Michigan Wolverines news: Key position battle updates and more on Michigan football

Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh provides an update on a critical position battle, plus more Michigan Wolverines news. 

You always learn something when Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh steps to the podium and that was certainly the case on Monday.

The Michigan Wolverines will be opening their season in about two weeks, but there are still some intense position battles, such as those at offensive line and wide receiver.

In terms of the offensive tackle, Harbaugh said on Monday that the Michigan Wolverines would be using the “Michigan method” which refers to Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy competing for the starting job in 2022.

Both quarterbacks started one game before a final decision was made. Harbaugh said the Michigan Wolverines will do the same thing with their offensive tackles as Karsen Barnhart, Trent Jones, Myles Hinton, and LaDarius Henderson will each get a start to open the 2023 season. 

"“I definitely think you’re going to see the Michigan method in play at the offensive tackle. There’s two starters on the left, there’s two starters on the right. There’s four starting tackles that we have. It’ll go through camp. I envision starting two tackles one game, two tackles the second game,” Harbaugh said via The Wolverine."

It sounds like Michigan football might employ that method at a few different positions too.

"“I see that happening at edge. Could be the case at center. Probably will be the case at corner. Those would be the main ones,” Harbaugh said. But it’s just that close, it’s just that good, really.”"

Freshmen wide receivers turning heads for Michigan football

Pundits have talked about how the Michigan Wolverines lack elite wide receivers. We’ll see if that proves to be true this season, but at any rate, Harbaugh is pleased with what he’s been from the 2023 signees at the position.

Karmello English, Fredrick Moore, and Semaj Morgan have all made an impression and it sounds like we could see them on the field for Michigan football this fall.

"“Those three have really come in and asserted themselves right off the bat,” Harbaugh said. “They’ve taken reps with the ones, they’ve taken reps with the twos. They’re not playing like freshmen. Karmello, Frederick and Semaj, their ability to get out of a break, we haven’t seen that from many freshmen, let alone, too many [other] receivers that have come through here.”"

Roman Wilson, Tyler Morris, and Cornelius Johnson are the clear starters. Peyton O’Leary generated some buzz in the spring. Harbaugh also mentioned Christian Dixon and Darrius Clemons, who has been hampered by injury.

6 Michigan football players make ESPN’s Top 100

ESPN put out a list of the top 100 college football players on Monday and the Michigan Wolverines have six players that made the cut led by Blake Corum at No. 7.

Donovan Edwards is second on the list at 17th, followed by Zak Zinter at No. 19 and J.J. McCarthy at No. 30. The Michigan football defense got some love too as Will Johnson (No. 55) and Junior Colson (No. 56) also cracked ESPN’s Top 100.

The fact that Kris Jenkins didn’t make the list is laughable. But lists like that are never perfect, but Jenkins should have been ranked in the top 25, let alone the top 100.