ANN ARBOR – The Michigan Wolverines are gearing up for the 2025 football season with renewed energy and a revamped wide receiver room under the guidance of Erik "Soup" Campbell, who has returned to the program as the assistant wide receivers coach. Campbell, who previously led the receiver unit for 12 years under former head coach Lloyd Carr, is embracing his role by instilling a sense of tradition and pride among the current players.
Upon his return, Campbell immediately set about re-decorating the wide receiver room, transforming it into a shrine that honors the program's storied history. Ron Bellamy, the primary wide receivers coach, noted during a media session on April 7, 2025, that Campbell's vision included displaying pictures of the program's greatest wideouts. "I told Soup he's an interior decorator," Bellamy joked. "You could just see the boys kind of looking and marveling at it, like, 'man, wow.' We do history lessons with them, and we do trivia before we start every meeting."
Campbell's impressive pedigree includes coaching three All-Americans and winning a national championship during his tenure at Michigan. His star pupils, including Braylon Edwards, David Terrell, and Marquise Walker, are now immortalized on the walls of the receiver room, serving as constant reminders of the expectations that come with wearing the maize and blue. "We're teaching them the Michigan way," Bellamy explained. "It's been an amazing addition having Soup in there. He's detail-oriented, always chasing the details, and it's a blessing for our room and our football program to have Eric Campbell with us."
Last season was a tough one for Michigan's wideouts, as they struggled to make an impact on the field. The Wolverines' leading receiver, Tyler Morris, managed only 248 yards before transferring to Indiana. However, the coaching staff is optimistic that the additions made during the offseason will bolster the passing attack significantly.
One of the most notable additions is Donaven McCulley, a 6-foot-5 graduate transfer from Indiana who caught 48 passes for 644 yards and six touchdowns in 2023. "He's on track to do that," Bellamy said, referring to McCulley's potential to emerge as a top target. "He's just got to keep attacking it and challenging himself every day. He’s been a great addition thus far."
In addition to McCulley, Michigan has welcomed a trio of promising freshmen: Andrew Marsh, who stands at 6 feet 1 inch and is the highest-rated wide receiver recruit to commit to Michigan since Donovan Peoples-Jones in 2017, Jamar Browder at 6 feet 4 inches, and Jacob Washington at 6 feet 3 inches. Bellamy emphasized that the larger size of the new recruits will create favorable one-on-one matchups on the field. "You can throw the ball up to those guys. Most people call them 50/50 balls, but if the ball's in the air, it's ours. That's the mentality we have," he stated.
Bellamy also highlighted the importance of having taller receivers, noting that many of them have basketball backgrounds, which can be advantageous in contested catches. "When you're starting to roll out 6-3, 6-4, 6-5 guys, most of them have basketball backgrounds ... that’s something we didn’t have last year, we do now. Feel good about the additions we made to address that," he said.
The Wolverines are not only relying on new faces but also on returning players who gained valuable experience last season. Semaj Morgan and Fred Moore are both entering their third seasons and are expected to take significant leaps in their performance. Morgan had 27 receptions for 139 yards last year, while Moore made a notable impact in the ReliaQuest Bowl with three catches for 37 yards and a touchdown.
"Thus far, we've seen the best version of Semaj and Fred," Bellamy remarked. "They’re just older, more experienced guys. They know what their roles are. They know what the expectations are." With additional players like Channing Goodwin and I'Marion Stewart also in the mix, Michigan's wide receiver room is shaping up to be one of the deepest in recent memory.
As the team looks forward to the upcoming season, they are also adjusting to new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, whose previous offenses averaged over 400 yards per game while at North Carolina. This change is expected to further enhance the potential of the wide receiver group, providing them with more opportunities to shine.
"I just think it’s more opportunities — let’s just say that. More opportunities for the receivers. And those guys know they have to be detailed at everything they do. It’s been great," Bellamy said.
The excitement surrounding the Wolverines' wide receiver unit is palpable as they prepare for the 2025 season. With a blend of experienced players, fresh talent, and the guidance of seasoned coaches, the team is ready to embrace the challenge ahead and continue the proud tradition of Michigan football.
As the spring practices progress, the focus will be on building chemistry and establishing a reliable passing game that can compete at the highest level. "This is probably one of the deeper rooms we've had since I've been at Michigan. Obviously, we've got work to do. Guys still have to go prove themselves. But it’s not just young guys forced to play. Everyone’s chasing someone. To me, that creates competition," Bellamy concluded.
