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The Michigan football hype train continues to pick up speed, particularly for a room that's often under the radar.
The wide receivers, which haven't been a perceived strength of the Wolverines for more than a decade, were said to have stood out in spring ball after adding a host of new faces to the corps, while pairing a newfound depth with a fresh scheme.
Andrew Marsh returns as the leader in the room and is supplemented by transfers JJ Buchanan (Utah) and Jaime Ffrench (Texas) as well as true freshmen Salesi Moa and Travis Johnson. All four are expected to contribute this season.
Returnees include Kendrick Bell, Channing Goodwin (who started six games in 2025) and the 6-foot-5 Jamar Browder.
"I love the room right now," Marsh told Jon Jansen when he appeared on the program's "Inside The Trenches" podcast in an episode released Wednesday. "Some of the new additions we got, Jamie, JJ, Salesi, Travis even some of the old guys we have returning, I feel like we're so well-rounded.
"For the first time in a while, I feel like the Michigan wide receiver room is going to do something special this year."
Marsh, a freshman All-American last season, didn't crack the starting rotation until October, then became the Wolverines' unquestioned top target over the final two months of the season, leading the team in receptions (45), receiving yards (651) and receiving touchdowns (four).
[ MUST WATCH: Make "Hail Yes!" your go-to Wolverines podcast, available anywhere you listen (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube and get in the chat. ]
Marsh told Jansen his primary goal is to win the national championship, because if that happens "everything else will take care of itself." He also made it clear he wants to be the first U-M wideout to surpass 1,000 yards in a season since Jeremy Gallon (1,373) in 2013.
From the way Marsh describes it, new coordinator Jason Beck's offense isn't designed to have primary reads on each play. Instead, anybody who is on the field is equally likely to be targeted on any play-call.
That should make the team harder to stop, combined with an up-tempo feel.
"I feel great about it," Marsh said. "Moving forward this year, I feel like there's so much freedom [both] route-running and conceptually. I feel like all five guys on the team can be an option each play.
"I feel like it's super efficient. We're able to really move and push the tempo. We can always push the tempo and I feel like that's really good ... keep the defense moving, keep them on their toes, eliminate substitutions."
WON'T COME EASY: Michigan football's toughest games in 2026: Ranking top-4 gantlet
With a decent amount of talent around him, there also seems to be more quality options on every play. New wide receivers coach Micah Simon also joined Jansen on the podcast and lauded the talent in his room. He singled out Moa.
“He’s going to be an exciting, special player," Simon said. "There are a lot of things he does that are just natural. Sometimes, I don’t think he realizes what he does on the field. Things are so smooth for him. He has a lot of different ability moving outside and inside.”
That ability to move all over the field is a critical component of what's expected to make this U-M offense a bit tougher to contain than previous iterations.
Running backs coach Tony Alford said recently one of the goals is to make the defense "cover all 53⅓ [yards]" − the width of the field.
It isn't just Marsh and Moa who is expected to force opponents to do that. Simon says Buchanan's game has grown in multiple ways.
"He can line up all over," Simon said. "He’s moving faster, twitchier. I’m expecting major things for him this season, as well.”
RECRUITING: Michigan a contender for state's No. 1 players in 2027 and 2028
The final component of the passing game is sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood.
Underwood's name comes with a number of reactions − some enamored with his raw talent, others underwhelmed after Year 1 − but Marsh sees what goes in behind the scenes. He has watched the work, stayed with him after practice and bonded since both enrolled early ahead of 2025.
"As a receiver, you can't ask for much more," Marsh said of Underwood. "He's probably the best quarterback I've ever played with. Just knowing he's here with me along for the ride, I'm excited to see what we can go do.
"Without him there's no receiver, without me there's no quarterback. At the end of the day, we're a good combo, as it should be with a receiver and quarterback combo."
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Andrew Marsh and Michigan football WRs ready to change the narrative
Continue reading...
The wide receivers, which haven't been a perceived strength of the Wolverines for more than a decade, were said to have stood out in spring ball after adding a host of new faces to the corps, while pairing a newfound depth with a fresh scheme.
Andrew Marsh returns as the leader in the room and is supplemented by transfers JJ Buchanan (Utah) and Jaime Ffrench (Texas) as well as true freshmen Salesi Moa and Travis Johnson. All four are expected to contribute this season.
Returnees include Kendrick Bell, Channing Goodwin (who started six games in 2025) and the 6-foot-5 Jamar Browder.
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"I love the room right now," Marsh told Jon Jansen when he appeared on the program's "Inside The Trenches" podcast in an episode released Wednesday. "Some of the new additions we got, Jamie, JJ, Salesi, Travis even some of the old guys we have returning, I feel like we're so well-rounded.
"For the first time in a while, I feel like the Michigan wide receiver room is going to do something special this year."
Marsh, a freshman All-American last season, didn't crack the starting rotation until October, then became the Wolverines' unquestioned top target over the final two months of the season, leading the team in receptions (45), receiving yards (651) and receiving touchdowns (four).
[ MUST WATCH: Make "Hail Yes!" your go-to Wolverines podcast, available anywhere you listen (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube and get in the chat. ]
Marsh told Jansen his primary goal is to win the national championship, because if that happens "everything else will take care of itself." He also made it clear he wants to be the first U-M wideout to surpass 1,000 yards in a season since Jeremy Gallon (1,373) in 2013.
From the way Marsh describes it, new coordinator Jason Beck's offense isn't designed to have primary reads on each play. Instead, anybody who is on the field is equally likely to be targeted on any play-call.
That should make the team harder to stop, combined with an up-tempo feel.
"I feel great about it," Marsh said. "Moving forward this year, I feel like there's so much freedom [both] route-running and conceptually. I feel like all five guys on the team can be an option each play.
"I feel like it's super efficient. We're able to really move and push the tempo. We can always push the tempo and I feel like that's really good ... keep the defense moving, keep them on their toes, eliminate substitutions."
WON'T COME EASY: Michigan football's toughest games in 2026: Ranking top-4 gantlet
You must be registered for see images attach
With a decent amount of talent around him, there also seems to be more quality options on every play. New wide receivers coach Micah Simon also joined Jansen on the podcast and lauded the talent in his room. He singled out Moa.
“He’s going to be an exciting, special player," Simon said. "There are a lot of things he does that are just natural. Sometimes, I don’t think he realizes what he does on the field. Things are so smooth for him. He has a lot of different ability moving outside and inside.”
That ability to move all over the field is a critical component of what's expected to make this U-M offense a bit tougher to contain than previous iterations.
Running backs coach Tony Alford said recently one of the goals is to make the defense "cover all 53⅓ [yards]" − the width of the field.
It isn't just Marsh and Moa who is expected to force opponents to do that. Simon says Buchanan's game has grown in multiple ways.
"He can line up all over," Simon said. "He’s moving faster, twitchier. I’m expecting major things for him this season, as well.”
RECRUITING: Michigan a contender for state's No. 1 players in 2027 and 2028
The final component of the passing game is sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood.
You must be registered for see images attach
Underwood's name comes with a number of reactions − some enamored with his raw talent, others underwhelmed after Year 1 − but Marsh sees what goes in behind the scenes. He has watched the work, stayed with him after practice and bonded since both enrolled early ahead of 2025.
"As a receiver, you can't ask for much more," Marsh said of Underwood. "He's probably the best quarterback I've ever played with. Just knowing he's here with me along for the ride, I'm excited to see what we can go do.
"Without him there's no receiver, without me there's no quarterback. At the end of the day, we're a good combo, as it should be with a receiver and quarterback combo."
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Andrew Marsh and Michigan football WRs ready to change the narrative
Continue reading...
