This Michigan football duo has a special bond on and off the field

Both on and off of the gridiron, this Michigan football duo has a special bond. AJ Barner and Colston Loveland — a pair of incredible tight ends for the Maize and Blue — have become quite close since Barner first transferred to Michigan over the 2023 offseason. Yesterday, Barner gave some insight into his unique and special relationship with Loveland, which extends beyond what fans see on Saturdays.

Michigan football duo has a special bond

It has not been long since AJ Barner first transferred to the Wolverines from the Indiana Hoosiers; however, that has not stopped him and sophomore Colston Loveland from forming an elite Michigan football duo at tight end over the past few months. Now, heading into Week 3 of the season, we have more insight into their special bond, which extends beyond football.

“He’s one of my best friends on the team,” AJ Barner said of Colston Loveland on Tuesday evening. “On and off the field — we’re always hanging out and whatnot. He’s just an awesome dude, an awesome player, and I think just having him here, we’re able to bounce ideas off each other. Come off the field, maybe ask him a question, and he might ask me a question, and I think just having that relationship is something that’s super good for both of us, as players and as people also.

“I think I’ve been fortunate to be around a lot of good tight ends even when I was at Indiana.” he continued. “But I think he’s just, like I said, a great person. And I don’t think that necessarily surprised me because even when I came here on my visit, I was introduced to him, and he was an awesome guy. So I think that from the start, we just really clicked”

AJ Barner and Colston Loveland form a solid duo for the Wolverines at tight end

So far this year, AJ Barner has caught one pass for 12 yards — his first reception as a Wolverine came last weekend. On the other hand, Colston Loveland — who is much more of a pass-catching tight end — has hauled in six passes for 63 yards through two games this year.

This weekend, the Michigan football duo will take the field once again; this time, against Bowling Green under the lights at Michigan Stadium.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at [email protected]. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!