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Michigan Football: Grading the Offense in 2022

By Jordan Bruetsch

Oct 15, 2022; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Donovan Edwards (7) is lifted up by offensive lineman Zak Zinter (65) after he rushes for a touchdown in the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 15, 2022; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Donovan Edwards (7) is lifted up by offensive lineman Zak Zinter (65) after he rushes for a touchdown in the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Wide receivers: B-

This was a tough group to grade. Again, this is a group that is negatively affected by the play calling. I think that too often, the Wolverines struggled to scheme the receivers open. The receivers ended the year on a high note but still left a lot to be desired.

Ronnie Bell was great for Michigan football, but not quite the elite receiver fans had hoped for. Granted, I think the Wolverines threw about three jump balls all season long, so the full talent may not have been on display.

There were many instances where the receivers dropped a well-thrown ball, particularly during the middle stretch of the season. When JJ was struggling, the receivers weren’t helping him out.

It was great to see Roman Wilson explode against TCU, but he was relatively absent for all of conference play. Same with Cornelius Johnson, except he obviously exploded against Ohio State.

Andrel Anthony, after having Biletnikoff hype coming into the season, just never found his way. While I do think the coaching staff holds significant blame for that, he just couldn’t capitalize on his opportunities. He had some crucial drops on deep balls, and I really think his whole trajectory at Michigan football would have changed if he could’ve hauled one of those in.

I’m relatively optimistic that Andrel will be a star next season at Oklahoma, and all of us are going to be wondering why the Michigan football staff never truly utilized him.

Lastly, AJ Henning. After the staff said they envisioned him as Michigan’s Deebo Samuel, there was a lot of hype coming into the season. That never materialized, and it was a quiet season for Henning, although he did do a great job as a punt returner.

At the end of the day, this room is a group of very solid players. What they’re missing, in my opinion, is the superstar who can elevate the room; the superstar who can catch a goal-line fade or the clutch third-down pass.

The problem with Michigan is that they have a different leading receiver every week. They need one guy to step up as the #1 receiver. I’m very convinced that a superstar wide receiver is the only thing Michigan needs to win the national championship.

For that to happen, however, the staff needs to realize it. They need to help the receiving room by calling better plays. This group has a lot of room for growth but is also in danger of declining due to the loss of Bell.

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