Michigan heads into fall camp with more unknowns than usual, and that starts with the new look on the sideline. Kyle Whittingham has taken over in Ann Arbor and brought essentially an entire new coaching staff with him, leaving the Wolverines about a month out from their first game of the 2026 campaign with plenty to sort through.
One of the biggest questions sits at linebacker, where Michigan has to replace a lot of production from the 2025 team. The Wolverines lost three of their top five tackle leaders from last season in Jimmy Rolder, Ernest Hausmann and Cole Sullivan. That leaves the door open for someone new to emerge as the top producer in the room.
For now, the returning trio appears to be in line to lead the group when camp opens. Whittingham singled out three linebackers in the spring when asked about the position.
“Yeah, Chase Taylor is doing a really nice job,” Whittingham said. “Him, Troy Bowles is also, and he's an upperclassman, played a lot of special team snaps, not a lot of linebacker snaps. Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, I think I'm pronouncing that correctly, has flashed as well, and so those would be the top three right now.”
If Taylor, Bowles and Owusu-Boateng are the ones carrying the load, any of them could wind up as the team’s tackle leader by the end of the 2026 season.
Quarterback Bryce Underwood is another major storyline. His freshman season had its highs and lows, which was hardly a surprise for a true freshman playing without a QB coach. The upside showed up, but the growth curve never really seemed to take off as the year went on.
That could change quickly. Underwood now has a full offseason under his belt, and Michigan also added Koy Detmer Jr. as quarterback coach. He’ll have help, too, with top receiver Andrew Marsh back in Ann Arbor and transfers JJ Buchanan from Utah and Jaime Ffrench Jr. joining the mix.
Then there’s the bigger picture under Whittingham, Jason Beck and Jay Hill. Michigan is entering camp with a completely new staff guiding the offense and defense, and fans won’t have to wait long to get a feel for how that group operates in Ann Arbor.
Whittingham’s track record is hard to ignore. He won 18 seasons in 21 years at Utah, and now he’s walking into a program with more resources than he had there. That gives him a chance to coach some of the best teams of his college career.
In Other News...
New Michigan Transfer Just Sent A Message Fans Will Feel
Kyle Whittinghams arrival in Ann Arbor has already brought a familiar face with him, and John Henry Daley is wasting no time leaning into the optimism around Michigans new era. The Utah transfer has stepped into a program trying to reset under a coach who knows what a championship-caliber team looks like, and Daleys early read on the Wolverines is about as bold as it gets.
There is plenty for Michigan to like on paper, especially along a defensive line Whittingham has pointed to as a real strength. Still, the picture is not complete yet, with questions lingering at linebacker and quarterback as the Wolverines sort through the rest of the roster. Daleys confidence adds to the buzz, but the bigger test is whether that belief matches what Michigan can actually put on the field this fall. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Got The Injury Relief Fans Desperately Wanted
Michigans offseason injury picture is starting to clear in a way that should matter to anyone watching the line of scrimmage. John Henry Daley, the Utah transfer whose debut there was cut short by an Achilles injury, has reported fully healthy heading into fall camp, while Andrew Babalola is also back after missing last season with an ACL injury. For a program that has spent the spring and summer sorting through depth and durability, getting both players back in the mix is the kind of development that can change how the roster feels before a snap is taken.
Daleys return gives Michigan another experienced body to evaluate in camp, and Babalolas recovery carries even more intrigue because of what he can mean for the offensive line picture. A highly rated recruit who has yet to play a college down, he enters the fall with a chance to force his way into the conversation up front. The question now is less about whether he can get on the field and more about how quickly he can turn a clean bill of health into real competition for playing time. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Football Suddenly Has A Chance To Change Everything In 2028
Michigans 2028 recruiting picture has turned into something worth watching after Kyle Whittinghams first class at the helm pushed into the top 15 with 15 blue-chip commitments. Even with a miss on some of the biggest names, including five-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant heading to Oregon, the Wolverines have stayed in the mix for elite talent and have given themselves a real chance to build a class that looks more like a national contender than a reset year.
The next stretch will tell whether that momentum becomes something bigger, because Michigan is still battling for several top recruits and has positioned itself well enough to keep pressing for multiple five-stars. Analysts around the recruitment trail believe the Wolverines are back in the conversation in a meaningful way, and if that holds, this class could end up changing the trajectory of the program in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]