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    • If I’m healthy, I play
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    If I’m healthy, I play

    Umito Posted on

    Ann Arbor – With so many goals on the line and Michigan needing to win one of the two remaining regular season games to become bowl eligible, it wouldn’t be surprising if players headed to the NFL Draft decide to make their suitcases.

    Michigan, incumbent an undefeated national championship seasonis 5-5 overall, 3-4 Big Ten and didn’t play a game this weekend before facing Northwestern at home and No. 2 Ohio State in Columbus on Nov. 30. The Wolverines need six wins to make a bowl. in Sherrone Moore’s first season as head coach.

    Tight end Colston Loveland, Michigan’s leading receiver, is among four Wolverines on ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper’s first Big Board for the 2025 NFL Draft. The others are defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant and cornerback Will Johnson.

    Loveland, who missed one game this season, has 53 catches for 560 yards and four touchdowns. He was asked after practice this week about the players’ motivation to keep playing, given that the Wolverines’ goals, like the College Football Playoff and Big Ten championship, are off the table.

    “We’re going to play,” Loveland said. “As long as we’re healthy and feeling good, we’re going to play. Michigan has done so much for us. All our boys, our brothers, our family, our coaches, they always coach and play, so why wouldn’t we play? We have goals to achieve as a team and individually, so as long as I’m healthy, yes, I play.

    He said he can see both sides of the conversation for players who might decide it’s time to focus on preparing for the NFL Draft.

    “Maybe if you had an injury or something, but I feel like for me and a lot of guys here, if you’re healthy and you can go out and play, we like the football, we’ve been blessed by God to be able to play this game, and our families have sacrificed so much, so why wouldn’t we play that’s kind of where I’m thinking.

    A set of bowls is important to practice more. Teams prepare for the bowl game but also for the following season, preparing them for winter conditioning and then spring practice. They have up to four hours a day or 20 hours a week of practice in one bowl.

    But getting a spot in the 12-team playoff with a national title in sight is a lot different than playing in a bowl game. This is when NFL players will likely make business decisions.

    “It might be a different story,” Loveland said when asked about bowling, “but yeah, as long as I feel good in the regular season I’m bowling, it’s on.”

    Loveland is a 6-foot-5, 245-pound junior and could return for another season, but since the end of last season, he has been projected as a high pick in the 2025 draft. And as for the coach of the Michigan tight ends Steve Casula Loveland is ready for the NFL.

    “I’ve never coached in the NFL, but in my time here at Ferris (State), I’ve been around a handful of NFL players,” Casula said recently. “I’ve only been to one NFL practice in my life. If he’s not ready to play in the NFL, I don’t know who would be. He is exceptional. I think when you compare his motor skills, his athleticism, his ball skills, all that kind of stuff, I think you could compare him to NFL players. Obviously, this will be a reset button for him every time he goes to the NFL.

    “But without having the experience of having coached in the NFL, hell, if he’s not ready to go play in the NFL, I don’t know who would be. I say that as a compliment.

    Loveland has been Michigan’s top target this season and defenses have favored him for obvious reasons.

    “I can definitely feel respect, whether they drop someone in there or cheat on a safety or whatever,” Loveland said. “But sometimes it’s like that, so you just have to open up anyway. It can get frustrating, but you just have to keep trying to open up.

    Is there a way to open up?

    “No, I can’t do that on camera now,” Loveland said with a laugh in front of a group of reporters filming a video.

    Michigan has struggled offensively this season, but Loveland remains confident the Wolverines are poised to turn things around. They rank 130th in total offense (290.1 ​​yards) and 118th in scoring (20.4 points).

    “Obviously a lot of things didn’t go the way we wanted,” Loveland said. “Two more games guaranteed to get on tape.” I feel like as an offense we have the ability to do it – I sound a little like a broken record – we have the potential. Potential means nothing if you can’t do it. I’m just really focused on going out there, running a really good tape as an offense, working together, running the play, passing the play. We just need everything to click. and that this week off is good to give us another week of preparation on Northwestern and going to attack it.

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