Colston Loveland reminisces on Michigan recruitment, says Wolverines live 'rent free' in Ohio State's head

Former Michigan Wolverines football tight end Colston Loveland is coming off an incredible three-year career in Ann Arbor and is recovering from a shoulder injury. He’s expected to be healthy for training camp after being selected No. 10 overall by the Chicago Bears.

Loveland recently joined Michigan alum Rich Eisen on his show, and reminisced about his recruitment to U-M. While Loveland ended up as a three-star, top-250 recruit in the 2022 class, he was under the radar most of the process, due in part to being from Gooding, Idaho. Then-Michigan head man Jim Harbaugh and tight ends coach Jay Harbaugh took a visit to his hometown and helped seal the deal.

The former Michigan standout told the story of Jim Harbaugh’s trip to Idaho.

“Him and Coach Jay Harbaugh came out to Gooding,” Loveland recalled. “The town was raving, everyone knew about it in the blink of an eye.

“He stayed at my grandparents’ place in Gooding. He got in late night, and we were chopping it up. He’s like, ‘What time are we working out in the morning?’ I was like, ‘You working out?’ He was like, ‘Yeah.’ 

“We got in there at like 6, 7 o’clock, got into the school gym. Of course he’s in his khakis, working out. We got a little workout in, and he’s just kinda stopping, saying hi to a bunch of my different teachers, just being the guy he is — a good man. It was great to meet him.

“It’s such a blessing to have him come out to Gooding. Not a lot of people like that come out there a lot, so it definitely fired everyone up.”

Loveland said “maybe” former Boise State head coach Andy Avalos also visited, but that no other head coaches made their way to Gooding. Even if Avalos did, it was an in-state trip, not nearly as far as coming from Michigan.

“Once I finally got to meet him and got to see how he moved, especially just around in a place that he’s never really been, he’s just such a people person, so right then I was like, ‘Yeah, man.’ The fact that he was coming out there all the way to Idaho means he’s obviously very interested and sees something in me,” Loveland said. “It was very motivating, and also just a blessing to have him be there and see how he moves and Gooding, Idaho.”

Harbaugh and Loveland had a close relationship throughout their time together at Michigan. Loveland enjoyed watching Harbaugh work out with the team.

“He’ll do fourth-quarter finishers,” Loveland noted. “So every day at camp, we have our camp practice, and we go do conditioning, and we have fourth-quarter finishers, whether that’s pushing sleds, whatever we’re doing.

“He’s in there — again, in his khakis and cleats — just working out. He had his shirt off one time, I remember seeing. But just working out, wanting to be one of the players again. 

“I think as a player you see that and you’re like, ‘Yeah.’ That kinda fires you up.”

Michigan lives ‘rent free’ in Ohio State’s head

Loveland contributed to Michigan’s first win over Ohio State in Columbus since 2000 with a touchdown catch as a freshman in 2022. He made big plays in the 2023 win in Ann Arbor, as well. But in the 2024 rendition of ‘The Game,’ a 13-10 victory in Columbus, Loveland was out with an injury.

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t out there to play, so it was tough,” he said.

“I think my favorite one was my freshman year at their place,” Loveland added, of Michigan’s three wins over Ohio State during his career. “They’re all my favorites, but that one, for sure, since it was my first touchdown, and at their place, we put it on them.”

Eisen mentioned that Ohio State fans — devastated they haven’t beaten Michigan since before the COVID pandemic — have stated the U-M loss in 2024 helped spark their run to win the CFP.

“Just living rent free, that’s all,” Loveland replied.

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy was the one throwing Loveland the ball in those Michigan wins over Ohio State — and the two will face off week one this season. McCarthy, whose Vikings will head to Chicago to open the year, is projected to be Minnesota’s starting signal-caller.

“That’s my guy. A Michigan man,” Loveland said of McCarthy. “We got to do some things in college, and he knows I love him.

“But we’re not on the same team anymore, so all I know is Monday night we’re gonna be prepared, we’re gonna be fired up, ready to go out there and … good luck.”