Fall Camp: Breaking Down 2 Non-QB Position Battles

Since J.J. McCarthy declared for the NFL last January, the Michigan football fanbase has been hyper-focused on who will be under center for the Wolverines this fall.

That battle between Alex Orji, Jack Tuttle, and Davis Warren will be a highlight of fall camp, no doubt, but multiple other positions have ongoing battles of their own.

Let’s take a look at three of them that will be decided during August:

The Battle at Wide Receiver

Michigan saw two vets from the wide receiver room head to the NFL last year in Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson. Wilson led the nation in touchdown catches through five weeks of the 2023 season, while Johnson was the trusty fifth-year senior. The Wolverines will try to find replacements for them both on the outside of the offense. 

Who Will Lead the Way in 2024?

Although he is only a sophomore, Semaj Morgan will be Michigan’s most experienced wide receiver entering this season. Morgan had 22 catches for 204 yards and two touchdowns last season. He’ll need to step up as Michigan’s go-to guy in the passing game.

Tyler Morris made a name for himself with his incredible catch-and-run touchdown in the Rose Bowl. That was his lone touchdown on the year, though, and Michigan will need a lot more production from him for this offense to succeed.

Outside of Morgan and Morris, Wolverines have a number of players who are fighting for time on the field this season. Senior Peyton O’Leary had a fantastic spring season and is making a run to be more than just “in the mix” in 2024. Meanwhile, Sophomore Fred Moore has been getting a lot of praise from the coaching staff and could be poised for a breakout year.

I expect O’Leary and Moore to duke it out for the third wide receiver spot this season.

The Battle at Cornerback

Everyone knows that Michigan has the best corner (and possibly the best overall player) in the country in Will Johnson. We can expect him to lock down half the field for the defense, but who will line up opposite him? Sherrone Moore hit the portal to bring in two transfers at the cornerback position in Aamir Hall and Ricky Johnson this off-season. 

Who Will Lead the Way in 2024?

Hall had an outstanding season at FCS Albany in 2023, where he earned All-American honors. The question will be if his FCS experience can transition to the Big Ten.

Johnson arrived in Ann Arbor after four seasons at UNLV, where last season he had 36 total tackles and 7 pass deflections. Both transfers provide experience and depth at a position in which the Wolverines needed it.

Meanwhile, Michigan has two young guns in the locker room that will be making their own cases for playing time this fall.

Redshirt Freshman Jyaire Hill has gotten a lot of love from his teammates and coach already this offseason. Hill has some filling out to do, but his 6-2,185 lb. frame fits in with Wink Martindale’s physical defense.

A little more stout, Redshirt Sophomore Zeke Berry fits in, as well, coming in at 5-11, 196 lbs. Hill’s athleticism and Berry’s strength will give them both a shot at serious playing time in the secondary in 2024.

The quarterback battle will be speculated on hundreds of times in the next four weeks, but these two position groups will be just as important to Michigan’s success this season.

Everything starts with this defense, and the quarterbacks will need someone to throw to after all.