6 days until Michigan football: Wolverines need consistency from ‘Buckeye Killer’ Cornelius Johnson
There’s much anticipation heading into the Michigan Wolverines football season, and TheWolverine.com is counting down the days until the Sept. 2 opener against East Carolina. We’ll discuss current Michigan events, the upcoming season and/or take a look at a significant number that correlates with how many days remain until kickoff, whether it be a player’s jersey number, a year, a date, a score, etc.
Michigan football has six days until the 2023 campaign kicks off against East Carolina. Now is as good a time as ever to discuss graduate wide receiver Cornelius Johnson, who dons No. 6 and will be counted on to make a more consistent impact.
Michigan’s 1-2 punch at wide receiver this year is a familiar one with Johnson and senior Roman Wilson, who recently switched to No. 1 jersey ahead of the season. The two were the team’s top two wide receivers during the 2021 season after Ronnie Bell tore his ACL. This is basically the third year in a row where both are playing key roles at the top of the depth chart.
Johnson finished the 2022 campaign with 32 catches for 499 yards and six touchdowns. He recorded three or more receptions in only six of Michigan’s 14 contests last season. With 38 catches for 609 yards and three touchdowns in 2021, he grabbed at least three catches in seven of 14 games played.
As a fifth-year player locked in at the top of the depth chart, it would be great for the offense to make more of an impact. Johnson is steady, and at best is probably a No. 2 wide receiver, but too often coasts through games. If any wide receiver on the roster grabbed an opportunity last year, he may have been benched. Luckily he had an inconsistent Andrel Anthony and a bunch of freshmen behind him on the depth chart.
That said, Johnson saved his best last year for when it counted most. He had four receptions for 120 yards and a pair of scores in the 45-23 win over Ohio State with touchdowns of 69 and 75 yards, respectively. For that, he will always be known as a Buckeye Killer and a legendary figure in the U-M/OSU rivalry.
Now, he is being looked at as a leader. It has been a relatively quiet offseason in terms of hype, it seems like a safe bet that Michigan can lean on him for about 35 catches and 500-600 yards. If the hype around Wilson and sophomore pass catchers Colston Loveland and Tyler Morris step up, Johnson will be in his sweet spot as a contributor. We are unsure if he has the goods to be a true No. 1 option, but he is an entrenched veteran and has played a lot of ball.
Here is to hoping he saves his best for last.
Michigan football countdown to kickoff
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