With notable former Wolverines, such as Erick All and Luke Schoonmaker, no longer with the program, sophomore Michigan football tight end Colston Loveland has a huge opportunity this season. He, alongside new transfer tight end AJ Barner, is poised to take on a massive role, likely becoming TE1 for the Wolverines this fall; in fact, according to Sherrone Moore, Loveland has “no ceiling,” and could quickly find himself among the country’s elite offensive players.
Michigan football tight end ready to attack new role in 2023
Earlier this week, the media had a chance to speak with Colston Loveland. There, he was asked to address his new role as a top tight end for the Wolverines.
“It’s a blessing first off, to be in this position,” Michigan football tight end Colston Loveland said. “Like I said, I’m just going to attack it each and every day, bring everyone with me, and just keep becoming a better leader — learning how to lead by example and with my mouth. But I think just bringing everyone along with me and being the best team we can be.”
Head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive play-caller Sherrone Moore both have been raving about Loveland throughout the offseason. In fact, last week, Moore explained that Loveland has “no ceiling,” and could become the best tight end in the nation throughout the upcoming season. What does Loveland have to say in response?
“Every day, I just try to come in here and just try to be the most complete tight end I can be,” Loveland explained. “That’s all I can ask for. I don’t know where my ceiling is, I don’t know what my ceiling is, but I do know that I can compete with anyone and I’m gonna work my butt off to become the most complete tight end I as I can — run game, pass game, pass pro (protection).”
More details from Loveland
Due to a few injuries throughout the room, Michigan football tight end Colson Loveland was afforded the chance to have a breakout season as a true freshman in 2022 — he shone brightly in games like Ohio State, the Big Ten title game, and more, setting the stage for a huge year in 2023. That said, year one to year two can bring on some massive new changes; is anything different for Loveland this year?
“I would say just overall comfortability in the program,” Loveland continued. “Getting the trust from other guys — strength, speed, size, and playbook — Now I’m super locked in on the playbook. Obviously had another year, so now I can really fly around, move fast, work on little techniques — run game, pass game, whatever that is. But I think overall, especially in the run game, I’ve developed this offseason quite a bit. Pass game — being more comfortable finding zones. Like I said, smoking man on man routes, press coverage too, a lot of that, but just as a whole I’ve grown and I’m excited to just keep going.”
Physical changes helping the sophomore star thrive
Colston Loveland is a massive receiving threat, but in order to stand out with the Michigan football offense, you need to be able to block as well. According to Loveland, who is looking bigger and stronger than ever, he has added some size, but not at a cost.
“Obviously I’ve put on more size, gotten much stronger,” he said. “But just like I said, once you do something over and over and over again, you just get better at it, you get more comfortable. That’s just the thing — hand placement, footwork, everything goes into and I think I just keep getting better and I’m looking to get better.”
Colston Loveland was also asked about his personal goals this week, but he quickly deflected back to a core message of the Michigan football program — it’s all about the team.
“… Team first,” Colston Loveland started. “We all know what the team goal is, and with that will come individual success, obviously. But right now, I do have some goals in mind, but I like to keep them to myself, and I’m right now just focused on the team and really just focused on just keeping our feet under us and attacking and each day, attacking each meeting, attacking practice — whatever it is, not looking too far ahead because I feel like last year, there were times we did look too far ahead, overlooked something, but that’s something we’re really honing in on this year. Just be where we are now and attack that.”
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