We’re getting a look into the tight end room after Zack Marshall joined Jon Jansen on the “In the Trenches” podcast this week.
While he’s been dealing with an injury this spring, we’re looking forward to the return of Marshall and hope he can make a major contribution and stay healthy this season.
One thing is clear, this kid is locked in and ready to go play some football. Here’s a recap of what Marshall had to say.
On weathering changes at Michigan
Marshall, who had a surgery on his shoulder this offseason, said it’s the first time he’s ever missed a practice and has been trying to get everyone else ready to go. While he’s dealing with being “dinged up,” he is working on learning the offense. He said he’s not getting a “face mask” view of the offense, but is instead focusing on getting a “birds-eye” view of the plays. He hopes that allows him to help coach some of the younger players, like freshman Mason Bonner.
On the offense they’ll use in 2026
With new offensive coordinator Jason Beck, Marshall said the focus is on finding horizontal spacing on the offense. Marshall also said there’s an element of the offense that they’re able to execute once they understand it. He said the offense is focused on versatility and movement to allow plays to open up.
On how the tight ends will be utilized
Michigan fans have grown accustomed to seeing the tight ends heavily used in the offense. Marshall said in this offense, tight ends will line up anywhere. He also said the way that the offense is built is to put your best players in their best positions.
On what he wants to be better at
Marshall said he wants to get better at everything. When Jansen asked him to drill it down to one thing, he said being a dominant blocker in the run game. He has personal goals of playing in the NFL, and to do that, he knows that he’s going to have to help block.
On the tight ends he’s learned from
Marshall talked about how he learned from some of the best tight ends to come through Michigan. He said AJ Barner, Colston Loveland, Max Bredeson and Marlin Klein have all helped him learn specific skills that make tight ends valuable players in the NFL. He’s going to try and focus on his role as a sixth lineman and as an extra receiver.
On his advice to freshmen
Marshall shared that he was working to get on the field on offense right away during his freshman season, but that quickly transitioned to wanting to get on the field on special teams. He told Jansen that’s one area where he was really able to focus and improve his abilities on the field.
On what he’s seeing from the team right now
“From a physical standpoint, we’re the strongest, fastest and most conditioned than we’ve ever been. Hats off to the strength and conditioning staff. They’ve done an incredible job with us already,” Marshall told Jansen. Marshall also said the team is going to work their “butts off” to win every game and that they have high expectations for the season.
What are your thoughts on the tight ends room? Let us know in the comments below!