Michigan spent Thursday at Crisler Center talking about a team that is still coming together, even with a championship banner hanging over everything around it. The Wolverines are back in the spotlight as they get ready for Sunday’s exhibition against Houston in Grand Rapids, their toughest preseason test, before opening the season on November 2nd.
The big headline from the day was that Roddy Gayle Jr. will be available this weekend, giving Michigan another important piece as it keeps sorting out its rotation. Even so, this is a very different group from the one that finished atop the sport last season, and that reality was impossible to miss.
The stars and the coach from that title team are already on television, moving into their professional careers in the NBA. Michigan, meanwhile, is still in the October phase of figuring itself out.
Mike Boynton Jr.’s message has been simple: don’t chase last year. Build what comes next. He said the team is focused on putting last season behind it and “trying to become the best version of ourselves.”
What stood out most Thursday was where Michigan thinks it already has some answers and where the work is still urgent. Offensively, the Wolverines seem ahead of schedule. Defensively, they know they’ve got a long way to go.
That showed up in their last outing against Oregon State, when Michigan put up points freely but also allowed 93. Elliot Cadeau said that’s been the theme through the preseason work so far.
“We definitely got to get a lot better. We felt like in all the scrimmages we played, our offense wasn’t really a problem.
It was our defense,” Elliot Cadeau said on Thursday. “So that’s something we’re working on day by day in practice.
“We feel like just being more physical. Teams shoot really high percentages on us, like at the rim. So that’s something that we’re trying to work on every day, just walling up, just being more physical with other teams.”
That’s where Michigan’s attention is right now: less about the points it can score, more about the stops it still has to earn.
In Other News...
Roddy Gayle Jr. Gives Michigan A Needed Boost At The Right Time
Roddy Gayle Jr. is back in the mix at just the right moment for Michigan, with a temporary restraining order clearing him to return in an upcoming exhibition against Houston. For a Wolverines team looking to get its footing before the real games begin, having a veteran guard with experience and proven skill available again changes the tone of the buildup in a hurry.
Mike Boynton made clear how much the return means, saying hes excited to have Gayle back in the fold. Gayle, meanwhile, said he leaned on support from teammates and peers while making the decision to come back to college basketball, a reminder that this wasnt just a procedural twist but a personal one as well. The only question now is how quickly he can settle back in and give Michigan the boost it has been waiting for. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Indiana Prep Hinges On An Offensive Line Concern
Michigans second injury availability report for the Indiana game brought no changes from the day before, leaving the Wolverines with the same mix of players listed out, questionable or probable as they prepare for another Big Ten test. The biggest concern continues to sit up front, where offensive line injuries remain the most notable issue on the report and could shape how much flexibility the offense has entering the matchup.
There was at least a bit of encouragement elsewhere on the injury front. Coach Kyle Whittingham said safety Rod Moores injury is minor and not expected to keep him out long, while offensive tackle Andrew Babalola could be back to add depth to the line. For a Michigan team trying to stabilize its protection and get through the week with enough healthy bodies, the update points to a front five that still deserves close attention. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Suddenly Has A Chance To Make Saturday Matter Again
Michigans offense looked different after the quarterback switch to Tommy Carr, and that alone was enough to make a sluggish afternoon feel a little more promising. The change came in the second half of a recent game, when Bryce Underwood was replaced and the unit found a better rhythm, giving the Wolverines at least a path forward as they try to steady themselves in a season where every meaningful snap seems to matter more than the last.
Now the spotlight shifts to Saturday, where CBS Sports analyst Brad Crawford has put Indiana on upset alert ahead of a matchup that suddenly carries real weight for both sides. A win would matter a great deal for Michigans College Football Playoff hopes and its Big Ten standing, while Indiana is dealing with the same kind of pressure, making this less like a routine conference game and more like a chance to change the direction of the season. [Read more 🡒]