5 Michigan Football Returning Starters With the Most to Prove This Season

With a new coaching staff in Ann Arbor, there are a few starters who need to prove themselves in fall camp.

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Michigan football players report to Ann Arbor on Tuesday and on Wednesday, August 5, the Wolverines will begin fall camp. Football season is right around the corner and there will be some interesting battles to watch unfold this fall.

The Wolverines went out and landed some transfer portal additions, half of them should make an immediate impact this season, which means there are some returning starters who need to prove themselves during fall camp.

QB Bryce Underwood

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There is no question of who the starting quarterback is in Ann Arbor this season, it's Bryce Underwood. But he certainly has a lot to prove. The former five-star didn't live up to the billing this past fall, throwing for 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

But with offensive coordinator Jason Beck following Kyle Whittingham to Ann Arbor, the hype is starting to come back around for Underwood. The Wolverines are expected to be in more 11 personnel this season and spread the defense out.

Underwood has worked with both Jordan Palmer and alongside Joe Burrow this spring, which should only help his game. Along with dedicated quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer Jr., Underwood is expected to take a major sophomore leap.

Fall camp will be a good visual for the coaching staff to look at to determine Underwood's progress heading into Week 1 against Western Michigan.

OL Blake Frazier and Evan Link

These two go hand in hand since it was Evan Link who started at left tackle last season, but a season-ending injury allowed Blake Frazier to finish out the season there.

Link is back and he has started at both right tackle and left. However, with being healthy, Link figures to battle for a starting guard spot this season, which fits his skill set better. And as for Frazier, he is battling Andrew Babalola for the starting left tackle position, but he could also shift inside at one of the guard spots.

With only center and right tackle cemented, there are three jobs up for grabs and Kyle Whittingham wants to play his best five offensive linemen. Nathan Efobi, Brady Norton, and Avery Gach are right in the mix as well and fall camp will determine who those top five linemen are.

S Rod Moore

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Rod Moore has played in three games, along with one start, in the last two seasons. After an All-Big Ten campaign in 2023, Moore hasn't been able to stay healthy, but entering 2026, he is at full strength and ready to show he's still one of the best safeties in the league.

Fall camp will be a good litmus test for Moore both physically and mentally. With all that Moore has gone through, he needs to prove to himself that he's still capable of playing at a high level, and that's something he can determine in fall camp.

If Moore goes out there and cuts nicely and finds himself in a good position on the field, that will bode well for his Week 1 status for Western Michigan. With a game against Oklahoma looming in Week 2, Michigan would love for Moore to be able to play most of the snaps at safety.

WR Channing Goodwin

This is a bit of a wildcard, and maybe a random player for some fans, but let's not forget that Channing Goodwin started six games for Michigan last season, while playing in all 13 games.

Goodwin is not a name that's popping up when coaches or players talk, and after finding himself as a starting wide receiver last season, Goodwin needs to have a massive fall camp to stay in the rotation. We know Andrew Marsh, JJ Buchanan, Salesi Moa, and Jaime Ffrench are, in some order, the top four on the team.

Michigan wants to have seven or eight wide receivers it can count on this season and Goodwin could still be in the mix, but drops were a major issue for him last season, and he needs to make sure those aren't an issue entering 2026.