Football! Less than three weeks away! Due to some reshuffling in our content plans, I am now in charge of Football Bits, but I hope this doesn't seem too dissimilar from when Seth did it. As for the bits, just like usual we'll be combing through our sources, from insiders to public comments from coaches on podcasts and at press conferences as a way to deduce what the rumblings are. Fall camp got under way recently, so with just over a week of practice in the books, let's check in and see where the depth chart stands and how things have evolved since the spring, when there was last a Football Bits post on this site. 

 

Quarterback 

What we want to hear: Cade is balling out and showing us that the Rutgers performance is legit. JJ McCarthy has a shot to be the first regular true freshman starter since Tate Forcier. Alan Bowman is learning the offense and would start at several P5 schools. 

What we're hearing: Cade McNamara entered fall camp with the lead, and JH said as much at B1G Media Day at the end of July. Up until a few days ago, all indications were that Cade is the starter signed, sealed, delivered. The praise on Cade hasn't slowed down, with Harbaugh saying recently on Jon Jansen's pod that he's "leading the way there". What has changed is that the spotlight has shifted towards one JJ McCarthy. Harbaugh teased McCarthy's development on that podcast but the most fawning praise has come from insiders. 

Balas has mentioned McCarthy heavily in two consecutive posts, hinting most recently that the gap may be closing ($). This will certainly be a storyline to monitor moving forward. Not much Alan Bowman chatter right now, as the focus has largely been on Cade and JJ up to this point. 

What it means: Right now, Cade is still the guy, and unless JJMentum continues heavily through the last three weeks of fall camp, it should be McNamara starting the first week against WMU. But, if McCarthy really has turned a corner, he could prove quite a force to keep on the bench by the time the season starts. And it would definitely give the staff options if McNamara struggles early in the season. Bowman seems to be a clear #3 right now. 

[AFTER THE JUMP: More rumors to sift through]

 

More of this please [Patrick Barron]

Running Back 

What we want to hear: All is perfect in running back land. We have talent pouring out of our ears. Haskins is destined for the All-B1G team, while Corum and Edwards are both going to break out big time. Mike Hart is turning this room into three clones of himself, but all of them are fast. 

What we're hearing: Not a ton of buzz on anyone, and that may just be because they have known quantities. Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins continue to be mentioned together in the same breath, while Donovan Edwards is getting plenty of praise. Gattis was interviewed at a Harbaugh golf outing before fall camp began and called Corum "one of our top-three most talented players on our team", before discussing how COVID created hurdles for the young back last season that don't apply this year. However, Gattis noted that the positional group "starts with Hassan Haskins", which should give you an idea of where things stood entering last week. 

After a week of camp, we got Harbaugh on the Jansen pod, heaping praise on both Haskins and Corum essentially in tandem. The most important quote followed: 

Well right now, if we were playing tomorrow, it's going to be Blake and Hassan and Donovan is going to get some real good touches 

Tavierre Dunlap has been mentioned here or there but not much on him. 

What it means: Corum and Haskins are probably going to be your two starters, getting close to even snaps, though Haskins might have the small edge. Edwards will be a featured piece, but there will be a big drop off to the group below that. Probably not a ton of movement over the next three weeks. 

 

Wide Receiver 

What we want to hear: Ronnie Bell is ascending to the top of the B1G as WR1, Cornelius Johnson will be the breakout player of the season who reminds us of Nico Collins, and the young slots are ready to finally become what we always wanted Eddie McDoom to be. 

What we're hearing: Much of the intrigue at the WR position after the first week of camp has centered on Daylen Baldwin, the FCS transfer Michigan got from Jackson State and someone I forgot about until like two weeks ago. If the buzz is any indication, I won't be forgetting about him again for some time. Harbaugh brought up Baldwin on the Jansen Pod within the context of being a "big receiver" option, but most of the smoke has been coming from Balas' chimney. After mentioning Baldwin earlier last week, his weekend update described Baldwin as "the real deal" ($). 

Baldwin doesn't seem like a guy who needs to be hyped up, so the fact he's starting to get some love is rather interesting. There's unanimity about Ronnie Bell and Cornelius Johnson as the top two guys, but I can't help but wonder if some of the Baldwin hype is due to one of those two guys perhaps not quite being as sharp as had been expected. Meanwhile, the slots are all being mentioned as roughly equivalent to each other. Harbaugh described their positive aspects on the Jansen pod: 

The third best... Roman Wilson with speed, Mike Sainristil with his ability to block and get open, AJ Henning is really going to pop this year and make some plays

That more or less sums up reasons to be interested in each but there doesn't seem a ton of indication who is ahead there. We did get to see an incredible catch from Henning that made it on a Twitter highlight reel the other day (starts at 0:59): 

The whole squad is getting ready for battle. 〽️#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/lQVmNz50eu

— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) August 9, 2021

If you recall the PSU game last fall, Henning had a similar catch to that, so that might just be a Thing That He Does. 

What it means: Bell and Johnson are your 1-2 on the outside (with Bell being able to lineup wherever), but Baldwin could be a closer #3 than perhaps previously anticipated. Sainristil entered fall camp as the leader at the slot and is probably still there, but Wilson is probably close behind, with Henning a bit back from that. 

 

Still waiting to hear more about you, Erick [Patrick Barron]

Tight End 

What we want to hear: The team has harnessed the power of spider webs to build some sticky gloves for Erick All to fix his drop problems, Schoonmaker is living up to the Sleeper of the Year title, and the young guys are breaking through faster than expected. 

What we're hearing: The chatter around the TE's has been strangely scant up to this point. That started with Harbaugh's appearance at B1G Media Day, when the TE's were not mentioned whatsoever. Obviously, reporters got interested and JH was asked about it on Friday, an interview that Isaiah Hole of WolverinesWire typed up for us. His comments started with Erick All: 

I just haven't had a chance to talk about (All)! Just love him! One of my very favorite players on the team. Competes like a maniac. Continued right back into camp. He's got himself into great shape.

Ya know, I'm not really buying this one. Unless talking about tight ends is somehow contraband if you're not directly asked about it, a convention I'm not familiar with, then something is going on here. Is it possible that it just slipped JH's mind at Media Day? Sure, but generally speaking, if coaches want to hype a guy, they don't need prodding to do so. All of this said (pun intended), we did receive information from one of Seth's sources stating that Erick All is currently banged up, and that may be a reason for the tampered discussion around the junior TE. I'm not sure if that extends all the way back to Media Day in July, but it does perhaps explain some of the recent muted chatter. 

With All not being mentioned as much, a lot of the focus has shifted towards the back-ups, and one guy in particular. On the Jansen pod, Harbaugh mentioned Luke Schoonmaker before he name-dropped All. Schoonmaker has continued to get the focus of the attention from insiders, in addition to Harbaugh. Lorenz included Schoonmaker as a guy "trending up" in his summary of first week practice notes ($). Matthew Hibner, Joel Honigford, and Carter Seltzer got the customary mention at the end of the Jansen segment, but there hasn't been a ton of buzz about them, though Lorenz did note before camp began that he would be digging on Hibner ($). 

One more note about the TE's. Seth drew up a messy-looking play that leaked on a video tweeted out over the weekend and that play appeared to have Honigford on the field as the 2nd TE in a two TE running set (it was a HaskinsCat play). 

What it means: I'm not entirely sure. Definitely a positional group I've become more interested in watching. Though Harbaugh continues to assert that All "sets the tone" for the TE group, I think Schoonmaker could be closer there than was previously thought. Maybe they're pulling a Zordich and avoiding All as a sign of contentment with him, or maybe it is injury-related, but there seems to be Schoonmentum right now. We'll see how this week plays out. For now, the depth chart is 1.) All, 2.) Schoonmaker, and then 3.) is a mix between Hibner (as a more traditional TE) and Honigford (as a blocking TE). 

 

Offensive Line 

What we want to hear: Remember that 2019 Michigan OL? The one that saw Mike Onwenu crush Venus and Mars with his mighty hands? Yeah, this line is that reincarnated. Ryan Hayes is Taylor Lewan #2, Zak Zinter is Cesar Ruiz #2, and Sherrone Moore is making us forget about Ed Warinner. 

What we're hearing: Not that. Right now there pretty much seems to be agreement across the board that three starters have been sharpie'd in: Ryan Hayes at LT and Zak Zinter and Andrew Stueber at two OL positions To Be Named Later. The Harbaugh interview that Isaiah Hole typed up at WW saw the head coach pretty much say exactly that: 

Since we're talking about the offensive line, Hayes, Stueber, and Zinter (are) exactly where they left off in spring ball. Those guys are starting. 

Zinter in particular has been the focus of endless hype that started in the spring and has not relented whatsoever through one week of fall camp. The fact he got on the field as a Tr Fr offensive lineman last season would make me believe that this hype is pretty real. The coaches love this dude. Hayes and Stueber are incumbent starters, so them being inked in as starters makes a lot of sense. 

The intrigue has centered on a pair of positional battles. At LG we have a battle between Trevor Keegan and Chuck Filiaga. Harbaugh said at B1G Media Day that Keegan left spring as the starter at LG, but noted that Filiaga "has had the best offseason of any of the offensive linemen". That general breakdown of the positional group has continued through one week of fall camp, and it would appear that Keegan still has the edge, since Twitter user @JDue51 sniped a photo of practice on Saturday that appears to show the first units going at it at the Big House, and it shows Keegan at LG. (Caveat: that twitter user has since indicated to us that Filiaga was lining up with the Ones at practice too). 

The other positional battle has to do with Andrew Vastardis at center. If Vastardis hangs onto that job, then Zinter slides to RG and Stueber to RT. If Zinter snags the C job, then suddenly Stueber moves to RG and it's Karsen Barnhart against Trente Jones for RT. For now it seems that Vastardis still has the center job, since he was lining up at the position in that Twitter photo. Harbaugh seems to like Vastardis quite a bit, and highlighted his improvement in physical strength over the summer on the Jansen pod. As for the RT battle, should it arise, JH mentioned Barnhart as a player having one of the best camps so far in his Friday interview, so I'm inclined to think he's got the small edge over Jones. 

As for the positional group as a whole, we may need to pour a bit of cold water on the optimism here. Insiders have indicated we should temper expectations, and that the shuffling of positional battles may be weighing on the whole unit. Gattis mentioned in his golf outing interview in early August that they have "7 or 8 guys that we have that can really, really help us win". These battles seems far from settled and it may be hard for the group to gel until five are selected. 

One last note: Harbaugh said Greg Crippen is one of their best true freshman performers in that Friday interview, and said he considers Crippen to be "in our two-deep". 

What it means: Well, we assume that Hayes-Keegan (or Filiaga)-Vastardis-Zinter-Stueber is the line right now, but that could change. If I could guess who the 7-8 Gattis was referencing are, I would say those 6, and then Barnhart and/or Jones. I don't know how long they'll let the competition continue, but at some point, a conclusion will have to be reached, so that the OL can begin preparing for WMU. I would expect some lumps from this group early in the season. 

 

Hehehe Aidan Hutchinson is back [Paul Sherman]

Defensive Line 

What we want to hear: Mazi Smith has officially become Wilie Henry Reincarnate, Hinton is living up to his NFL pedigree, Aidan Hutchinson (who we're including here despite the 3-4 reorganization) is still a first round lock, and the younger guys are major factors too. 

What we're hearing: THE MAZI SMITH HYPE TRAIN IS COMING TO A TOWN NEAR YOU. This began in the spring and has ramped up in the last month. For example, Harbaugh brought Mazi Smith up in a question about Jordan Whittley at his Media Day appearance, saying that Smith had changed his body to be optimized for football. That pattern of bringing up Smith whenever the defensive line is mentioned, and specifically mentioning him before anyone else, is very intriguing. This is around the year you'd expect to see Mazi pop given his expected trajectory as a prospect, so the hype isn't crazy to see coming. It is notable, though. 

Outside of Mazi, we're getting a taste of Ann Arbor's most sacred August tradition: Donovan Jeter hype. On the Jansen pod, JH mentioned Jeter immediately after Mazi Smith and said the following: 

(Jeter) had his best offseason ... the level of consistency that we've seen out of Donovan Jeter is the best since we've been here 

It's flat-out deja vu at this point, but some insiders are asserting that it may be real this time. Outside of Smith and Jeter, Jess Speight and Chris Hinton have been the next two to be mentioned, normally in tandem, and with not a lot of other specifics being provided. As for the pass-rushers, Aidan Hutchinson hasn't been talked about much, but that's mostly because he's a known quantity. Most name-drops have been associated with his leadership on the defense. When Harbaugh was interviewed Friday, he mentioned David Ojabo in the same breath as Hutchinson, before moving on to the rest of the depth chart, noting Taylor Upshaw, Mike Morris, Braiden McGregor, and Gabe Newburg, in that order. Kris Jenkins hasn't been heard from much, though with some positive buzz. Julius Welschof has gotten mentions from Harbaugh in the context of his athleticism, but Balas suggested that he is not at the top of the depth chart currently ($). The only mentions of Jordan Whitley have been from insiders describing him being a short yardage option at NT. 

The other overriding theme with this group is one of some-degree of worry. With new starters, that's to be expected to some extent, but the rumblings are that the DL is not consistently where it needs to be yet. 

What it means: There's a lot there to unpack. As for the Mazi hype, I'm willing to buy some degree of it, but guarding against disappointment for obvious reasons. On one hand, he was a highly touted recruit who hasn't fallen that far behind pace, and it's probably true that Don Brown wouldn't let him play at a weight he's comfortable at, while Macdonald will. On the other hand, there's also the possibility that it's a "hype because we have to" situation. The nose tackle is such a big part of the Macdonald defense that they need to say someone is balling out just for the heck of it, and Mazi is that guy. 

As for Jeter, it feels a lot like this: 

via GIPHY

We've heard the Jeter hype for years now. This site bought it in 2019 and got burned badly. In 2020 the hope was for improvement, and none really came. No matter how much insiders claim it's real this time, there's some real Boy Who Cried Wolf energy going on here. I need to see it to believe it. 

When it comes to the depth chart, I think Mazi is the starter at NT, while they bring in Whittley for 3rd or 4th down. Hinton and Jeter still start at the other two down-lineman spots, but perhaps with Jess Speight rotating in heavily. At edge, Hutchinson and Ojabo seem like starters, with a dogpile of guys behind them. 

 

Linebacker 

What we want to hear: Josh Ross consulted that company from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to have his memories of last season erased and is back to 2018 Ross, while Barrett is a rock solid option and the young guys are becoming hard to keep on the bench. 

What we're hearing: This position has seen some of the most movement of camp so far. The big story has been the rapid emergence of Nikhai Hill-Green, a sophomore LB who some sources are indicating has now moved past Michael Barrett into a starting role on the depth chart. As recently as Media Day in late July, Harbaugh described Barrett as a "starter at LB next to Ross", but insiders have since indicated that Hill-Green has now become a projected starter and is a rapid riser right now. This is something seemingly confirmed from that twitter photo, which showed Hill-Green lining up next to Ross with the Ones on defense. The coaches love him (Harbaugh called him "not a normal sophomore" on Jansen's Pod) and he's on a rapid track to playing time right now. 

That the praise has fallen on NHG's shoulders doesn't mean that Josh Ross and Michael Barrett are bad, though. Sources have indicated that Barrett is still a solid option and will play, even if he doesn't start, and that Ross has had a solid camp. The only other name to really be mentioned consistently is true freshman Junior Colson, who still is getting a lot of hype, as he was in the spring. Unlike Hill-Green, though, that hype is focused on what he could be down the line, not in the immediate present. JH did name drop Kalel Mullings, Anthony Solomon, Jayden Hood, and Joey Velazquez on the Jansen pod, but that's all it was. 

What it means: I can't tell you if the NHG hype is real regarding whether or not he will be good, but there's so much evidence that he's currently moved into a starting role that we have to consider that component of the buzz "real". If indeed he starts the season at LB, that's probably a good sign for his development and his future trajectory. Ross probably is what he is, and it's hard to imagine a world where Barrett isn't on the field quite a bit, regardless of who's the "starter". There's probably a gap after those three. 

 

Vincent Gray is still in the rotation at CB [Patrick Barron]

Cornerback

What we want to hear: Gemon Green keeps progressing towards being an impact player, Vincent Gray has magically become significantly quicker, and DJ Turner is going to surprise. 

What we're hearing: It's pretty much those three guys and they're all playing together as a unit. Steve Clinkscale spoke to the press the other day, which Isaiah Hole also transcribed, and said that "nothing's guaranteed" but that Vincent Gray, DJ Turner, and Gemon Green are rotating right now. That's pretty much exactly what JH said at Media Day and on Jansen's pod last week. So no change there. It's worth remembering that Green exited the spring with a starting job and Turner was ahead of Gray. That doesn't seem to have changed much. 

As for the rest of the depth options, the focus has shifted to George Johnson. Harbaugh mentioned in July that they were trying to figure out if Johnson is a safety or a corner, but Lorenz indicated last week that Johnson is exclusively practicing at CB ($). Johnson's name has gotten some traction after Ronnie Bell answered a media question about which CB has given him the most trouble in camp by saying "George Johnson, never know what you're going to get out of George, a very unpredictable and very good DB", which is either great news for Johnson, or very bad news for the other three options. Clinkscale said in the aforementioned interview that Johnson is "finding his niche". It's probably still a year early to think he's going to be a contributor, but you could see him on the field as a backup corner. 

Jalen Perry and Andre Seldon have been mentioned occasionally, while Ja'Den McBurrows has been talked about mostly as a promising freshman. Darion Green-Warren and the other corners are MIA right now. 

What it means: I have to think that Green is locked in at one starting job, as he was in the spring, and that Turner and Gray are rotating for the other spot. Johnson may be a nickel option and Burrows could be if he learns the defense. The vibes here are still not great, so it's time for the obligatory insert from Seth: 

 

Safety

What we want to hear: Dax Hill and Brad Hawkins are being coached this year, and they're back to looking like a fearsome safety tandem. Paige and Moten are pushing for playing time and have made safety the strength of the defense. 

What we're hearing: Well, there definitely is a coach this time. Brad Hawkins has been mentioned mostly in the Aidan Hutchinson vein of "veteran leader, known commodity", while Dax Hill discussion has centered on the possibility of him playing at multiple positions. Balas indicated this weekend that Dax is playing a significant amount of corner ($) and that revelation is mostly the result of strong play from RJ Moten and Makari Paige allowing him to move around the field. 

Multiple sources have indicated that Moten has been a riser during the spring and fall period, and Paige already saw some of the field last season as a true freshman. Harbaugh mentioned those two shortly after discussing Hill and Hawkins on the Jansen pod. The other names at safety haven't been talked about much recently, and it looks those four names are pretty much your two-deep at safety, with three or even four potentially being on the field when Hill plays corner. 

What it means: The coaches have high expectations for this group given the experience of Hawkins and Hill and I'm willing to buy into the Moten/Paige hype, given that both were solid recruits, and that the praise for them is pretty unanimous and spills over into last year. If this positional group is strong enough to move Dax to corner some, it's probably the least of your worries defensively.