What the Michigan spring football game said about the 2023 Wolverines: 10 thoughts

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Make a list of the best players in the Big Ten, and quite a few of them were wearing sweats during the Michigan spring football game Saturday.

Blake Corum. Donovan Edwards. Will Johnson. Roman Wilson. Probably a few others.

In a way, the limited lineup made the game more interesting. Fans got a long look at Michigan’s next wave of talent, along with a few potential starters in new roles. Here are 10 thoughts on what stood out from the Maize team’s 22-21 victory.

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1. The game coming down to a two-point conversion with Amorion Walker in coverage was about the best ending Michigan could have scripted. Walker, a converted wide receiver, made a full-time switch to cornerback this spring and has been projected as a starter. Based on Saturday’s scrimmage, that’s still a work in progress.

Walker was on the field from start to finish, a sign Michigan was trying to get him as many snaps as possible at his new position. On the decisive two-point play, wide receiver Peyton O’Leary boxed out Walker and made an uncontested catch. On a previous red zone matchup, O’Leary beat Walker with an outside move and Walker grabbed O’Leary in desperation, drawing a penalty.

Peyton O'Leary is having a day. 👏

Here's his late go-ahead 2-point conversion.@peytonoleary6 x @UMichFootball

— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) April 1, 2023

Walker’s inexperience showed at times, but that’s what spring games are for. He’ll have the rest of the spring and summer to work on his technique and get ready for preseason camp. Don’t count out Ja’Den McBurrows, who had some nice moments and showed he’s a player to watch in the cornerback competition.

2. O’Leary’s name came up repeatedly last August when players talked about standouts from camp, but he didn’t get many opportunities to show that during the season. With several wide receivers on the sideline, he had his chance Saturday and made the most of it with six receptions for 126 yards.

O’Leary, a redshirt sophomore, came to Michigan as a walk-on and earned a scholarship this winter. It’s not clear how he fits with Wilson, Cornelius Johnson, A.J. Henning and the rest of Michigan’s receiving corps, but he’s a big target at 6 feet 3 inches tall and seems to make plays whenever his number is called.

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“I feel like I’ve always played well in practice,” O’Leary said. “I’m just waiting for my chance.”

3. People are going to spend the next four months looking for things to worry about because that’s what happens during the college football offseason. For Michigan, the list of concerns is a short one. No one’s going to lose sleep over the battle for the backup quarterback job, but there appears to be a sizable gap between QB1 and QB2, whoever that might be.

Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle was 6-for-12 for 57 yards with an interception. Davis Warren was 8-for-13 for 163 yards with a touchdown and a pick. Warren had a better day statistically, but neither quarterback set the world on fire.

Alex Orji continues to show an intriguing skill set. His first throw from the far hash mark to the opposite sideline arrived with some zip, even if it was broken up. He also threw a dime to freshman Fredrick Moore for a 41-yard reception, found AJ Barner on a crossing route for a touchdown and carried the ball five times for 18 yards.

We know Jim Harbaugh likes to tinker with quarterback packages, so it won’t be a shock if the Wolverines find a role for Orji this season.

Alex Orji doesn't care if it's the spring game.@devingardnerXCI absolutely loved the QB delivering the boom here.@AlexORJ1 x @UMichFootball

— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) April 1, 2023

4. Even J.J. McCarthy isn’t perfect, as he showed by sailing a pass on his first series that was intercepted by Quinten Johnson. McCarthy settled in and completed his last five passes, including a dart across his body to Jake Thaw for a 5-yard touchdown.

On a day when a lot of Michigan’s top players weren’t in uniform, McCarthy played the first half and finished 7-of-10 for 84 yards. The offense was choppy for both squads, but Michigan should look a lot sharper when McCarthy has Corum, Edwards and his top wide receivers surrounding him.

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5. Seeing Nikhai Hill-Green back on the field was a welcome sight. He was a starter at linebacker in 2021 but missed all of last season with a soft-tissue injury that lingered for months. The injury happened in preseason camp, and Hill-Green spent the rest of the year trying to get healthy.

“Some games I dressed, because I was actually trying to play,” Hill-Green said. “It just wasn’t worth it. They didn’t want something that was temporary to become something that was long-lasting.”

Hill-Green said he didn’t feel 100 percent healthy until right after the Fiesta Bowl. A part of him wished he’d pushed to play in that game, but now that’s back, he’s looking forward to picking up where he left off in 2021.

“I just had to push through it,” he said. “I feel like I’m good to go now.”

6. Josaiah Stewart has a quick first step. The Coastal Carolina transfer was credited with a sack and two tackles for loss, and it would have been more if Michigan had allowed full contact on the quarterbacks.

Stewart has heard the questions about how his game will translate from the Sun Belt to the Big Ten, and he’s driven to prove he belongs. This was just a spring game, but Stewart looked every bit like the disruptive edge defender he was at Coastal Carolina.

“Everybody’s questioning, ‘How can he play in the Big Ten?'” Stewart said. “I’m going to show you guys. That’s all there is to it.”

7. Two other players who stood out on the defensive line: Kenneth Grant and Derrick Moore. On one play, Grant bull-rushed left guard Andrew Gentry and sent him stumbling backward. Moore did the same in a one-on-one matchup against right tackle Jeffrey Persi. The Wolverines have placed a heavy emphasis on generating more pass rush from their defensive line, and it showed in the spring game.

8. Keep in mind, Michigan’s defensive linemen were going up against patchwork offensive lines consisting largely of backups and young players.

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One veteran who played was senior Karsen Barnhart, the starting left tackle for the Blue squad. Barnhart has played all over the offensive line and moved into the starting right tackle role last year after Trente Jones was injured. With Ryan Hayes gone to the NFL Draft, Barnhart said he’s taken reps at both right and left tackle this spring.

Michigan’s offensive line could look a lot different in preseason camp once Arizona State transfer LaDarius Henderson joins the team and Stanford transfers Myles Hinton and Drake Nugent are healthy. It’s safe to assume Trevor Keegan and Zak Zinter will start at guard, but everything else could be up for grabs.

9. Freshman running back Benjamin Hall was one of the surprises of spring practice. Hall, ranked No. 755 in the 247Sports Composite, didn’t come to Michigan with a lot of fanfare. He was the leading rusher in Saturday’s scrimmage with 96 yards, showing off the combination of patience and power that caught the eye of running backs coach Mike Hart in practice.

“He’s just built like a grown man,” Hart said. “He’s 225 pounds. His legs are huge, and he runs hard. We’re excited about his future here.”

Without Corum, Edwards or CJ Stokes, the Wolverines had plenty of carries to offer their younger backs. Hall had the most productive day and stated a case to be Michigan’s short-yardage running back.

10. As the head coach of the Maize team, Hart got the privilege of addressing reporters after the game. He and Jay Harbaugh, the head coach of the Blue team, were given free rein to prepare their squads in the week leading up to the scrimmage, with Harbaugh assuming his customary role as an observer.

Hart’s decision to go for a go-ahead two-point conversion with 1:44 to play was appreciated by everyone, especially the fans who braved the 40-degree chill and blustery winds.

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“It’s a lot easier to go for two in that situation when it’s a spring game,” Hart said. “Easy decision there.”

(Photo: Rick Osentoski / USA Today)