ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It was revealed just before the 2023 season opener that Michigan football wide receiver Roman Wilson would be switching his jersey number from No. 14 to the vaunted No. 1.
That number is special for the wide receiver group. Players such as Anthony Carter, David Terrell, Marquise Walker, and Braylon Edwards donned the iconic single-digit and were prolific receivers doing so.
For Wilson, he just wanted to make sure he would do his new number justice in his 2023 season debut.
“I remember the day Coach Harbaugh came into my room and asked me if I want to wear it,” Wilson said. “And it is a historic number, and it’s a lot of pressure. But that’s what I want. I want a lot of pressure on me, I want a pressure on my back.
“This number represents big things. And that’s what I hope, that’s my goal this season, whether I’m wearing 14, I can wear 87 — that’s what I want.”
And justice he did with it. Wilson led all receivers with six catches for 78 yards and three touchdowns against East Carolina on Saturday. His first catch was impressive (though it was upheld on review after it looked as if quarterback J.J. McCarthy had thrown the ball past the line of scrimmage), it was his third touchdown of the day when Wilson skied in the end zone and snatched the ball out of the air that won the day.
As far as he saw it, in order for him to be the receiver he plans to be this season, it’s catches like that that he has to make all season long.
“I was just doing my job out there, run my route how I ran it in practice,” Wilson said. “If you put the ball in near me, I gotta catch it. On the third touchdown, I just thought — if I would be honest, man, I was out there, I was dying! It was hot. I know I’m from Hawaii but it was hot out there today!
“I just knew that I had the opportunity to come open and he threw me the ball. So every opportunity I get, I’ve got to take advantage of it. Playing in this offense with a guy like (J.J. McCarthy), elite running backs, two of them, I gotta take advantage of every opportunity I get out there.”
Now that Michigan football has downed East Carolina, 30-3, to improve to 1-0 on the season, the Wolverines will wait until next Saturday to host UNLV. That game will be broadcast on CBS at 3:30 p.m. EDT.