Anonymous Big Ten Coaches Talk Michigan Football: 'I Think They Can Win the Conference'

Heading into the 2026 season, three Big Ten coaches spoke highly of the Wolverines.

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With the new coaching staff in Ann Arbor, there is a lot of excitement surrounding the Michigan Wolverines entering the 2026 season. After a failed experiment with Sherrone Moore at the helm, the Wolverines brought in a head coach with 21 seasons of experience as a head coach, with a no-nonsense personality.

Michigan is already being looked at as a possible top-15 team heading into the season, even with a daunting schedule. Athlon Sports interviewed three different Big Ten coaches, who were all anonymous, and even these coaches like what they see.

Coach No. 1 - 'I love that roster'

“I love that roster," a Big Ten coach said. "The second that (ex-Michigan head coach) Sherrone Moore was gone, they actually got to run that roster. There are four or five players in that freshman class who’ll contribute immediately, and they had a bunch of freshmen last year who contributed.”

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It did appear like Moore handcuffed his assistant coaches to some extent last season. During Moore's two-game suspension he served last season, Bryce Underwood used his legs more and he ran for 114 yards and two touchdowns against Central Michigan.

Jason Beck already plans on utilizing Underwood's legs in 2026. The quarterback run is a staple in Beck's offense and that will give Underwood another way to utilize his five-star ability.

Coach No. 2 - 'A lot of excitement'

“On offense, you’re gonna have Bryce (Underwood), Andrew Marsh and Jaime Ffrench and JJ Buchanan out of the portal. There’s a lot of excitement for what that team can be this year," another coach said.

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While Michigan has had a lot of exciting players on offense throughout the years, 2026 feels different, and it might be because of the scheme change. Jason Beck will use more 11 personnel or empty sets, which will allow the wide receivers to dominate in the offense.

Michigan went out and landed playmakers for Bryce Underwood to thrive, and the transfer additions should all make an immediate impact. Both Andrew Marsh and JJ Buchanan are known commodities, while Jaime Ffrench and Salesi Moa's upside is sky high.

Coach No. 3 - 'I think they can win the conference'

“The 2027 season was the target because they really liked that 2025 class, so the thought was to build it for that third year and focus on retaining those guys while bringing in younger players.

“I think they can win the conference," the third Big Ten coach said. "It’s not a group with a lot of household names, but there’s a lot of depth with really good players.”

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This is quite the statement with the Big Ten having Indiana, Oregon, and Ohio State in it. All three of those teams are looked at as potential College Football Playoff favorites, but if Michigan could go in and win the Big Ten during Kyle Whittingham's first year, that would say a lot about this team.

I would disagree about not having many household names, though. Michigan is littered with talent and players who have proved they can play in the Big Ten. Offensively, both Jordan Marshall and Andrew Marsh were among the best in the Big Ten while healthy and given a fair shake. JJ Buchanan was a top player for Utah last season, and the Wolverines' defense has well-known names, with John Henry Daley coming over and the return of Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry in the secondary.