Breaking News:Unleashed: Edwards’ Breakout Potential Fuels Wolverines’ Ground Assault…
Unleashed: Edwards’ Breakout Potential Fuels Wolverines’ Ground Assault.
ANN ARBOR, Michigan: Before the pomp and circumstance that accompanied the reigning national champions making their annual return to the spotlight for a spring game, there was a ring ceremony celebrating one of the most remarkable seasons in Michigan football history.
The current head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, Jim Harbaugh, was back in the city. There were also a number of players from the team that upset Ohio State three times in a row, won the Big Ten title, and won the Wolverines’ first national championship since 1997. A photo of Harbaugh sporting the “15-0” tattoo that he had promised to acquire if Michigan won the title went viral on social media.
The game started, a traditional four-quarter affair in which players were divided into two teams to play in a reduced format, chosen by Michigan’s coaching staff. New head coach Sherrone Moore paced the field with FOX analyst Joel Klatt while offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell led the Maize team and defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale led the Blue team. The Maize prevailed, winning 17–7 at Michigan Stadium on a windy and chilly afternoon.
Three key lessons from the game are as follows:
A PROMINATE PART.
Rising senior Donovan Edwards was assigned to the workhorse spot in Michigan’s backfield, while All-American tailback Blake Corum strolled the sidelines as a distinguished guest. Corum’s career came to an end when he won the national championship he had vowed to win.
Edwards, a former five-star prospect from nearby West Bloomfield, Michigan, spent the last two seasons waiting in the wings behind Hassan Haskins and Corum. He had impressive games in 2022 against Purdue (185 yards, one touchdown) and Ohio State (216 yards, two touchdowns). He did, however, decline the chance to chase a title at Ann Arbor by using the transfer portal. He traded individual recognition for team victory in what was, for him, a pretty quiet season — that is, until he burst for 104 yards and two touchdowns against Washington in the national championship game.
But it’s becoming more obvious who owns the backfield as 2024 approaches. Edwards will start at tailback for the first time in his career, with converted linebacker Kalel Mullings playing a supporting role. Beyond that, the running back depth chart is not really evident.
Edwards’ opening drive in Saturday’s spring game demonstrated every one of his abilities, notably his quickness to cross the line of scrimmage and turn the corner at open-field speed. Edwards’ main blocker was the H-back, Max Bredeson, who found gaps and gained 34 yards on five carries. The cornerback Jyaire Hill’s shoestring tackle was the only thing stopping him from scoring a big touchdown run.
TAKING THE REINS.
Regarding Michigan’s quarterbacks, it was simple to speculate what Moore was thinking as he saw Saturday’s game from behind the line of scrimmage.
J.J. McCarthy’s decision to forgo his final season of eligibility in order to enter the NFL Draft has left Moore and Campbell with two crucial decisions to make before kickoff versus Fresno State. First up, the Wolverines need to decide if they already have a good quarterback on the roster or if they need to add one before the transfer window closes on April 30. The second decision, which is likely to be decided by August at the latest, concerns the person who should lead the program in 2024 as Michigan attempts to make the College Football Playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.
Anecdotally, it was discovered that junior Alex Orji is the in-house leader during the spring interview meetings with coaches and players. Orji, who is 6 feet 3 inches tall and 236 pounds, is not like McCarthy or Cade McNamara in terms of his physical characteristics or style of play. Considered a true dual-threat quarterback and runner, Orji is the best athlete in Michigan overall. At Sachse High School in Sachse, Texas, he ran for 1,187 yards and 24 touchdowns in his senior year.
Orji sailed a throw over an intended receiver on third down to cap his second drive in a miserable three-and-out. Orji appeared to be hobbling after being “sacked” on a fourth down in the red zone, which put a stop to his final drive.
The other quarterback that is often mentioned near the top of Michigan’s depth chart is former Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle, who was granted a seventh year of eligibility earlier this spring. Tuttle was sidelined on Saturday due to an undisclosed injury.
OWNING THE MIDDLE.
The true and metaphorical strength of Michigan’s defense will surely come from the defensive tackle tandem of Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, who were both named captains of their respective teams on Saturday afternoon. In the 2025 NFL Draft, Graham and Grant are predicted to be selected in the first or second rounds.
Following strong sophomore seasons, Graham and Grant—who together have 15 career tackles for loss and 657 pounds—are arguably the strongest interior tandem in the country. Together with former defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, who smiled widely while addressing the crowd during the spring game, they led a team that allowed only 90 yards of total offense per game in 2023 to rank sixth in the country against the run. and pass. Moreover, the 52 quarterback pressures that Graham and Grant combined for last season was nearly 19% of Michigan’s total.
The disruption that defensive linemen can provide for an offensive was becoming increasingly apparent, even though they were on different sidelines for the game on Saturday. Blue team member Graham knocked out one or more offensive linemen on nearly every snap. And the Maize teammate Graham hung over Edwards after he leveled him with a hard tackle in the hole.