as confident that the production will be there when the time comes.
Michigan opens up fall camp on Wednesday, preparing in earnest for the 2024 season. And Campbell went down the depth chart, sharing what each receiver brings to the table and how they may be deployed.
“The guy that I had a nice conversation with yesterday that needs to be the leader of the room is Tyler Morris,” Campbell said. “It’s kind of his time. We view him as a starter, he started last year if we were in 11 personnel. He needs to step up in that role. Roman Wilson, Cornelius Johnson aren’t here anymore. Tyler Morris, it’s your time.
“Semaj Morgan has been outstanding. Moving him around, not just keeping him as a slot guy or ball-in-hand guy. He’s been outstanding.
“Fred Moore, Kendrick Bell, you guys saw them in the spring game, had really good summers.
“We added some depth in Amorion Walker and C.J. Charleston, really good football players. Like what I saw from both of them coming out of the summer. Some of the freshmen did some really good things so we’ll see how Channing Goodwin and, as we call him, Stew, because you’ve Amorion and I’Marion. So, Stew, let’s see how they do coming into fall camp.”
Perhaps the most intriguing players are Morgan, Bell, and Walker. Morgan because of his speed and shiftiness — we saw him used often in gadget plays last year; and the latter two because of their size and ability to stretch the field.
But as Campbell notes with Morris, he has experience, even if the stats don’t tell much of a story. He outran the entire Alabama defense in the Rose Bowl, showcasing his superior speed, and he plays the slot role made famous in recent years by Ronnie Bell.
If the group lives up to its potential, it’s because the offensive minds on the sideline found ways to create unique matchups as well as found a quarterback who can get them the ball.
The sky is the limit, but questions will persist until August 31.