Michigan football is set to open fall camp on Wednesday, and the first week under Kyle Whittingham already feels like the start of something new. Expectations are high, but there’s still a real sense of mystery around what this team will look like once the pads come on and the reps start stacking up.
That uncertainty is part of what makes this camp so intriguing. Michigan has still managed to win 17 games over the past two seasons despite plenty of dysfunction and a string of odd coaching choices, from the defensive subbing to the decision not to use the bench press.
Now the program turns the page to a coach long regarded as one of the best in college football, even if he’s been operating at a place without true resources at Utah. Big Ten Media Days are already in the rearview, and with practice beginning this week, here are five bold predictions for Michigan’s fall camp.
Andrew Babalola is the first name to watch at left tackle. It may not even qualify as a true shock after Whittingham raved about the former five-star offensive tackle.
Jim Harding, the new O-line coach, also looks like the kind of assistant Michigan fans are going to appreciate, and he’ll have a hand in getting Babalola ready. Harding, who had two tackles from last season’s Utah team taken in the first round, is the type of coach who should squeeze everything out of a 6-foot-6, 314-pound former five-star.
Babalola is the highest-ranked offensive line recruit in Michigan history, and after Whittingham’s comments, it wouldn’t be surprising if he ends up protecting Bryce Underwood’s blindside.
Underwood himself is another player expected to turn heads. Whittingham said in his opening statement that the spring game didn’t reflect the progress Underwood made during the spring, and now the quarterback has had even more time with the new staff.
That comfort level should keep rising. The comparison that comes to mind is J.J.
McCarthy, who started looking more polished as a sophomore by making more good plays and cutting down on the mistakes. The real test won’t come in camp anyway; it’ll come against Oklahoma.
But the chatter coming out of practice should be that Underwood has taken another step.
At backup quarterback, Tommy Carr gets the nod. Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi has joined the team for fall camp, so the staff will get a look at him, but Whittingham said Carr was QB2 coming out of spring ball.
Fowler-Nicolosi brings experience, with 6,938 career passing yards, 38 touchdowns and 29 interceptions, and he led the Mountain West in interceptions in one season. He also doesn’t run the ball, and last season he played only three games.
Carr, meanwhile, knows the system better and looked ready to step in if needed this spring. If Underwood stumbles, Carr could become a favorite with the fan base.
The grandson of Lloyd Carr has a feel to him, and Michigan corrected the mistake of not recruiting him harder by landing him late in the 2026 class. There’s also a chance he sees some rushing work with the first-team offense this season, especially with how much Jason Beck used Devon Dampier and Dampier’s backup last year.
On defense, Carter Meadows should work his way into the two deep. The five-star EDGE is 6-foot-6 and close to 270 pounds, and while he wasn’t an early enrollee, the talent is obvious.
A Week 1 starting job would be a lot to ask, but he looks like the kind of player who gets on the field early, and not just when the game is out of hand. Michigan may not rotate as heavily on defense as it did a year ago, but strong defensive lines tend to roll in waves.
Meadows profiles as part of that next wave alongside Nate Marshall, a top-50 signee from 2025.
The receiver room also looks ready to be much deeper than people may realize. Andrew Marsh and JJ Buchanan already bring some proof of concept, Jaime Ffrench adds intrigue, and two freshmen - Travis Johnson and Salesi Moa - should become regular contributors this season.
They may not get as many snaps right away as the others, but both are expected to force their way onto the field early, much like Meadows. Moa had 44 touchdown catches in high school, and with both players ranked in the top 125, it’s hard to call either one a sleeper.
Their profile is right there with Marsh’s, and Marsh already showed what that kind of ranking can mean. Put it together, and Michigan could end up with one of its deepest and most talented receiver groups in years.
In Other News...
Michigans New Defense Could Change Everything Against Big Ten QBs
Michigan is making a notable defensive pivot for 2026, turning to Jay Hill, the former BYU coordinator, to install an attacking system built around a 4-2-5 look. The hire signals a clear desire to sharpen a unit that wants to play faster and disrupt more often, and Hill brings a track record of forcing turnovers with a style that kept offenses uncomfortable. At Big Ten Media Days, head coach Kyle Whittingham laid out the challenge ahead, pointing to the leagues quarterback talent and the kind of weekly stress those passers can put on a defense.
For Michigan, the appeal is as much about identity as it is about results. Hills defenses at BYU were aggressive and opportunistic, a contrast from the more frustrating stretches the Wolverines endured under the previous coordinator, when takeaways were harder to come by. The new setup should give Michigan a different edge against Big Ten offenses, even if the real answer on how well it all fits will not come until the defense starts taking shape in 2026. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Freshman Savion Hiter Is Already Forcing A Big Fall Question
Savion Hiter arrived in Ann Arbor with the sort of rsum that usually buys a little patience, but his spring practice work has already sped up the conversation. The top running back recruit in the 2026 class has put himself in position to matter right away for Michigan, drawing praise from the staff for the way he runs through contact and brings burst to the position. As things stand, he is sitting behind Jordan Marshall on the depth chart, but the early returns suggest the freshman is more than just a future piece.
Tony Alford has been among the coaches impressed by Hiters physical style, and Michigan is clearly looking for ways to make use of that talent without waiting long. The bigger question now is how quickly the Wolverines can turn a promising spring into a real role once the season arrives, especially with the staff considering different ways to get its backs on the field together. For a freshman who has already changed the tone of the room, the next step is figuring out how much of the offense can fit around him. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fall Camp Hinges On Two Questions Fans Know Too Well
Michigan enters fall camp with a familiar mix of optimism and unfinished business under new head coach Kyle Whittingham after a 9-3 season. The offensive line looks like one of the steadier parts of the roster on paper, which gives the Wolverines a chance to build around a unit that can help settle things early while the rest of the offense finds its footing.
The bigger concern is whether the group is actually ready to hold up when camp opens, with injuries still clouding some of the depth chart decisions. On the other side of the ball, Michigan has even more to sort through on the defensive line after losing several key pieces from its 2023 national championship team, and finding new contributors there may end up shaping the whole tone of the season. [Read more 🡒]