Michigan Football: 5 key takeaways from Wolverines first two games

Bell and Black make receiver a strength

There has been a lot of focus on the negatives surrounding the Michigan football team during the first two weeks of the season, but one of the positives is the play of Ronnie Bell. The slight resurgence of Tarik Black has been good to see too.

Neither player has eye-popping numbers through two games but they are the leaders in receiving yards. Black leads the team with 107 and Bell is right behind him at 99. Black also caught a touchdown in the season opener and looks truly healthy for the first time since 2017.

That’s a huge development for a few reasons. With Bell and Black, plus Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones, whenever he gets healthy, Michigan is loaded at wide receiver. Bell has been dynamic in the slot and his run-after-the-catch is impressive.

The group is certainly as talented as any in the Big Ten and that should help the quarterback be more productive. It’s also why expectations for the offense are so high, because really, once Peoples-Jones is back, it’s going to be tough to cover him, Collins, Black and Bell.