Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) warms up before a game. Credit: Holly Burkhart | The Michigan Daily
The Michigan football team has gotten off to a 3-0 start under first-year head coach Kyle Whittingham, yet it hasn’t all been smooth sailing.
To beat Western Michigan in their first game of the season, the Wolverines needed a last-second hail mary that created a firestorm of controversy throughout college football. Michigan followed up their 13-12 uninspiring win with an emphatic ranked victory against then-No. 11 Oklahoma the following week and destroyed University of Texas at El Paso in its nonconference finale.
Through three games, Michigan’s calling card has been its defense — and that starts up front.
The Wolverines’ defensive front has been dominant, tallying up? 25 sacks and 10 tackles for loss through three games, marks that raised them to second in the Big Ten in both categories. Their defensive line is led by ends Dom Nichols and Utah transfer John Henry Daley, who have both recorded four tackles-for-loss thus far.
Entering the season, the Wolverines’ linebackers were questionable, as their top four producers from last year did not return. However, three weeks in, their linebackers have shown promise. Troy Bowles leads the team with 25 total tackles. In the secondary, new defensive coordinator Jay Hill likes to play a lot of man coverage, and his cornerbacks have embraced the role. Jyaire Hill — who recorded a key interception against the Sooners — and Utah transfer Smith Snowden have been stellar thus far.?
At safety, sixth-year Rod Moore is the captain of Michigan’s defense. Yet Moore tore his ACL in spring 2024 and hasn’t played meaningful snaps since.
On offense, however, there are more question marks. The Wolverines’ offense looked shaky against Western Michigan and Oklahoma but took a step forward against UTEP scoring 52 points. Simply put, the offense goes as quarterback Bryce Underwood goes. After a shaky year last season, Michigan’s coaches raved about his performance in training camp. However, he didn’t get much going through two games before a strong performance against UTEP. He’s made plays with his legs as well and is the Wolverines’ leading rusher to date.
In the passing game, wide receivers JJ Buchanan — another Utah transfer — and Andrew Marsh are the Wolverines’ top weapons. Buchanan caught the 47-yard hail mary touchdown to beat Western Michigan and already has 266 yards on the year. Marsh has gotten off to a slower start, but he and Underwood established a strong connection last season, which he finished with 651 yards.?
On the ground, Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter have gotten off to slow starts. Marshall rushed for 981 yards last year while Hiter — a true freshman and five-star recruit — received praise from coaches and teammates alike throughout training camp.
Through three games, it’s clear that the Wolverines’ will have a stellar defense. However, the question on offense is Underwood. If the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class can meet expectations, Michigan very well could be in the College Football Playoff at season’s end.
