Michigan is heading into Week 1 with most of the roster picture finally coming into focus, even if Kyle Whittingham is not in any hurry to show his hand. After the final fall camp scrimmage over the weekend, the Wolverines now have two weeks to get ready for their primetime opener against Western Michigan, with Oklahoma also likely getting some attention before Week 2.
Whittingham has plenty of reasons to keep the depth chart under wraps for now. There were real battles across camp, and there is no downside to making opponents wait. Michigan probably does not need any extra edge against Western Michigan, but holding back information could also make life a little tougher for Oklahoma as it starts looking ahead to that ranked matchup in Week 2.
Still, with camp wrapped up, the clearest projection of the season should be taking shape. Here is how the starting spots appear to be lining up.
On offense, Bryce Underwood is projected to open at quarterback, with Tommy Carr behind him and Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi third. At running back, Jordan Marshall sits at the top, followed by Savion Hiter and Bryson Kuzdzal.
The receiver group looks loaded, and the top three wideout spots are projected to go to Andrew Marsh at X, JJ Buchanan at Z, and Jaime Ffrench in the slot. Travis Johnson, Jamar Browder, Channing Goodwin, I’Marion Stewart, Salesi Moa and Kendrick Bell all factor into the rotation behind them. Zack Marsahll is projected as the starting tight end, with Hogan Hansen and Deakon Tonielli behind him.
The offensive line is where the toughest calls were made. Blake Frazier is projected to start at left tackle over Andrew Babalola, while Evan Link, Luke Hamilton, Nathan Efobi, Brady Norton and Malakai Lee remain part of the mix across the rest of the front.
Jake Guarnera is the center, with Houston Ka'aha'aina-Torres behind him. Nathan Efobi is listed at right guard, and Andrew Sprague holds down right tackle.
The rest of the line depth includes Brady Norton and Malakai Lee.
The quarterback backup battle appears to be trending toward Carr. He impressed in fall camp and outplayed transfer Bayden Fowler-Nicolosi, and while that job does not have to be settled by Week 1, Carr looks like the stronger QB2 right now.
At receiver, Michigan has more proven talent than it has had in recent years. Marsh returned as the team’s leading receiver last season, and Buchanan arrived from Utah.
Those two are the top pass-catchers on the roster, while the WR3 job was narrowed down to Ffrench, Travis Johnson and Salesi Moa. Johnson and Moa turned heads in camp, but Ffrench’s college experience gives him the edge for now.
Even so, Johnson and Moa are expected to play a lot.
Defensively, the picture is a little more settled. Trey Pierce and Enow Etta are projected as the starting defensive tackles, with Bobby Kanka and Deyvid Palepale behind Pierce and Jonah Lea-ea backing up Etta.
On the edge, Cameron Brandt and John Henry Daley are the starters, with Dominic Nichols and Nate Marshall next in line. Carter Meadows is also in the mix and could still be viewed as a third-stringer, though he worked his way up quickly in camp.
At linebacker, Nathaniel Staehling and Troy Bowles are projected to start. Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng and Chase Taylor sit behind them and should be used heavily in the rotation. That group drew the most attention on defense after Michigan lost all of its starters from last season, and Staehling’s transfer from North Dakota State and Bowles’ arrival from Georgia bring badly needed experience.
In the secondary, Zeke Berry and Jyaire Hill are projected as the starting corners, with Shamari Earls and Jo'Ziah Edmond behind them. Smith Snowden holds the nickel spot, with Jamarion Vincent behind him. Rod Moore and Chris Bracy are the projected safeties, backed up by Jordan Young and Mason Curtis.
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Instead, the most pressing moment came when center Moustapha Thiam went down after an awkward fall in which a teammate landed on his leg. The injury stopped the game from becoming just another summer tune-up and immediately shifted attention to the bigger concern for Michigan, with no update provided on how severe the issue might be. [Read more 🡒]
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For the Wolverines, the appeal is obvious: Cleveland is looking for a program that can help him develop while also giving him a chance to get on the floor early. That combination tends to matter in a crowded national race, especially when a recruit is still evaluating what fit looks like beyond the hype of rankings and offers. Michigan now has a real opportunity to make its case in person, and the official visit could go a long way in showing whether the program can keep pace with the other schools chasing him. [Read more 🡒]
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The bigger picture is that Michigan is not simply filling out a depth chart, it is trying to settle several position battles before the season arrives. Some rotations are still being finalized, and that leaves room for a few more practices to change the picture, but the early read is that several of these defenders have already done enough to be viewed as probable starters or major contributors. For a unit that will lean on experience and fresh legs alike, the next stretch of camp should determine just how many of these names become permanent fixtures. [Read more 🡒]