Michigan Football: Breakout clock on offense

I’m going to cheat the bat and group these two secondary wide receivers together. Darrius Clemons and Tyler Morris have been paired together since arriving in Ann Arbor as a “freak show,” so they might as well stay together here.

Michigan’s top two receivers this season are obvious with veterans Cornelius Johnson and Roman Wilson. But there is an obvious hole at WR3, and all of the top receivers have the potential to be a leading receiver in 2023.

Ronnie Bell’s target share was huge last season, getting more than Johnson and Wilson combined. While Johnson and Wilson’s roles could grow, Clemons and Morris also have a strong chance to break away this fall.

Michigan looked to open up the passing game last season, calling deep shots throughout the Big Ten schedule. The implementation was the problem, not the calling. Whether it was a JJ McCarthy crash or poor separation and drops by receivers, Michigan struggled to make the deep ball work before it exploded in Columbus. Andrel Anthony was the centerpiece of that offense and is now at Oklahoma. Clemons’ big frame and outside speed allow him to be what Michigan wanted Anthony to be last season.

Tyler Morris has a lot going on in the battle to replace Ronnie Bell, including McCarthy’s former high school teammate. Morris has all the tools to play in the slot or Z-role. He does an excellent job of throwing and making tough catches. Along with smooth route running, Morris’ best attribute might be his ability to find space. Bell became JJ’s favorite target because he always found holes in the defense when McCarthy was on the run. When you break down the skills, Morris makes a lot of sense, not just as Bell’s replacement, but as someone who can go above and beyond and become a true WR1 in this offense.

I’m reminded of Allen Iverson’s comments about training. A fumble? Are we talking about one tooth?

CJ Stokes burst out of the gates last year surprising some when Harbaugh named him the RB3 before the first game of the season. Stokes performed well during Michigan’s non-conference stretch, rushing 22 times for 114 yards and 1 touchdown while keeping pace with Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. Against Maryland, an uncharacteristic fumble caused the layoff.

I say atypical because it is. Fumbling is not something Stokes has struggled with and no one expects it to be an issue going forward. His brief time in Mike Hart’s doghouse was nothing more than a freshman getting coaching. A moment Stokes has said he’s grateful for, but maybe just tired of hearing about.

Stokes carries were productive the rest of the season, including 8 in 68 against Nebraska. Stokes finished the season with 273 yards on 5.0 YPC. Not bad compared to Corum’s freshman season with 2.8 YPC and identical to Edward’s freshman year, nearly 100 yards more.

Stokes will be full all summer heading into fall camp. With skills like Corum and Edwards, his attempts are sure to rise this season in the RB3 role, which sees him as part of the rotation more than just a backup. Keeping Corum and Edwards healthy is crucial, and if Stokes is able to get a sophomore that makes the Lightning duo more of a trio, the coaching staff will surely take advantage of that.

Matthew Hibner lost out on the tight end depth chart last season as Joel Honigford served as the primary blocking tight end, Max Bredeson took on a sort of H-Back role and Colston Loveland quickly rose up the depth chart as a receiving threat.

In 2023, Honigford is with the Arizona Cardinals, Bredeson is now the team’s Fullback and Loveland is the TE1 from Indiana transfer AJ Barner with him. But Michigan uses a lot of tight ends, and the third tight end on this depth chart gets a lot of snaps.

Hibner is entering his senior season and has a chance to start reaching the potential that many saw in him when he was one of the most athletic tight ends in the 2020 class. Hibner is strong but quick for a tight end. He has excellent hands and is a big threat after the catch.

Loveland and Barner are the primary targets, but Hibner could have double-digit receiving potential as a TE3.

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