Never mind the numbers: Michigan football's WRs have been key in perfect start

Still in his practice uniform, Blake Corum stood in front of the lectern at Schembechler Hall and paused, gazing into the distance.

He was contemplating what Michigan football's biggest upgrade on offense was, considering the Wolverines have statistically been more productive then last year's Big Ten championship offense.

He could have chosen quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who's protecting the ball as well as Cade McNamara did a season ago but completing passes at a higher rate and making more plays with his legs. He could have pointed out Olusegun Oluwatimi, a second-team All-American center a year ago with Virginia who might be the best lineman on U-M's dominant unit this year.

He even could have cited himself. His numbers — 146 rushes for 901 yards and 13 touchdowns — are nearly identical through seven games to the most recent running back to win the Heisman Trophy (Alabama's Derrick Henry, with 152 rushes for 901 yards and 12 touchdowns) as he's been the focal point of Michigan's attack.

But instead, he pointed to a player who missed all but one play last season.

MICHIGAN 2023 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE:Spartans & Nittany Lions flip dates, one fewer home game

RIVALRY GAME PREP:Michigan football refuses to be 'overconfident' entering rivalry game vs. Michigan State

"We got Ronnie Bell back, which is big," Corum said. "Just having Ronnie Bell back makes the offense better. I mean I could keep going on, but I'll keep it right there: With Ronnie back, the offense is better because of him."

It's a curious answer, given the majority of the offensive production has come on the ground, but a telling one.

Bell has been the Wolverines' standout receiver thus far in the season, leading the team in catches (35) and yards (429) to go with one touchdown. Roman Wilson, who has 16 catches for 253 yards and three touchdowns in five games is the only other Wolverine averaging more than 50 yards per game through the air.

The third starter at wideout, Cornelius Johnson, has 15 catches for 225 yards and three scores and has only topped 50 yards in a game twice this season.

All were standouts in high school and the focal point of offenses growing up; on Wednesday, wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy explained how they're able to handle taking on different roles in Michigan's system.

"We’re winning," he said, matter-of-factly. "The ultimate goal for every football player here at the University of Michigan is to contribute to help the team win football games. When you’re winning, it doesn’t become a problem."

The challenge for Michigan's receivers is not knowing when those opportunities will come.

It could be when the game plan flips, as it did in the second half at Indiana when McCarthy completed 15 of 18 passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns — two of which went to Johnson.

Or it could be on an unassuming day in your hometown — like when Andrel Anthony went off for six receptions, 155 yards and two scores in East Lansing last year. This year, he has six catches for 73 yards all season. In 13 games since that day against the Spartans, he has caught more than one pass just once (a two-catch, 32-yard day in Bloomington earlier this season).

But that doesn't mean he's not doing his job.

"As a receiver, there’s some games where some guys, the ball finds them," Bellamy said. "It’s one of those things where we keep telling Drel to keep playing hard. He’s playing well, moving around playing multiple positions, he’s doing great things for our football team and I couldn’t be more proud of him."

The one thing that every Michigan receiver has done this year, no matter how involved they've been in the passing game, is block. Bellamy said it's engrained in the culture and starts at the top with coach Jim Harbaugh. A pillar of the team is doing exactly what you're asked to do: Your one-eleventh, as it were.

"If 11 guys do their job on any given play," Bellamy said, "the chances you’re going to have success are going to be very high."

It doesn't mean the wide receivers aren't hungry.

But Michigan is undefeated. It's ranked in the top four. And baring a major upset, it will go into Columbus in November undefeated with a shot at returning to Indianapolis for a second consecutive Big Ten title game — and a shot at another College Football Playoff berth.

And on any given Saturday, that could just be the day.

"Obviously, the guys are competitors, they want opportunities but they know that the opportunities will come," Bellamy said. "The message every day is, be ready so you don’t have to get ready."

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football's receivers not focused on individual stats