Michigan football practice observer says U-M is ‘Unbelievable’
Michigan football has high hopes heading into the 2023 season, No. 2 in the preseason AP poll and the favorite to win the Big Ten for a third straight year. The Big Ten Network’s Rick Pizzo, in town recently for the Big Ten Network’s road show, believes the hype is warranted. The Wolverines are “loaded,” Pizzo said, and he believes Jim Harbaugh’s ninth team is one of the best he’s seen on these tours over the last several years.
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Michigan returns star power on both offense and defense, of course, starting with J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum, and Donovan Edwards on offense. There are two elite guards in Trevor Keegan and Zak Zinter, an elite tight end in Colston Loveland, and solid wide receivers. The defense features an elite corner in Will Johnson, at least one future pro in Junior Colson, and a defensive line that’s giving the O-line fits.
The phrase they like to use at Schembechler Hall is “iron sharpening iron.” That’s exactly what he saw in the practice he watched, Pizzo said.
“It felt like they are champions, to paraphrase what they like to say about their program [at Michigan],” Pizzo said recently on Full Ride with Neuheisel and Childers. “They looked as good as maybe any team I’ve ever seen on our preseason tours. It was unbelievable. They were unbelievably physical, yet so fast.
“Think about what they have offensively. [Senior back] Blake Corum … we didn’t see Donovan Edwards on this particular day, but Blake Corum looks healthy, and bigger and stronger than he was. [Michigan quarterback] J.J. McCarthy — it’s unbelievable. He has quickly become the complete and total leader of that football program. Everybody gravitates to him because of his personality, his energy, his leadership qualities.
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“You have a tight end in Colston Loveland that I think may be the breakout star in the Big Ten this year. Mark that down. I think he’s going to be an NFL all-pro at tight end.”
The praise didn’t stop there. In addition to having a receiving corps he called “underrated,” Pizzo said the analysts there with him believed the Michigan offensive line “could be better than either of the last two offensive lines that won the Joe Moore Award.” Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said there were four starters at tackle, proving the depth, and there are several guys returning with experience.
“I’m telling you … I look at this team, and obviously I haven’t been down to Athens (Ga.), though I got to see Georgia last year in the Peach Bowl,” Pizzo said. “But man, Michigan is in a word, ‘loaded.’”
Now it’s time to prove it on the field, the expectation being a third straight Big Ten title.
