Six players primed for bigger-than-expected roles in season-opener

Michigan football kicks off its 2023 season on Saturday afternoon against the East Carolina Pirates, but likely will not be a full strength. We already know about head coach Jim Harbaugh serving the first game of a three-Saturday suspension over the next few weeks. The next question is on the health of the team.

Michigan has some guys banged up heading into the season opener, namely at wide receiver and safety. We do not know the severity, but none of the intel suggests anything is long-term and most holdouts will be precautionary if they occur.

With that in mind, and knowing what has come out of the Michigan football building this week, here are a handful of guys to familiarize ourselves with heading into Week 1, just in case.

Freshman wide receiver Karmello English

Karmello English (5-11, 190) did not arrive until this past summer but has done much to impress the coaching staff over the last several weeks. The four-star freshman was older for his recruiting class and a high-floor addition for the offense, and not many are surprised he has been able to work his way into an early role.

“Advanced in his ability to locate and track the ball,” On3 said about English’s skill set coming out of high school. “Has a large catch radius with the ability to win in contested situations. Coordinated and nimble in the air. Shows good physicality as a runner after the catch.”

If sophomore Tyler Morris is limited or unable to go on Saturday, English’s skill set translates well to the slot wideout role. Michigan may also tinker with him in the return game. English is a smart, savvy freshman that might be similar to how Morris was coming into the program. While it’s too early to say if he would be a 1:1 replacement, U-M seems to trust what he brings.

Freshman wide receiver Fredrick Moore

The freshmen wide receivers are coming on and ready to play. English, Fredrick Moore (6-1, 180) and Semaj Morgan (5-10, 176) are impressive, but we will focus on Moore here. His ascension started the moment he stepped on campus, and he had a nice showing in the spring game with four catches for 62 yards. That momentum has not stopped for Moore, continuing to give the coaching staff something to think about heading into the new year.

Moore and English can do similar things on the field, though he is more of a fit at Z-receiver than English may be. As of now, it looks like Michigan went into Missouri and grabbed another under-the-radar player who has a chance to be a future fixture. He is seen as immediately playable and could be another that gets an opportunity if guys ahead of him on the depth chart need a breather this week.

Junior cornerback Ja’Den McBurrows

Graduate transfer Josh Wallace has seemingly locked down the No. 2 cornerback job, but there are questions about whether Will Johnson will be good to go on Saturday. Michigan has been taking it easy with him in his return from offseason surgery, and if he were not to go this week it would be precautionary. That is the case for a lot of guys with the mindset this team wants to be 100% for October and November, not non-conference play.

With that comes could come opportunities for other plays in the cornerback room, like junior Ja’Den McBurrows and true freshman Jyaire Hill, who is also ascending. Michigan has been waiting for McBurrows to be healthy enough to get on the field, and it looks like he is finally there. He is sticky in coverage and has no issues coming up to lay a hit on someone. He needs game reps no matter who is healthy or not over the next few weeks. U-M is also preaching versatility in its back seven, so McBurrows could get a look in the slot, too.

Sophomore safety Keon Sabb

Keon Sabb‘s (6-1, 208) name has heated up in recent weeks as a player who has impressed. His first extended game action could come as soon as Saturday if rumors are true about injuries at the safety position. Sabb is more of a traditional box safety but was a do-it-all defender in high school with coverage skills and a high football IQ.

The light has come on for the former top-100 recruit, and he is expected to be part of Michigan’s safety rotation even when everyone is healthy. Whatever he does this year should serve as a jumping-off point into 2024, where he has a chance to start on the backend of a new-look Michigan defense. But the future could be now with plenty of snaps up for grabs heading into the weekend.

Sophomore safety Zeke Berry

Even before rumored injuries on the back end, Zeke Berry (5-11, 192) has been another sophomore on the rise this offseason. In our only public glimpse of him over the last few months, he looked like a breakout candidate in the spring game. Berry is a safety cut from the same cloth as junior Rod Moore, and we would not be surprised if he had a similar impact in time. He and Sabb’s emergence had a lot to do with why RJ Moten decided to transfer.

Berry and Sabb should be a starting duo in the future, and we expect both of them to be on the field a lot this year. Michigan likes to play three safeties on the field at once in certain looks, so there is plenty of room to make an impact. He is another one that will get an extended look against East Carolina.

Graduate safety Quinten Johnson

The graduate defender has appeared in 30 career games and made eight appearances at safety last season, racking up 11 total tackles and a tackle for loss. Quinten Johnson has been a fixture on special teams, and it might be the role he is best suited for, but Michigan may need some veteran help in the secondary over the next few weeks.

Johnson has been a steady contributor in his role, and he should also get some expanded work this weekend. Anything is on the table from a spot start to a role in the rotation. It is tough to say without knowing the medical report, but we should be prepared for a steady dose of him on the field in the opener.

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