3 problematic Michigan players vs. Texas
No. 4 Texas football will face its toughest test of the non-conference slate this coming weekend in Ann Arbor against the defending National Champion Michigan Wolverines. Michigan and first-year head coach Sherrone Moore could have the most NFL talent of any team Texas faces on the road during the regular season despite turning over much of the roster during the offseason.
The Michigan defense will gauge the physicality and willingness of Texas football's offense for Steve Sarkisian in Ann Arbor in Week 2
Michigan lost a lot of its two-deep from the title-winning squad last year to the NFL Draft and the NCAA Transfer Portal after the departure of head coach Jim Harbaugh, who returned to the pros to take the head coaching job with the LA Chargers.
Regarding the matchups for the Michigan game in Week 2, the Longhorns will have their toughest challenges up front in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Michigan's offseason roster turnover didn't really impact the strength of its defensive line. And the offensive line still brings plenty of physicality and body-movers along the interior for the power ground game.
Michigan's defense is also the real deal at all three levels. This could be one of the best two defenses the Longhorns face this entire season and possibly in the postseason.
Here are three problematic Michigan players that the Longhorns must be prepared to face in Week 2 in Ann Arbor.
Colston Loveland, TE
Junior Colston Loveland is one of the best tight ends in the P4 this season. He's a big and lethal 6-foot-5 and 245-pound tight end who consistently handles his blocking assignments well blocking for the ground game and threatens opposing defenses as a sizable passing game target with a large catch radius and good speed and clean route running.
Loveland is a much better than average tight end regarding his abilities to create separation while running his routes and using his insane athleticism to pick up tough yards after the catch and get out in space to generate big plays for the receiving game.
The Michigan offense will line Loveland up in multiple spots pre-snap, including H-back, inline, slot, and out wide. Loveland's versatility can be a matchup issue for Texas's defense in preparing for the game plan to face Michigan's offense this weekend.
Michigan will rely heavily on getting the ball to Loveland in the passing game, regardless of who's starting at quarterback against Texas this upcoming weekend. In their opener last weekend, half of all Michigan's team completions and over 75 percent of their passing yards went to Loveland at tight end against Fresno State.