Michigan hasn’t gotten the production it expected from its wide receiver room in 2024. Position coach Ron Bellamy recently discussed a trait Michigan will be looking to add to the room that might make a big difference in the future:
As Michigan’s 2024 season winds down, more of a focus has been shifted towards the recruiting side. While the Wolverines still have two games left, the coaching staff will be doing its part to put the finishing touches on its 2025 recruiting class ahead of the early signing period in early December. Additionally, December will be the time when the Wolverines look to lure in some new blood from the transfer portal.
One position where it is apparent Michigan has been struggling this year is wide receiver. Sophomore Semaj Morgan and junior Tyler Morris were expected to have breakout seasons, but the two have failed to make a major impact in the passing game. Through 10 games, the duo has combined for just 304 yards and three touchdowns.
That’s not to say that either Morris or Morgan can’t have an impact in the future, as both should still play integral roles in the offense next year. However, it’s clear that Michigan is going to need to add to the receiver room through the transfer portal. The Wolverines are also set to make three additions via the 2025 high school recruiting class.
One trait though that Michigan will look to add when searching for some new playmakers is size, something that wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy discussed on Wednesday afternoon.
“We want to get a little bigger, more length at the position,” Bellamy said. Thus far, Michigan’s primary big-body pass catcher has been Colston Loveland. While the tight end has shown he can be successful regardless of where he’s lined up, more size on the outside could be something that helps improve the passing game.
In recent weeks, we’ve seen Michigan feature Peyton O’Leary (6-foot-3) and Kendrick Bell (6-foot-2), but neither has proven to be a game-breaker at the position.
Bellamy also discussed an experiment where the coaching staff wanted to give freshman safety Mason Curtis some reps at receiver. He mentioned that he’d been impressed by Curtis’ length and ball skills that showed up on the tape and in the stat sheet in high school.
“I got a chance to watch Mason (Curtis),” Bellamy said of Curtis in high school, “But I saw like eight interceptions and I saw elite ball skills. And the first thing I saw was a 6-4 athlete that could catch the football. And I remember going to Coach Moore and asked if we could check this out.”
Fortunately, Michigan will get two big receivers in its 2025 recruiting class in Jacob Washington (6-foot-3) and Jamar Browder (6-foot-4); even Andrew Marsh (6-foot-1) is taller than what Michigan currently has in Morgan (5-foot-10) and Morris (5-foot-11). Michigan should still target size in the transfer portal though, as it is no guarantee that the young guys will be able to contribute at a high level right away.
“I think you’ve got to have you know, different we’ve got a plethora of options size-wise but getting bigger is something that we really want to focus on,” Bellamy added. Having this plethora of size options to chose from would also give the staff a better chance to put guys in positions to succeed. This is a stark contrast to the approach used by the offense this year, where smaller guys are bring forced to maker plays against bigger and stronger corners on the outside.
Having better options to compliment smaller and shiftier playmakers like Morgan and Morris can only improve the passing game in 2025 and beyond. Furthermore, those one-time breakout candidates might have a chance to shine in roles better-suited for them.