What Michigan football's receivers are doing to unlock big gains on offense

Mike Sainristil sees plenty of differences between Michigan football in 2020 than in 2019.

For one, the sophomore receiver believes the current team is "more united" and understandsthat it must play together.

"It’s always gonna have to come as one," Sainristil said. "Football’s a team sport, and if you’re not willing to go out there and put it all on the line for the person next to you, then you don’t deserve to be out there, pretty much.”

One way that manifested on the field in the Wolverines' 49-24 season-opening win at Minnesota: The blocking from Sainristil and his teammates.

In fact, the receivers' blocking stood out so much to Jim Harbaugh that he mentioned it twice as an "unheralded" part of Saturday's win: Once during his weekly presser Monday afternoon, and then later that night on the 'Inside Michigan Football' radio show.

"One of the most impressive things to me in the game was the perimeter blocking," Harbaugh said. "Especially Ronnie Bell and Mike Sainristil — and Giles Jackson on Zach’s 70-yard touchdown run. The physicality, the perimeter blocking was outstanding."

That blocking was displayed on the offense's opening play, when the Wolverines threw a screen to running back Blake Corum, who made a linebacker miss and picked up 24 yards] thanks to the efforts of Bell and Sainristil.

Michigan's first touchdown — a 70-yard run from Zach Charbonnet — saw the offensive line and H-back Ben Mason deliver key blocks. But receiver Giles Jackson, lined up in the slot, also managed to get a block on a linebacker.

"Giles Jackson on Charbonnet’s run, you watch the physical block," Harbaugh said. "Giles is more physical. He’s stronger. He was in on it."

In the second quarter, Michigan threw a bubble screen out of a trips formation to receiver A.J. Henning, who picked up 14 yards after a key cut block from Bell.

And later, the favor was repaid to Bell when Sainristil got a piece of a defensive back while avoiding a penalty. That allowed Bell to get upfield, where he made safety miss and picked up a 30-yard gain.

Michigan's receivers don't hold a size advantage over defensive backs, as they did in previous years. Jackson is listed at 5-foot-9, 188 pounds; Sainristil is listed at 5-1, 183 pounds. Bell, considered the unit's top receiver, is listed at 6-foot, 190 pounds. And Jake McCurry, who was the sole receiver and a perimeter blocker when Michigan went to heavier formations, is listed at 6-foot, 185 pounds.

Most of the time, the Wolverines are asked to block a bigger player. Sometimes it's a significantly bigger player, like when Jackson's assignment was a linebacker. But Sainristil believes the act of blocking itself has less to do with size than desire.

“Just don’t let size play a factor in your head when it comes to blocking someone who’s bigger than you," Sainristil said. "You have pads, they have pads and football is a physical game. It just comes down to who’s being more physical at the point of attack. Little details — like (offensive coordinator Josh) Gattis says, getting your face in the fit, having a good base. After that, it’s just you making the decision of wanting to or not wanting to.”

Not only does Sainristil not mind blocking — he seems to enjoy it. He believes "you need to be a physical receiver in today's game" and says blocking is another way to have impressive game film. And he and his teammates regard it as an absolute necessity within Michigan's offense.

"Doing your responsibility, we believe in the receiver room, I believe is what helps the ball find you when you do what you’re supposed to do," Sainristil said. "That’s just one thing coach Gattis preaches in style of play. Making blocks down the field, letting the ball find you in other ways than it actually being in your hand because you never know when the running back can bounce the hole and come your way, or if he could cut back and come your way. So, blocking is very key in our offense on the perimeter.”

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: What Michigan football's WRs are doing to unlock big gains on offense