ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Fox is scheduled to be in town for the University of Michigan's spring game on Saturday, marking his first chance to see the Wolverines on the field since defeating Washington in the College Football Playoff championship game in January.
It will take time to get used to life without Jim Harbaugh, JJ McCarthy and Blake Collum, but Michigan can't afford to dwell on the past. Get the roster and take a look at his 10 players with future potential.
The quarterback conversation starts with Orji, one of the most explosive athletes on the team. He's performed well enough since the spring to be a leader in the clubhouse, but with Jack Tuttle not fully healthy, he's not focused on that task.
A big part of Michigan's offensive success over the past three years has been its ability to avoid self-inflicted errors. Michigan has one of the fewest penalties in college football and led the FBS in turnover margin last season. It's unrealistic to expect the Wolverines to maintain that level with 10 new starters on the offensive line, but they want to get as close to it as possible. If Orji can have a clean game in Saturday's scrimmage, that would be a good sign that he is moving in the right direction.
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“No matter what, I'm trying to be the smartest guy on the field,” Orsi said before the Rose Bowl. “That’s what (McCarthy) helped me with, just being able to figure out the details and know the offense like the back of my hand.”
Barham started 23 games at Maryland and has the athleticism to be a game-breaker in Wink Martindale's defense. Spring games tend to be pretty mediocre, but it's worth keeping an eye on Barham and seeing if Michigan lets him go once or twice.
The University of Michigan has huge talent to fill in at linebacker to replace Junior Colson and Michael Barrett. Ernest Huisman set the standard in the spring, and the Wolverines are looking to elevate Barham to that level. Barham is still learning the defense and adjusting to the University of Michigan way of doing things, but once he gets used to it, he and Hausman should be among the best linebackers in the Big Ten, if not the FBS.
“Spring ball is very important for him and for myself as well in learning to play with each other,” Hausman said.
Jayshawn Barham (1) started 23 games at Maryland before transferring to Michigan State. (Jim Dedmon/USA Today)
G Josh Priebe
Prieve, who started 29 games at Northwestern, is another transfer expected to start. Michigan added five new starters to its offensive line, with Priebe gaining much-needed experience at guard, replacing Zach Ginter and Trevor Keegan.
Michigan drafted the teams it will play against in the spring game, so even if everyone is healthy, the five scheduled starters likely won't play next to each other on Saturday. Continuity will become clearer later on, but seeing how Priebe matches up with the talented players on Michigan's defensive front will give you an idea of where things stand. You can do it.
Edge TJ Guy
Guy is one of the players down the depth chart who moved this spring. Since spring practice began, players and coaches have talked about him as a candidate to move into the rotation and take some of the snaps Michigan lost with the departures of Jalen Harrell and Brayden McGregor.
“He's been in this program for years now, and the whole time he's been here we've had a room full of people waiting their turn,” Edge Josiah Stewart said. “I think he’s really going to shine this year and a lot of people are going to see that.”
In his limited snaps, Guy showed good bend and tools as an effective pass rusher in situations. If you're looking for a breakout candidate in the spring game, he's not a bad option.
Moore, a 6-foot-1 sophomore, is also a candidate to be the player everyone will be talking about after the spring game. The Wolverines need a vertical threat to complement Tyler Morris and Semaj Morgan, and Moore has the size and wheels to be that player.
Michigan has several wide receivers hitting the transfer gate, including veteran players like Christian Dixon and Eamon Dennis who never developed into contributors. These players probably didn't play a major role, but depth is now an issue. If Moore shows he's on the same level as Morris and Morgan, the need to add another starting-caliber wide receiver to the transfer portal will become less urgent.
Rod Moore is injured. Keon Sabu transferred to Alabama. It's berry time.
Berry was a top-200 prospect in the 2022 class according to the 247Sports Composite, and he remained outside the top-50 in 247's rankings. In his third year at Michigan, he should be a starter or at least a big part of the team. Quadratic rotation.
Positional flexibility is one of the traits Berry should have on the field. His primary position is safety, but he also plays the nickel game, with Jayden McBurrows being considered as a candidate to replace Mike Sainristil. No one is saying Berry will be the next Sain Listil, but defensive backs coach Lamar Morgan sees some similarities.
“The guy who really stepped up was Zeke Berry,” Morgan said. “I think Zeke Berry is going to be a unique player for us here. He's still young and needs to grow, but he has a lot of those traits.”
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Colston Loveland is an All-American candidate and one of the best tight ends in college football. Athletically, Klein could be exactly on par with Loveland, if not a notch better. That doesn't mean he can do everything Loveland can do, but he's a talented player and will have a chance to show it.
Michigan tight ends coach Steve Casula said Klein made a big move this spring, suggesting he could be the No. 2 tight end alongside Loveland, replacing AJ Varner. He said he was there.
“Everyone has known Merle for a long time,” Casula said. “I think Marle is going to be a guy who's going to get a lot of great opportunities.”
This is a 2-for-1 entry as Waller and Hill have a chance to better themselves in the spring game. Unless Michigan adds a starter-caliber cornerback through the portal, it's unlikely one of these two players will be on the field opposite Will Johnson when Michigan opens the 2024 season. It's certain.
Both have had good moments in spring practice, and it's hard to say who is in the lead at this point. Michigan State is going to compete and see who comes out on top.
“We’ve been trying to throw a lot of guys in 1s and 2s with rolling reps,” Morgan said. “That's what I believe. When it comes to fall camp, summer and everything else, we'll be able to adjust who we play there.”
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K Adam Samaha
Kicker was a question heading into last spring's game, and Michigan found the answer by pulling James Turner through the portal. That spared Samaha the pressure of being in the spotlight as a freshman on a team aiming for a national championship.
Now that he's had a year to settle in, Samaha should be ready to take over and continue the success of Michigan's kickers. Punter Tommy Dorman can also kick field goals, but I expect Samaha to be the No. 1 option if he's ready.
(Top photo of Alex Orge: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
