Michigan football in 2022 had plenty of breakout players, especially on offense. Colston Loveland, Luke Schoonmaker, and Donovan Edwards all earned key roles as the season progressed. In 2023, there is more potential for breakouts, and there are a couple of likely candidates.
The Michigan offense looks capable of winning a national title, but it’ll need to have a few players step up to reach that potential. With that said, let’s dive right into three players on offense who could have breakout seasons in 2023.
WR Darrius Clemons
The first wide receiver on this list, Clemons is a player it’s easy to get excited about. At 6’3 214 pounds, Clemons has the frame and athleticism to be the best wide receiver Jim Harbaugh has had. The question is can he reach that potential.
Clemons struggled mightily during his freshman season and didn’t see too many opportunities outside of blocking duties. The rough adjustment from high school defensive backs to college defensive backs definitely seemed visible.
In 2023, however, all indications are that Clemons has been working nonstop to prove himself. He’s been mentioned as one of the hardest workers on the team, and it seems like he has a chip on his shoulder.
Clemons is willing to put in the work necessary to succeed, so now he must make the most of his opportunities. Early in the season, everybody is going to get playing time. With Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson returning at the wide receiver position, Clemons is going to have to really step up if he wants meaningful playing time. And I think he will.
I expect to see Clemons on the field a lot during the first three weeks of the season, and I think he’ll make the most of his opportunities. I’m not willing to predict that he’ll be a full-time starter by the end of the season due to the run-first nature of the offense, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Clemons will be a top-four receiver on the team this season, and I’m willing to bet that he’ll get plenty of meaningful playing time. He caught just one pass for seven yards last season. I think he’ll at least reach 150-300 yards this season, with some big moments.
While those stats don’t jump off the screen, it’s his potential that earns him a spot on this list. He could, realistically, be the best wide receiver on the Michigan football team by the end of the season. We just don’t know.
But for now, I’m comfortable with the 150-300 yard range for Clemons.
A.J. Barner
A.J. Barner transfered to Michigan football from Indiana over the offseason. The former Hoosier captain caught 28 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns last season. While Barner won’t pass Colston Loveland on the depth chart, we know that Michigan loves to use the tight ends.
Barner will get plenty of playing time, and I think he’ll make a real impact. In fact, I think that the tight end room will be better this season than last season, despite the loss of second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker. Michigan has a legitimate All-American candidate in Colston Loveland and another potential NFL guy in A.J. Barner.
Barner impressed in the Spring Game and has the look of a successful Michigan tight end. Barner is going to be an effective blocker as well as a receiving threat, as Michigan should have the best tight end room in the Big Ten.
One characteristic about Barner that earns him a spot on this list is his leadership. He was a captain as a redshirt sophomore at Indiana. While Michigan football has many leaders on both sides of the ball, you can never have too much leadership on a championship-contending team.
Barner is going to play a big role this season. He may not put up elite numbers, but he’s going to do all of the things that don’t show up in the stat sheet. I expect him to make a big impact.
Tyler Morris
The final player on this list, Morris is a popular breakout candidate for the 2023 season. Many people have said that Morris looks and plays exactly like Ronnie Bell, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see a similar connection between Morris and McCarthy, since they were high school teammates at Nazareth Academy in Illinois.
Morris was a borderline top-100 recruit in the 2022 class, so it’s clear that he has the potential to be an impact player. Morris has gotten lots of positive press and seems like a favorite to earn a starting job.
Like Clemons, the first three weeks of the season are going to be very important for Morris. Everybody is going to get an opportunity, and it’s going to be up to Morris to make the most of it.
Unlike Clemons, Morris did get some meaningful playing time in the 2022 season. He had a huge first down grab against Rutgers when the game was close, and commonly found himself on the field during big moments.
The staff seems to trust Morris, which is why I would say he’s a player who’s very likely to have a breakout season.
If I had to predict, I’d put Morris around 300-500 yards this season. There is a need for a receiver like him with Ronnie Bell’s departure, and I think he’ll be a very nice fit. He already has a great connection with JJ McCarthy, so I expect he’ll be a consistent playmaker for the Wolverines.
Conclusion
The Michigan offense is in a great spot. With most of their production returning, there isn’t a desperate need for breakout players. Yet, they still have a handful of players who could breakout and carve out a role for themselves on this talented offense.
This should be Jim Harbaugh’s best offense yet, and if these three players can take a leap toward reaching their potential, it’ll be even better. Go Blue!