Andrew Marsh isn’t buying the idea that Michigan’s wide receiver room has been a disappointment.
That’s a tough case to make from the stat sheet alone. Through seven games, the production has come almost entirely from Marsh and Utah transfer JJ Buchanan.
Buchanan leads the Wolverines with 33 catches for 539 yards and five touchdowns, while Marsh has 32 receptions for 309 yards and one score. Everyone else in the room has combined for just six catches, 76 yards and one touchdown, with Salesi Moa accounting for that lone additional score.
Still, Marsh says the group is deeper than the numbers suggest.
Appearing on “The Lab” with former Michigan players Jordan Morgan and Chris Wormely, the sophomore said the Wolverines have more talent at receiver than they’ve been able to show so far.
"Yeah, I mean the receiver room is really loaded," said Marsh. "I know we haven't really been able to showcase it, but we got guys that can come in and just go.
Two of the younger guys, Travis [Johnson] and Salesi [Moa]. They're some of the freshmen that have been making a lot of noise, but those guys can go.
So, really just trying to get us all on the field, make more plays."
Michigan brought in plenty of optimism at the position when Jason Beck was hired as offensive coordinator. The Wolverines kept Marsh after his strong 2025 season and added transfer help along with freshmen, but the offense has yet to reflect that promise. Michigan sits No. 130 in total offense and No. 127 in passing.
One of the clearest letdowns has been Jaime Ffrench Jr. The Texas transfer arrived expecting to matter in the offense, but he has rarely seen the field. Channing Goodwin, Johnson and Moa have all moved ahead of him on the depth chart.
Michigan is 4-3, but the defense hasn’t been the issue. The Wolverines rank No. 2 nationally on that side of the ball, and even in last weekend’s loss to Indiana, the defense did enough to give Michigan a chance.
Marsh said the offense knows it has to answer now, starting with Week 9 against Rutgers.
"Really just the offensive side of the ball. We know we got to play better," said Marsh.
"I mean, defense has been playing lights out. Really just matching their intensity on the opposite side of the ball.
I think this week will be huge."
Rutgers brings the worst defense in the Big Ten, giving Michigan a chance to finally get some traction. If Beck and the offense are going to start sorting things out in Ann Arbor, Marsh’s message is clear: this is the week to do it. The Wolverines should be able to lean on the run, and Tommy Carr needs to find some confidence through the air.
In Other News...
Michigan Enters Rutgers With Two Availability Questions Fans Will Watch
Michigan heads into Rutgers with a few notable availability questions still hanging over the lineup, most of them on the defensive side and up front. Starting right tackle Blake Frazier is questionable after sitting out the previous game, while safety Rod Moore is in the same category along with Jordan Young and Enow Etta. On the brighter side, linebacker Troy Bowles and center Jake Guarnera are both listed as probable, which gives Michigan at least some stability as it prepares for a road test.
The matchup also comes with its own set of injury concerns on the other sideline, since Rutgers will be without starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan and leading receiver KJ Duff. For Michigan, the bigger issue is still how much it can count on its own depth, especially if Frazier remains unavailable and the secondary keeps shifting around. Those final availability calls could shape how the Wolverines manage the game plan once kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Heads To Rutgers With Its Identity Under Real Pressure
Michigan heads to Rutgers still searching for a cleaner version of itself after the overtime loss to Indiana, and the questions around this team go well beyond one rough afternoon. The quarterback situation remains unsettled, the rushing game has not looked like the reliable anchor Michigan usually leans on, and the offense is still trying to sort out what changes fit best under the new coordinator. Even the line, long a point of pride in Ann Arbor, has become part of the conversation as the Wolverines try to turn more drives into something more sustainable.
Rutgers offers a chance to reset a few of those storylines, at least on paper. The Scarlet Knights have been one of the countrys weaker run defenses, which should give Michigan a path to simplify things and play to its strengths if it can finally do so consistently. The bigger question is whether the Wolverines can carry that opportunity into a steadier performance after a stretch of close losses that has started to test the teams confidence as much as its execution. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Has A Troubling Availability Question Ahead Of Rutgers
Michigan heads into its meeting with Rutgers with a few important moving parts on the availability report, and the most notable ones sit right in the middle of the roster. Safety Rod Moore is among the players listed as questionable, while left tackle Andrew Sprague has already been ruled out, leaving the Wolverines to sort through some real uncertainty on both sides of the ball as the week unfolds.
There is at least a little balance to the injury picture, since Rutgers is dealing with its own issues, including a missing starting quarterback and a doubtful top receiver. Still, Michigans focus is on who it can count on, and safeties coach Tyler Stocktons recent comments on Moores status only added to the sense that this is a situation worth watching right up until kickoff. [Read more 🡒]