Jehu Chesson emerged as Michigan's top big-play threat last season and will have the heaviest influence on the offense's success in 2016.
It's not simply because the senior wide receiver is an explosive player, though. Chesson provides a dynamic the Wolverines cannot create otherwise.
Under head coach Jim Harbaugh, the program is slowly working toward a run-heavy offensive system. However, the personnel didn't quite match the desired scheme during his first year in Ann Arbor and won't be ideal next season.
While the offense—and Chesson himself—certainly took encouraging developmental steps forward, the losses of center Graham Glasgow and quarterback Jake Rudock will hurt initially.
Michigan returns four starting linemen, including standout left tackle and two-year starter Mason Cole. He might move inside to replace Glasgow, and the trio of Ben Braden, Kyle Kalis and Erik Magnuson should retain their roles up front.
That experience will help guide the new starting quarterback, who should be confident in the collective pass-blocking prowess of the offensive line.
But the running game may once again be inconsistent.
Early in 2015, the Wolverines had a balanced offense that regularly reached the 28-point mark while the defense locked down opponents. Still, Michigan sometimes needed a boost to waltz past UNLV and shake Maryland. Chesson provided that spark on jet sweeps, recording 36- and 66-yard touchdowns, respectively.
The team won't require anything different in its opening stretch, considering its foes include Hawaii, UCF and Colorado—none of which ranked better than 99th versus the run.
After that favorable stretch, Big Ten play begins against Penn State and Wisconsin. Michigan better be ready to pass the ball.
Last year, the Wolverines basically limped through the conference opener with Maryland, managed a decent day against Northwestern—against which Chesson returned a kickoff for a touchdown—and then mustered 3.3 yards per carry through the duration of the regular season.
Michigan survived as a 1.5-dimensional offense because of Rudock's progression, which paralleled Chesson's emergence. Coincidence? I think not.
Over the final seven games of the 2015 campaign, Chesson averaged 5.3 receptions for 90.3 yards and 1.3 touchdowns. He torched Indiana for 10 catches, 207 yards and four scores and eclipsed the 100-yard barrier against Ohio State—and Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III is still looking for Chesson.
Rudock won't be throwing the passes anymore, though, and there's no clear-cut replacement on the roster. Among others, Wilton Speight, John O'Korn and Brandon Peters will compete for the No. 1 job.
Weekly viewers of the Wolverines surely noticed how it took nearly seven weeks for Rudock and Chesson to find their timing on downfield shots. Now that process starts all over again for the fastest player on the team.
It's critical Michigan avoids that half-season lull and enters Big Ten action with its quarterback and primary deep threat on the same page—and not just in practice.
The Wolverines will be seeking a conference championship and should have national title aspirations. However, they don't have the luxury of easing into Big Ten games.
Penn State has surrendered fewer than four yards per carry every year since 2011, and Wisconsin is riding a four-season streak of top-25 run defenses. Penn State loses two key starters in Carl Nassib and Anthony Zettel, but Wisconsin returns a majority of its front seven.
Dropping either matchup won't necessarily derail Michigan's conference hopes, but it sure would sting in the larger picture.
Unless the offensive line takes a dramatic step forward as a run-blocking unit, the Wolverines will rely on the to-be-determined quarterback. And he'll be hoping Chesson, the top playmaker, consistently breaks through.
Otherwise, Michigan will be missing the most important element of an offense it hopes will be championship-worthy.
All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from CFBStats.com or B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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