The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1518781
32 THE WOLVERINE ❱ MAY 2024 ❱ MICHIGAN FOOTBALL TYLER MORRIS WANTS TO BE U-M'S MOST RELIABLE RECEIVER Junior wide receiver Tyler Morris notched 13 receptions for 197 yards and a key touchdown against Alabama last season, and he has the opportunity to become the Wolver- ines' go-to target from the wide receiver position in 2024. He's emerged as a leader in the receiver room this offseason. "This year, I definitely feel like I've got to step up," Morris said. "Even though I still feel like I'm one of the younger guys, in our room I'm one of the oldest. I just feel like I've got to be the one to step up, say some things, challenge guys. "I try my best just to hold us all together, because that's our room; we're one unit. When it comes down to it, we're going to need the guys on the field to perform the best they can." That includes himself, of course, and he wants to be reliable in any situation the Michigan offense faces. "Everything, really," the Michigan wideout said of what he wants to accomplish this year. "Just playing all around. If they need me, if it's a week we want to target the slot, then I want to be there. If it's a week we want to target outside, I want to be there. If it's a week we want to run the ball a lot and we need somebody blocking, I want to be there. "Anything they need me to do at the receiver position, I want to be the guy to step up and do it." — Clayton Sayfie EDGE RUSHER DUO STEPPING UP Junior edge Derrick Moore finished with 6 tackles for loss and 5 sacks last season, playing in all 15 games and logging 410 defensive snaps. However, Moore was tech- nically a backup, and so was senior edge Josaiah Stewart (8.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks). Now a projected starter, Moore is trying to bring his teammates along with him as a leader. "Stepping up and being a leader for this team," the 6-foot-3, 258-pounder said of one of his main areas of focus. "We've got a lot of young guys on this team. Obvi- ously, everybody knows we lost a lot of seniors and a lot of guys that were great leaders. "My biggest focus right now for the team is being able to step up, play that leadership role that we had last year so the team can make it to another national championship." On the field, Moore is working on his pass-rush skills. "I've been targeting a lot of different areas," Moore said about Michigan's spring practices. "I'm really trying to focus right now on learning the different pass rush angles that I can understand when rushing against an offensive lineman, how to set up my pass-rush moves and knowing the tendencies of them. "I know how to play off all of my rushes and set other rushes up. Then when it comes down to the fourth quar- ter and things like that, I'm able to make a play." Stewart and Moore make up an edge duo with a lot of experience and production under their belt. Stewart opted to return for another season, forgoing the NFL, and Moore was excited about the decision. "It means a lot. Also for me personally, it means a lot," Moore said of Stewart's return to Michigan. "Having him on the other side of me, I need him. It means a lot to the defense, just being able to have guys come back who have played and had experience and things like that." — Clayton Sayfie OFFENSE QUARTERBACK No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 10 Alex Orji 6-3 236 Jr./3 or 16 Davis Warren 6-2 195 Sr./2 RUNNING BACK 7 Donovan Edwards 6-1 210 Sr./1 20 Kalel Mullings 6-2 239 Gr./1 WIDE RECEIVER 3 Fredrick Moore 6-1 180 So./3 81 Peyton O'Leary 6-3 200 Sr./2 WIDE RECEIVER 8 Tyler Morris 5-11 185 Jr./2 85 Cristian Dixon 6-2 197 Sr./2 SLOT RECEIVER 82 Semaj Morgan 5-10 176 So./3 12 Kendrick Bell 6-2 180 So./4 TIGHT END 18 Colston Loveland 6-5 245 Jr./2 44 Max Bredeson 6-2 240 Sr./2 or 17 Marlin Klein 6-6 250 Jr./3 LEFT TACKLE 78 Myles Hinton 6-6 340 Gr./1 72 Tristan Bounds 6-8 305 Sr./2 or 71 Evan Link 6-6 307 So./4 LEFT GUARD 68 Josh Priebe 6-5 305 Gr./1 56 Dominick Giudice 6-4 305 Sr./2 or 55 Nathan Efobi 6-3 285 So./4 CENTER 51 Greg Crippen 6-4 309 Sr./2 62 Raheem Anderson 6-3 316 Gr./2 RIGHT GUARD 58 Giovanni El-Hadi 6-5 318 Sr./2 50 Amir Herring 6-3 300 So./4 RIGHT TACKLE 75 Andrew Gentry 6-7 327 Jr./3 or 79 Jeffrey Persi 6-8 320 Gr./2 DEFENSE EDGE No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 8 Derrick Moore 6-3 258 Jr./2 42 TJ Guy 6-4 250 Sr./2 EDGE 0 Josaiah Stewart 6-1 245 Sr./1 91 Cameron Brandt 6-4 277 So./3 NOSE TACKLE 78 Kenneth Grant 6-3 339 Jr./2 95 Trey Pierce 6-2 300 So./3 DEFENSIVE TACKLE 55 Mason Graham 6-3 318 Jr./2 96 Enow Etta 6-5 295 So./4 MIKE LINEBACKER 15 Ernest Hausmann 6-2 237 Jr./2 34 Jaydon Hood 6-1 225 Sr./2 WILL LINEBACKER 1 Jaishawn Barham 6-3 248 Jr./2 30 Jimmy Rolder 6-2 233 Jr./3 NICKEL BACK 18 Ja'Den McBurrows 5-11 200 Sr./2 10 Zeke Berry 5-11 192 Jr./3 or 14 Kody Jones 5-11 195 Jr./3 CORNERBACK 13 DJ Waller Jr. 6-3 205 So./3 20 Jyaire Hill 6-2 181 So./4 CORNERBACK 2 Will Johnson 6-2 202 Jr./2 36 Keshaun Harris 5-11 192 Gr./1 or 24 Myles Pollard 6-1 190 Jr./3 STRONG SAFETY 7 Makari Paige 6-4 208 Gr./1 10 Zeke Berry 5-11 192 Jr./3 FREE SAFETY 28 Quinten Johnson 5-11 200 Gr./1 6 Brandyn Hillman 6-0 200 So./3 The Wolverine's Projected Michigan Spring Depth Chart PLACEKICKER No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 99 Adam Samaha 5-11 185 So./4 19 Tommy Doman 6-4 215 Sr./2 PUNTER 19 Tommy Doman 6-4 215 Sr./2 90 Hudson Hollenbeck 6-2 208 Jr./3 LONG SNAPPER 49 William Wagner 6-2 255 Gr./1 45 Greg Tarr 6-2 205 Gr./2 KICK RETURNER No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 82 Semaj Morgan 5-10 176 So./3 20 Kalel Mullings 6-2 239 Gr./1 PUNT RETURNER 82 Semaj Morgan 5-10 176 So./3 8 Tyler Morris 5-11 185 Jr./2 SPECIAL TEAMS