Michigan is headed into Saturday night’s opener against Western Michigan with a healthy roster, a quarterback who has taken a clear step forward, and a few newcomers already forcing their way into the conversation.
Head coach Kyle Whittingham said Monday that the only long-term injuries on the team are running back Micah Ka’apana and offensive lineman Ace Hamilton, both of whom will miss the entire 2026 season. He added that other players sidelined right now, including Andrew Babalola, who is expected to miss this weekend’s game, are not expected to be out for a significant stretch.
One of the biggest talking points remains Bryce Underwood, and Whittingham was upbeat about where the quarterback stands heading into the season. Underwood is “markedly better” than he was in the spring and at the start of fall camp, and Whittingham said his command of the offense and his reads are “way further ahead” than they were back then. The one thing he still wants to evaluate is how Underwood handles live contact, since he hasn’t been tackled or even hit at all this fall camp.
The running back room also sounds settled, at least for now. Jordan Marshall is the starter, Savion Hiter is the immediate backup, Bryson Kuzdzal is RB3 and Tomas O’Meara is slotted as RB4. Whittingham was especially complimentary of Kuzdzal, calling him a “very dependable, talented back that would be starting at a lot of places” had he not returned to Michigan.
Up front, the defensive line continues to be the unit Whittingham leans on most. He said it remains the strength of the defense and described the Wolverines as “five deep” on the interior and “probably 7-8 deep” at edge.
Freshman Carter Meadows is working through a nagging injury that should keep him out for another day or so, but Whittingham said the outlook is good overall. “We’ve been very blessed, player-wise, up front.”
A few players have made noticeable moves during camp. Wide receiver Channing Goodwin has “really brought himself in the mix,” while sophomore edge rusher Nate Marshall and sophomore linebacker Chase Taylor have also raised their stock.
Whittingham said Marshall dealt with off-field problems in the spring that left him unhappy, but he’s grown a lot since then and is now among the team’s best pass rushers. Taylor, meanwhile, is “functioning like a big time linebacker.”
In the safety room, Memphis transfer Chris Bracy has been the most consistent player and has been “rock solid from start to finish” this offseason. Sixth-year senior Rod Moore is expected to play “quite a bit” on Saturday, though Whittingham said he’s “not quite where he was prior to the setback.”
Whittingham also pointed to the bigger picture when asked why Michigan can be in the mix for a Big Ten title. The answer, in his view, starts with “outstanding leadership.” He also cited Underwood’s growth, which he called “very encouraging,” and the team’s ability to be stout up front on defense.
One of the most forceful endorsements Monday came for North Dakota State linebacker transfer Nathaniel Staehling. Whittingham called him “a tackling machine” and a “productive guy, and that’s the thing that’s the most impressive is how often he is around the football or making a tackle.” He added that Staehling “runs really well” and has “great instincts.”
Whittingham closed by saying Utah transfer edge rusher John Henry Daley is “100 percent” healthy and ready for the season. He described Daley as “probably more explosive and quicker than he’s ever been.” Dom Nichols, who had also missed some recent practice time because of injury, is back and good to go for Saturday.
In Other News...
Michigan Fans Got An Early Look At The Portal Losses
Michigan fans got an early reminder in Week 0 of just how busy the transfer portal can make the offseason. A handful of former Wolverines were already back on the field for their new schools to open the 2026 season, with Jake Garcia seeing action at Furman, while Brandyn Hillman and Devon Baxter turned up at Virginia. CJ Hester was in the mix at Stony Brook, and Davis Warren was also on the move, suiting up for Stanford as the new college football calendar got underway.
It is the sort of roster churn that has become part of the modern game, and Michigan supporters are getting a first glimpse of how those departures are shaping up elsewhere. Beyond the headliners, other former Wolverines also logged recent game contributions for their new teams, giving the portal watch a familiar mix of curiosity and lingering what-ifs as the season begins. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Got An Intriguing Sign In A Five Star Battle
A major in-state recruiting battle is starting to take shape around Deandre Bidden, the five-star wide receiver from Harper Woods who has become one of the most heavily pursued prospects in the country. More than 30 programs are involved, but Michigan has kept him near the top of its board, with first-year wide receivers coach Micah Simon making Bidden a clear priority and staying in close contact throughout the process.
The next useful checkpoint comes on September 12, when Bidden plans to make an unofficial visit to Ann Arbor for the Oklahoma game. For Michigan, the timing matters: getting one of the states premier talents on campus for a marquee nonconference matchup gives the staff another chance to sell the programs direction, and it adds another layer to a recruitment that already feels like it could stretch deep into the fall. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Backup QB Decision Behind Bryce Underwood Says Plenty
The quarterback picture behind Bryce Underwood has taken shape for Michigan, and it says plenty about how quickly the staff believes Tommy Carr has grown into the job. Kyle Whittingham announced that the true freshman will open the 2026 season as the backup, a notable turn for a player who arrived as part of Michigans 2026 recruiting class and moved ahead of veteran Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi on the depth chart.
For Michigan, the choice is about more than just sorting out the No. 2 spot. The Wolverines want to protect Underwood and make sure they have a trusted option ready if anything happens, and Carr now becomes part of that plan. It is a meaningful vote of confidence in a young quarterback, and a reminder that the staff is already thinking about stability as much as upside. [Read more 🡒]