Kyle Whittingham’s second fall camp press conference of the week gave a pretty clear snapshot of where Michigan stands: the offense is moving, the tackle battle is still wide open, and a few key veterans on defense are healthy enough to go, even if the staff is taking the cautious route.
On the offensive side, Whittingham said the group is “right on schedule” after five practices, and he singled out the passing game as an area that already looks sharper than it did at any point in spring ball. There’s still cleanup work to do, but the early signs have been encouraging as Jason Beck continues to install his offense in Ann Arbor.
One of the bigger reasons for that progress, Whittingham said, is that Bryce Underwood is taking steps forward while the line has done a better job protecting him. That matters a lot for a quarterback who is expected to have a big 2026 season, and Michigan seems to be trending in the right direction up front under Jim Harding.
The left tackle picture is still unsettled, though. Whittingham said “[Andrew] Babalola is doing a nice job out there.
[Evan] Link is taking some reps out there. Blake Frazier [is out there].
Yeah, so it's really those three guys getting the majority of the reps out there.” That adds another name to the mix, with Link now in the competition alongside Babalola and Frazier.
Michigan is still trying to sort out its best five linemen, and this battle appears likely to keep rolling until the staff feels someone has separated. Link, who started at left tackle last season before a season-ending injury opened the door for Frazier, is back in the conversation.
At receiver, Whittingham was especially high on J.J. Buchanan.
He called him “a special receiver” and said he can be “unguardable in practice” at times. Whittingham praised Buchanan’s size, athleticism, toughness and ability to do the dirty work, describing him as “a complete receiver in all aspects.”
He also pointed to Channing Goodwin as another player who has forced his way into the discussion. Whittingham said Michigan wants to have about seven receivers it trusts, and right now the group is “probably at about five, five and a half right now.” Andrew Marsh and Buchanan sound like the top two playmakers, and Buchanan’s strong fall has given the Wolverines a chance to have a dangerous starting duo for Bryce Underwood.
Goodwin’s name has come up before, and he earned a starting nod in Week 1 last season, but drops were an issue. That makes his role worth watching if he ends up in the rotation for Week 1 this year.
Whittingham also addressed the status of Rod Moore and John Henry Daley after Jay Hill mentioned both were on pitch counts. The message from Whittingham was simple: both are fully healthy.
“Yeah, he and John are completely healthy. Now, that being said, we as coaches are trying to bring them along slowly.
They're cleared. They're cleared to do whatever...
And so they are on pitch counts, but it's self-inflicted by the coaches, not because they can't function.”
In other words, the limitations are coming from the staff, not the training room. Whittingham said he wants to avoid rushing either player back too fast and risking a setback, so the plan is to ease them in gradually. With the way things are progressing, both Moore and Daley should be in line to start Week 1 against Western Michigan.
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Gayle has also taken a step toward the pro ranks, signing an Exhibit-10 deal with the Detroit Pistons, but the situation is not as closed off as it might first appear. Because that deal does not take effect unless he actually appears in an NBA game, Michigan could still be in play if he decides a return makes sense, and the Wolverines would have a real reason to welcome back an experienced guard. [Read more 🡒]