Which players are you most excited to see return?
Which players are you most excited to see return next year? This particular thread is intended to focus on the sophomores and below players, as they are most expected to return for at least one more year (sorry for the jinx, hopefully we limit losses to the portal).
My vote has to include the incredible duo of Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant. As Harbaugh accurately described, they have been gifts from the football gods! It blows me away that this historically great defense relied upon the strength of two true sophomores as the foundation of the defense. What a crazy turn of events from just a few years ago where we were begging to find anyone even resembling a DT! Best of all, we can (god willing) expect them back next year!
Go Blue!
January 12th, 2024 at 2:13 AM ^
If you feel so inclined to add players that are older than sophomores I wouldn’t object, as I am equally excited that they are also returning. My thought was that the sophomores and below are at least filtered out from the possibility of graduation or the NFL. If only the portal could only remove the excess fat and add muscle the way all weight loss in the offseason does, that would be terrific, but I’m also sad at the possibility that some promising freshmen and sophomores may also elect for the portal. Such is life I suppose.
January 12th, 2024 at 2:39 AM ^
bro I watched all 12 games of Steven threet and Nick Sheridan in 2008. You could be the starting tailback next year and I’d still watch gleefully. I’m with whoever will be there.
that being said, Graham 1 + 2, Mullings, Loveland, Semaj, Will Johnson, Hausmann, and whoever the qb is.
January 12th, 2024 at 3:23 AM ^
Yeah, agreed on the players you mentioned but I would add:
Grant, Benny, Derek Moore, Rod Moore, Orji, Frederick Moore and English, Prieskorn (I know he's a freshman but after seeing his brother play in the bowl game, I can't wait to see him play).
Also Hill and Waller look like ballers. Keon Sabb played well in the playoffs so I look for him to be instrumental.
James Turner was great in the regular season but man he was so shaky in the playoffs so hopefully Samaha will give him a run for his money. Doman needs to punt way better than he did in the playoffs, he was a bit shaky as well, too inconsistent.
I just have this feeling that JJ comes back but I'm excited to see Davis and Orji get some experience.
I'd like to see Semaj grow up a little and learn the playbook more as he was a serious liability in the playoffs but thankfully the team was so good that it overcame some of his huge errors.
January 12th, 2024 at 5:33 AM ^
Before the Rose Bowl, when asked what advice he'd given Jalen Milroe, Nick Saban said "to play within himself".
Trying to field that punt he muffed was not a risk Semaj should have been taking on behalf of the team.
That's one of the subtle advantages Alabama's reputation gives them. Opponents tend to make mistakes trying to do too much.
January 12th, 2024 at 7:10 AM ^
Fielding the punt would have been fine if he'd looked the ball into his hands rather than looking downfield at that moment. IMHO.
January 12th, 2024 at 8:16 AM ^
Fielding that punt was going to give UM the ball at their own 40 at worst if he catches it, prob gets at least to 50 or well into Bama territory in the best case. He just needed to look it in and then make the play. He’s young and the team survived it eventually.
January 12th, 2024 at 8:16 AM ^
Bad phone
January 12th, 2024 at 8:16 AM ^
Dumb phone
January 12th, 2024 at 8:16 AM ^
Stupid phone
January 12th, 2024 at 10:38 AM ^
How do you conclude he doesn’t know the playbook? That seems to be just a thing people say about young players based on nothing. Morgan muffed a punt. It happens, but it didn’t necessarily happen because he was a freshman. Trying to catch that ball was a good decision. He just didn’t execute it. As we saw in the final, letting punts roll can cost a lot of field position.
January 12th, 2024 at 10:54 AM ^
Kid is a freshman - think that play caused some yips the rest of the way and he is going to be a hell of a player as he moves forward. He is a hyper competitive player and tough as hell for his size - should be celebrating having him on the team!
The level of criticism that is sent towards college kids is at times a bit over the top - players make mistakes, but seeing fans go after them (most who were never athletes, and certainly not at this level) is absurd.
Thaw's statement that he can never forgive himself and transferring schools isn't isolated - its a game, use the message boards to vent during the game if you need to - but some times you gotta let it go.
January 12th, 2024 at 12:01 PM ^
Thaw was a hero of his own mistake. Its like offsetting penalties. Run it back and learn from it. I wish he wasnt leaving and especially like this. Ronnie Bell is a Michigan legend but it wasnt always that way.
January 12th, 2024 at 8:24 AM ^
Did anyone point out that Nick Sheridan is a coach at Washington? So he was able to personally witness Michigan at its lowest and at its highest this century.
January 12th, 2024 at 3:26 AM ^
The one that plays the Head Coach position.
January 12th, 2024 at 3:37 AM ^
The defense is full of guys, so I'll take a swing at offense. I'm really excited to see what Mullings can do. He averaged 6.2/carry this season while only having a long of 23, and his style seems to really mesh well with the blocking. He's got that Haskins-like ability of adding 1-2 extra yards to most carries by falling/pushing forward even when his momentum has been stopped.
January 12th, 2024 at 5:30 AM ^
+1 on Mullings. He really looked to have “it” as a RB in his limited opportunities this season.
January 12th, 2024 at 6:31 AM ^
I think Mullings with a non-cerebral Don would be exciting. I think you'd have to make Mullings the every-down back, but hungry Edwards with more confidence after an extremely humbling year ending on the highest of all highs would be exciting.
I posted below that I'd be most excited if Corum returned, as he still has a COVID year of eligibility left. There is a nea-zero-percent chance of that happening, and even though Corum is the best of anyone who ever lived anywhere ever, the RB room will be happy with some truly open competition and an off-season of youthful optimism.
Can I just say that a slightly updates offensive philosophy for 2024 would also be refreshing? I am 100% ground and pound and the commitment in the PSU game made me gush, but if JJ comes back it's be nice to:
1. use the insane TE package for both running and passing, especially out of the backfield more often,
2. as MGoBlog has hammered home, opening up the play action and more QB runs (even if Orji is our 30-40% of snaps QB so JJ doesn't get murdered during our murderous former Pac12 + Texas ending with a fully weaponized, UM-style OSU team) and,
3. Keep JJ threading the needle down field but open up even more to our younger receivers.
We have the OLine depth, coaching, great backs, a defense that won't miss a beat (although Mike was the soul and that can't be replaced one for one) 3 Big Ten and one National Championship. If JJ and Harbaugh renew their vows, then it had better be to rebuild the image of Michigan as a destination for future 5 star QBs and more wide receiver interest.
Also as OSU starts duplicating our model, it's nice to keep pulling that rug out from underneath of them...
January 12th, 2024 at 11:14 AM ^
Would honestly think that trying Orji at a running back spot would be really interesting too - a duo of Mullins and Orji I think would be scary - both are slippery but run with bad intentions with some significant size.
January 12th, 2024 at 3:39 PM ^
I like the idea, but we have no data on Orji’s hands or ability as a blocker, so his usage is limited and sends a message to the defense what the play will most likely be with his presence out there. Orji looks physically imposing, but I don’t see him as a downhill bruising blocker or back the way Bredeson could be. I do like the idea of a double pass type of design with Orji out there, I wish we had more opportunities to see him throw!
January 12th, 2024 at 8:46 AM ^
He looks as though he could well be Haskins but faster. The only sense I can make out of him not playing more this year was because he was being reserved in case Corum went down (again).
January 12th, 2024 at 8:57 AM ^
Managing the RB room this year must have been an interesting challenge - even with one of the more run-heavy offenses in FBS there still were not enough carries to go around, and that's even with intentionally using Corum less to save his legs.
Next year will be different without Corum, merely one of the very best to ever don the maize and blue, and especially if Edwards declares for the draft too. I really expect Mullings to get at least a third of the RB load, minimum.
January 12th, 2024 at 9:47 AM ^
My hot take for next season (which may only be warm at this point) is that Mullings is the feature back over Donovan (if he returns) and we're gonna be calling him 'Hassan Haskins but fast'
January 12th, 2024 at 4:43 AM ^
Keon Sabb is going to be an All-B1G safety next season. Kid made some incredible plays in the championship game and I'm super excited to see him play with another year of development under his belt.
January 12th, 2024 at 8:46 AM ^
Agree on Sabb, he’s going to be a playmaking Safety back there.
January 12th, 2024 at 5:52 AM ^
I think QB & the OLine have the most uncertainty/variability
Per https://mwolverine.com/Michigan_Football_Depth_Chart_2024.html
RT T.Jones (Barnhart declaring?)
RG Persi/Gentry (Zinter has declared)
C Crippen/Anderson (Nugent declaring?)
LG Priebe/El-Hadi (Keegan declaring)
LT Hinton (Henderson declaring?)
and of course JJ at QB
The D should be stacked given the true rising juniors (Johnson, Graham, Grant, D Moore, Hausmann) as long as the all of the departures at other positions are reasonably shored up.
January 12th, 2024 at 5:59 AM ^
All of those guys with question marks have declared.
Trente Jones should get a question mark.
Also, I'd have to think we go into the spring with El-Hadi and Priebe as the starting guards.
January 12th, 2024 at 2:44 PM ^
Didn't Trente already say that he's staying?
January 12th, 2024 at 11:26 AM ^
As long as Gentry remains as the NCAA's largest personal-protector on punts!
January 12th, 2024 at 6:14 AM ^
Sabb ! He is next great saftey
January 12th, 2024 at 6:18 AM ^
Blake MF Corum.
January 12th, 2024 at 6:26 AM ^
I think we'll know more about how to answer this question when we know who the next HC is. If its Harbaugh or someone from the current staff we can probably reasonably assume that there will be little to no meaningful contributors who transfer out.
January 12th, 2024 at 6:29 AM ^
Obviously Mason and Grant, gonna be the most feared tackle tandem in the country. Most excited, I’d have to go with Semaj. When the game slows down, or at least he does. The sky’s gonna be the limit. There’s actually so many up and comers I’m excited for the whole team. If JJ leaves I’d say watch out for Orji as well. If he can half ass pass we could once again be a force to reckoned with. For all the opposition thinking we’re gonna be average, I say look at our D cause we may be better.
January 12th, 2024 at 6:38 AM ^
He hasn't been mentioned yet from what I see but Tyler Morris has flashed some ability and should enter a make it or break it year as far as if he can solidify a consistent role.
I think it's pretty exciting to get a guy back that outran the entire 4.5-5* Alabama defense.
January 12th, 2024 at 6:39 AM ^
Could see things falling into place and the game slowing down for Keon Sabb late in the season. Really excited to see his growth next season.
On offense I think I’m looking forward to more creative use of Orji.
January 12th, 2024 at 6:41 AM ^
Started listing players, then quickly realized it was basically everyone.
Hoping for development of Hausmann we are going to need him
January 12th, 2024 at 6:45 AM ^
Definitely Mullings. In 2022-2023 I didn't like that we started using him as a power back. He didn't seem to actually have much push to me and just ran straight. I thought Donovan would have did the same and not have fumbled...
This year, he has showed his quickness, ran tougher abd looks like Haskins 2.0.
With that said, I don't see it with Don. Upright, bad vision, doesn't break tackles, has no wiggle, doesn't push the pile. I actually don't think he should. come back because he already had a bad year and then he would follow it up with still not being the starter with Corum gone.
January 12th, 2024 at 7:51 AM ^
I have been saying the same about edwards the whole season to friends. HOWEVER, the vision and patience he displayed to score his 2nd TD was outstanding. Fingers crossed, if he comes back, he continues to work on that part of his game
January 12th, 2024 at 9:50 AM ^
I feel like Donovan just is who he is at this point. He hits the home run sometimes, but a lot of the time he goes down easy and his vision is iffy. Love the guy forever, but I feel like if he hasn't put it all together by now that he's basically at his ceiling which is a shame for a guy with so much athleticism
January 12th, 2024 at 10:50 AM ^
I'm getting Chris Evans vibes from Donovan. He's got all the talent in the world, an amazing and unique skillset, and will thrive in the pros. There have been flashes, the staff hasn't consistently used him in a way that highlights him. Will it be different? Maybe? I'm less than excited at the possibility for The Don coming back, just because I will get ready to feel disappointed for him.
The coaches made decisions that were best for the team, and it's natural that some players will get more personal glory than others. I feel bad that The Don has gotten less than he could have, as well as proud of the way he's handled that. I don't want to subject him to another one of those seasons, especially since I can envision 3 other backs getting as many touches as him. This may be a case where him moving on is the best thing for him, and not bad for M.
January 12th, 2024 at 8:17 AM ^
Mullings can be a complete back and not just a power back. He has good hands and speed with some decent agility. He is a 4.5 40 guy but him and DE both getting 800 plus yards a piece would be great
January 12th, 2024 at 6:57 AM ^
Kenny G! Dude is a freak of nature and is a blast to watch!
January 12th, 2024 at 9:17 AM ^
Kenny G is a freak of nature!
January 12th, 2024 at 7:44 AM ^
The contributions from these guys from the 2022 class have been amazing:
Loveland, Morris, Grant, Graham, Moore, Johnson, Sabb, Orji. So for them, I'm basically just fingers crossed that the portal closes without anyone having bought them onto the market (you know the things a huge swath of schools are doing right now that, for some reason, only FSU seems to be getting dinged for).
There are a number of guys with potential, with spots opening up all over the roster and it will be fascinating to see who rises (if they don't portal). Berry, Rolder, El-Hadi, Crippen and Anderson, Benny (injury worry), Hill, Hillman and Cabana and Hall are players that I'll be watching for in spring and fall.
January 12th, 2024 at 7:46 AM ^
Semaj
January 12th, 2024 at 7:56 AM ^
I'm excited to see what McBurrows, Zeke Berry, and Keon Sabb do next season. It will take a village to replace Sainristil, and Sabb has already grown into a potential all-timer right in front of us, so I imagine all three of these guys will get a lot of snaps in 2024. Add Jyaire Hill onto that pile as well. I predict they will be very good and can't wait to watch it unfold.
January 12th, 2024 at 8:15 AM ^
Makari Page should return also and our safeties should be pretty good.
January 12th, 2024 at 8:05 AM ^
I am going to share some love for Jaylen Harrell. He has one year of eligibility left. He has been a consistent force on the edge his entire career. He is our 2023 sack leader and a two-time all-Big Ten honoree. The word is he is leaning to the NFL, but it would be great to see him come back in 2024.
January 12th, 2024 at 8:10 AM ^
Accepted senior bowl invite. A tremendous "program" guy - just kept getting better and better.
January 12th, 2024 at 8:12 AM ^
Do you remember when we were using Ben Mason and Jordan glasgow as dt’s ? Even Carlo kemp was a stretch.
January 12th, 2024 at 8:14 AM ^
Jordan Glasgow the safety?