ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Andrel Anthony had been making big plays for weeks, during spring, in preseason camp, and throughout practices during the season. Only those on the inside of the Michigan football program, however, had witnessed his ability and potential.
Against Michigan State last Saturday in his hometown, Michigan let everyone in on a little secret. Anthony, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound freshman receiver, has big-play ability and separating speed. He had six catches for 155 yards and scored two touchdowns in the 37-33 loss at Spartan Stadium.
On his first score, a 93-yard touchdown, the second-longest pass play in program history, Anthony took a 12-yard pass from Cade McNamara and ran along the Michigan sideline with MSU's Xavier Henderson in pursuit.
"It's kinda funny, because I was looking at the jumbotron when I was running, because I wasn't going to look backwards. I'd seen (Henderson) was within close distance, but I was like, 'If I get caught, I probably shouldn't be on the field anymore,'" Anthony said, laughing. "I had that in my mind while I was running, and it was like an unexplainable experience. I couldn't feel my body. I was just moving."
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The dominant photo now on his Michigan-site player page appears to capture that moment. Anthony's eyes are looking upward toward the videoboard, as he watched his run to the game's first points. Anthony, an East Lansing High School product, was named co-Big Ten Freshman of the Week for his performance.
There has been talk of Anthony's big-play potential since his early arrival at Michigan. During preseason camp, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said the freshman made "a play a practice."
"He's on a streak. It's like a Lou Gehrig hitting streak," Harbaugh said in August. "He would do it in spring ball where, 'Wait for it. It's going to happen,' and he makes it. It is just a play a practice that's a big-chunk variety."
But where has Anthony been? The Wolverines lost returning leading receiver Ronnie Bell the first game of the season to a knee injury. Since the Wisconsin game a month ago, Roman Wilson has been dealing with a wrist injury. Anthony has been on the field occasionally since the Western Michigan opener and got his first collegiate touch with a 6-yard run a week earlier against Northwestern.
What a jump from 6 yards to 10 targets and touchdown receptions from McNamara and freshman backup J.J. McCarthy. He went high in the end zone to snag the 17-yard touchdown pass from McCarthy in the second quarter. That moment felt a bit deja vu for Anthony, since several of the freshmen have held half-hour practices even after returning in the wee hours from the night game at Nebraska.
"He'll work on back-shoulder passes, high catches, low catches, anything," Anthony said referring to McCarthy in those impromptu practices. "So I just had a flashback while we were doing that in the game. I was like, 'OK, this is like just after the Wisconsin game when we got back.' The connection we have already is amazing, and it's just going to continue to grow."
Harbaugh said Anthony's emergence should come as no surprise.
"We've talked about this for weeks," Harbaugh said. "(Anthony's) been ascending every single week. More would be added to his playlist, and he's responded each and every time."
The Monday of MSU game week, Anthony felt something significant was about to happen in terms of playing time.
"I definitely realized that I'm gonna have a big part in this game," Anthony said. "I didn't know it was going to be that big, but I knew I was going to have a shot to make a play and capitalize on that."
That sense and going back home inspired him during practice.
"The whole week, I was kind of preparing like a homecoming," he said. "That was my thing for the week. I'm happy about it but I'm not satisfied at all. To have that performance, it showed what I've had to do has paid off. Learning about the plays, coverages. My investment is paying off, for sure."
Anthony said he arrived at 176 pounds and is now up almost 10 pounds. His initial concerns he might lose speed by adding weight evaporated. He learned about adding lean mass and that eating well will help eliminate what little fat composition he had while he built strength.
That was part of the equation. Then there was working on blocking and developing a repertoire of catches, not just the deep ball.
"Coach (Josh) Gattis always talks about we need to make contested catches, catches with people in our face," Anthony said, referring to Michigan's offensive coordinator and receivers coach. "In practice, I've really stepped up in making those, rather than just deep balls, like, intermediate catches, stuff like that. So I feel like just being more of complete receiver, because when I got here, I was terrible at blocking, as well. I've really worked on that, because coming in, I knew that was my weakness. The coaches got on me about it and helped me a lot."
His improvement has been noticed by teammates.
"He's been having a very good last couple weeks of practice," junior receiver Mike Sainristil said. "He's been very detailed. He's just been practicing very well and understanding that, with guys like Roman not playing and Ronnie hurt, he has to play a higher role and step up in the offense."
Anthony has the charm of a young player unspoiled by the newness of early success. He was asked to share what he thinks his strength might be.
He exhaled.
"Let's see," he said. "Strength."
Then he shaped an answer.
"I would say a month ago, getting up in deep routes, but honestly, I'd probably say now I've really been working to get balance, (so it's) not like, 'You can only do this, and we can only put you in, in this position,'" Anthony said. "I'm really working on intermediate stuff, making people miss in the open field, breaking tackles, blocking and really making explosive plays.
"Like the 93-yard touchdown. I caught it at 12 yards and ran. Just making more plays after the catch. A strength? I don't know, that's kinda hard because I'm really trying to work on being balanced."
That seems to be working.
