Michigan’s path to a better 2026 starts with the obvious: Bryce Underwood has to play like a quarterback who can lift the whole operation. But that’s only part of the equation. If the Wolverines are going to push past last year’s 9-3 regular season, they need real upgrades in the trenches, more stability on defense and a special teams unit that stops giving games away.
The quarterback piece is the biggest one. Underwood was not the only reason Michigan fell short of its standard a year ago, but the freshman growing pains were hard to miss.
His throws, his reads and his footwork could all get shaky, and the spring game didn’t exactly erase those concerns. The upside is still there, and Michigan should have a better set of pass-catchers around him this season.
Even more important, the Wolverines need to use him like the dual-threat weapon he is. He ran the ball some in 2025, but the staff has to be more deliberate about building that into the offense in 2026.
Offensive coordinator Jason Beck’s history with running quarterbacks makes that feel like a real possibility.
Protection is the next issue on the list. Michigan made progress in the run game last season, but pass blocking still lagged behind the standard the program has set in recent years.
The Wolverines gave up 21 sacks in 2025, and defenses were able to chase Underwood around and force him into mistakes. He also took too many hits.
That’s where Jim Harding comes in. Michigan added one of the nation’s best offensive line coaches from Utah, and he’ll work with a group that returns six players who started games in 2025.
On defense, the secondary has the look of a unit that could be very good - if it cleans up the lapses. Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry are both back at outside corner, and Smith Snowden arrives from Utah to add another piece.
Hill and Berry have both improved over the last two seasons, but they’ve also had stretches where opponents found openings. The common problems have been deep-ball busts, missed tackles and extra yards after the catch.
Hill has also had trouble finishing plays on interceptions that should have been there. If that group sharpens up, Michigan’s defense has a chance to move from solid to something more dangerous.
The pass rush needs to match that level. Michigan’s defense had just 28 sacks last season, which ranked ninth in the Big Ten and dropped from 36 in 2024 and 40 in 2023.
That’s not the kind of pressure that fuels elite defense. The edge group looks different this year, with All-American John Henry Daley back after an Achilles injury, plus Cam Brandt, Dominic Nichols, Nate Marshall and true freshman Carter Meadows expected to play bigger roles.
Inside, Enow Etta and Trey Pierce are set for most of the snaps at tackle, and both have been mentioned as breakout candidates.
And then there’s special teams, the part of the game that can quietly wreck a season if it keeps going sideways. Michigan’s unit last year had a habit of creating problems every week, whether it was a fumbled kick return, a muffed punt or a missed field goal.
This year, Kerry Coombs is in charge of the group, bringing experience from Ohio State, Cincinnati and the NFL. The Wolverines also added kicker Trey Butkowski and punter Cam Brown, both sophomores who were productive as freshmen at Pitt.
That should help stabilize things right away.
Michigan still has to sort out its return game, though. Andrew Marsh seems too important to the offense to use regularly back there, which opens the door for someone else. True freshman wide receiver Salesi Moa could be a name to watch if the Wolverines want speed and burst in that role early.
In Other News...
Michigan Fans Just Got Another Painful Reminder About In-State Recruiting
Michigans first recruiting class under Kyle Whittingham still landed inside Rivals Top 10, which is a solid opening statement for any new staff. But the bigger takeaway for Wolverines fans is harder to ignore: the class did not include a five-star recruit, and the early returns on in-state recruiting have already raised familiar concerns about whether the program is winning enough of its own backyard.
The latest reminder came with Michigan native Dakota Guerrant, whose rise in the rankings only sharpened the sting of losing him. And he is not the only homegrown target making this feel like a trend rather than a one-off miss, with Trey Britton among the prospects Michigan is trying to keep close and five-star quarterback Donald Tabron II another name to watch as the cycle keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Took Another Key Step In Its Recruiting Overhaul
Michigans recruiting overhaul is still taking shape, and the latest move points to a staff that is being built with more emphasis on personnel evaluation and portal work. The Wolverines are bringing in Jax Egan, who most recently handled player personnel and recruiting duties at Eastern Kentucky, after also spending time in scouting and recruiting roles at Kansas.
Egans background fits the direction Michigan has been pushing in this reset, with experience across both recruiting operations and transfer portal management at the FCS level. It is another sign that Kyle Whittingham is continuing to reshape the programs recruiting infrastructure, even as the full scope of the overhaul is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Warde Manuel Just Gave Michigan Fans Another Reason To Boil
Warde Manuels latest interview landed in a familiar place for Michigan fans: right in the middle of a conversation about Dusty Mays departure and the broader frustration around the athletic department. May is gone after just one season, and the way that exit unfolded has only sharpened the scrutiny on Manuel, who is already dealing with plenty of noise about how hes running the department.
The timing made his comments especially combustible because this is not just about one coaching change. Fans have been upset about the handling of Mays situation, including the extension that was announced after the season but never signed, and Manuels public defense of himself only adds another layer to the tension. For a fan base already looking for answers, the interview did little to calm the temperature. [Read more 🡒]