Five Things We Have Learned About Michigan's New Defense During Fall Camp

The Michigan football program is built on the back of two very distinct things. Running the football, and playing sound defense.

There have been some exceptions. For the most part, however, if Michigan is good, they have a good run game and a punishing defense to go along with it.

The run game looks to be in good shape this season with Jordan Marshall returning for his third season, and first as a full time starter. He will be flanked by super freshman Savion Hiter, and what should be an extended look at Bryce Underwood in the quarterback run game.

On defense, they have some question marks, but also some immense strengths.

The 2023 defense which spearheaded the Wolverines to a national title had similar strengths. It’s not a perfect comparison to the 2026 group. The 2023 team will live in Michigan lore forever, but there are some similarities between the two teams. Here is a look at the biggest things we’ve learned during fall camp about Michigan's defense.

Linebacker Dance

The biggest question on this defense is linebacker. Michigan’s linebacker room last season had an argument to be one of the best in the country. Jimmy Rolder was picked in the fourth round of the draft. Ernest Hausmann was a team captain. Cole Sullivan was an emerging playmaker before transferring to Oklahoma.

All three of those guys are gone now, which means Michigan is going to be inexperienced in the middle.

They’ve had some guys start to emerge. Troy Bowles spent two seasons at Georgia before transferring to Michigan and looks primed to emerge as a potential starter there. Michigan brought in four linebackers via the transfer portal to attack this potential weakness.

Nathaniel Staehling from North Dakota State has emerged in fall camp after being sidelined with a shoulder injury during the spring.

Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng will also see reps. Make no mistake about it, there are spots that are up for grabs. Michigan needs someone to emerge in this spot because the inability to stop the run is a death sentence in the Big Ten.

EDGE emerging?

Michigan’s pass rush unit started strong, but was mostly a two man band. Jaishawn Barham was raw, but former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale liked the violence he brought to the edge position. Derrick Moore looked like he was going to challenge Aidan Hutchinson’s single season sack record, but finished the season with a whimper.

Those guys are gone now, giving way to a new group who is looking to make an impact even if they don’t have a ton of experience.

John Henry Daley is back on the field, and more on him momentarily. All eyes are going to be on Carter Meadows when he hits the field to see if he’s capable of living up to his five-star hype.

The star of camp, however, has been Dominic Nichols if you ask right tackle Andrew Sprague. "I'd say pass rush, Dom Nichols is, in my opinion, the best pass rusher," Sprague said. "Not too many people talk about him, but he's gonna be one of the best in the country, in my opinion. I haven't got to go against John Henry too much yet. He's been working on the other side a lot, but he seems like he's a pretty good rusher.”

Nichols played as a reserve last season and finished the year with 5.5 TFLs. Now, he should be in line for more snaps with the potential to be a starter across from Henry Daley.

The Return of the King(s)

Speaking of John Henry Daley, he’s back. He was one of the big pieces out of the transfer portal that Kyle Whittingham and his staff were able to poach from Utah. Henry Daley was Utah’s best pass rusher a season ago, and is in line to be the top dog for Michigan’s defensive line this season.

He is working his way back from a torn Achilles, but is fully healthy despite being on a snap count in fall camp. The hope is to have him ready to be fully unleashed during the regular season.

INTERCEPTION MICHIGAN !!!!!!!!

DB Rod Moore intercepte QB Kyle McCord et offre la victoire aux Wolverines ! 🔥

📺 @CFBONFOX pic.twitter.com/s9p4lvulLe
— TBP College Football (@thebluepennant) November 25, 2023

The biggest return this season, however, is a hero from the 2023 national championship team, safety Rod Moore.

Moore was one of the few contributors who returned to the 2024 team after winning it all in 2023, but his season never got off the ground. Moore tore his ACL and missed the entire season. He tried to make his return last year, but was ultimately shut down after he was unable to get himself fully beyond the knee injury.

Now, Moore is healthy and one of the veterans in the room as a sixth-year senior. He leads a loaded secondary and will provide a morale boost the minute he steps foot back onto the field in the big house.

Questions in the Middle, Unless…?

From the outside, the defensive line looks like a potential question mark, especially at defensive tackle. On the inside? The coaching staff has disagreed throughout the offseason.

“For sure. I think that they should be a strength of our team right now. I've seen a lot of groups continue to get better and better,” defensive coordinator Jay Hill said.

Enow Etta and Trey Pierce are set to start in the middle of a defense that withered as the season went on in 2025.

There are still some question marks beyond those guys. Some players will have to emerge, but Michigan’s staff being optimistic about them is a welcome sign.

They’ll get a chance to prove it against No. 10 Oklahoma on September 12 in Ann Arbor.

Secondary Strength

The coaches say the strength of the team is the defensive line, but for my money’s worth, I’m rolling with the secondary.

Nov 15, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears wide receiver Kole Wilson (2) is tackled after the catch by Utah Utes cornerback Smith Snowden (2) during the first half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jyaire Hill, Zeke Berry, and Smith Snowden are all experienced players who have played at a high level. Snowden is a transfer from Utah and is familiar with what Whittingham wants from his players. He will likely rotate with Berry as the nickel corner with Hill returning to play on the boundary.

Chris Bracy the transfer from Memphis is earning his stripes as a starter across from the aforementioned Moore. Everyone knows what Moore brings to the table at this point.

Beyond the starting lineup, Shamari Earls is nipping at the heels of the starting lineup, and could challenge for playing time as the season rolls on. If nothing else, he provides Michigan with a really talented option at cornerback should one of their starters miss time.

The ability and experience in the secondary should afford Jay Hill the opportunity to be more creative with his coverage schemes similar to the way Jesse Minter was in 2023. That will be a significant departure from the Wink Martindale era where he would blitz first and ask questions later.

Will that be better? That remains to be seen, but there is more talent in the secondary at this stage than there was last year.

Plenty of new information is starting to trickle out of fall camp for the Michigan Wolverines - so what are the five biggest things we've learned? https://t.co/rGaJBtvnN1
— Jacob Westendorf (@JacobWestendorf) August 17, 2026

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