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WATCH: Michigan assistants Ron Bellamy, Lou Esposito talk opener, preview Oklahoma

clayton-sayfieby: Clayton Sayfie09/03/25CSayf23
Lou Esposito
Michigan Wolverines football defensive line coach Lou Esposito previously coached at Western Michigan and Memphis. (Photo by Lon Horwedel / TheWolverine.com)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines football wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator Ron Bellamy and defensive line coach Lou Esposito met with the media Wednesday afternoon ahead of their team’s Saturday clash at Oklahoma. Watch video from the press conferences below.

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Wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator Ron Bellamy

Defensive line coach Lou Esposito

Bellamy discussed Michigan sophomore wide receiver Channing Goodwin, who earned his first career start in the 34-17 season-opening victory over New Mexico.

“Yeah, super consistent in practice throughout training camp, throughout spring ball,” Bellamy said. “Really good football player, super smart guy, cerebral player.

“You can move him around, and he’s physical in the run game. He’s where he needs to be in the pass game, he just makes plays. That’s why we decided, collectively, that Channing got to start last Saturday.”

Michigan’s wide receivers showed out Saturday, and the Wolverines have a different energy in the position room this year, Bellamy stated.

“Yeah, we’re deeper, we’re older and the guys are more confident,” Bellamy noted. “This past game, having the ability to throw the ball downfield a little bit more, so we’ve been blessed and fortunate with that.

“But the guys are super locked in, super engaged. Obviously, you see the ball could go to anyone, anyone could get hot. Receivers love that.”

Michigan will go up against a strong Oklahoma defense this weekend.

“Fast, athletic, physical,” Bellamy said of what stands out. “It’s a great defense. Those guys, [head] Coach [Brent] Venables, he’s always had throughout his career, being a defensive-minded head coach. He’s always had great defenses when he was previously at Oklahoma, Clemson and now back at Oklahoma.

“We expect those guys to be athletic, fast, aggressive. The back end, those guys, although they’re missing a couple of their older guys, did not play week one, anticipate those guys coming back. But they’re gonna be a connected unit, playing good ball. So we gotta match that intensity.

“Just multi-defense, just trying to get the quarterback’s eyes all over the play. Don’t show the same look. So we’re expecting those guys to do that, to make it harder for us. And I’m sure they have a plan for some of the things that we like to do. And we just gotta go out there and be who we are, execute at a high level.”