A final preview of Michigan's projected starting unit ahead of Saturday's season opener

The offseason has officially come to an end, and the 2025 college football season is finally here. For Michigan, the Wolverines are looking to bounce back from an 8-5 campaign last year. Although they finished with two massive wins over Ohio State and Alabama, the Wolverines aren't satisfied with failing to qualify for the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff. In order to get back on track, they'll need to navigate a tricky schedule that includes road contests at Oklahoma, Nebraska, and USC. And of course, Michigan will welcome Ohio State back to Ann Arbor for that final game in November, a matchup that could carry significant implications on the playoff picture.

But is the roster capable of getting Michigan back into the championship hunt this season? When you look at all of the pieces that are there, it's hard to view the Wolverines as anything other than legitimate championship contenders in 2025.

Here's one final look before Michigan returns to the Big House on Saturday:

Team Captains

Max Bredeson, FB/TE
Marlin Klein, TE
Giovanni El-Hadi, OL
Rod Moore, DB
Ernest Hausmann, LB
Derrick Moore, EDGE

Alternate Captains

Joe Taylor, WR
TJ Guy, EDGE

Offensive Line (Starters)

Michigan Football — Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

LT - Evan Link
LG - Giovanni El-Hadi
C - Greg Crippen
RG - Brady Norton
RT - Andrew Sprague

Link, El-Hadi, and Crippen are the returning starters up front. Andrew Sprague started the final game against Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Brady Norton spent two years at Cal Poly, appearing in 15 games and making 11 starts at left tackle. Michigan obviously thought he would be a better fit at guard, and the fact that he's earned a starting spot on this offensive line shows just how well he's adjusted to the position.

Overall, this starting unit consists of guys who have a combined 47 starts at the collegiate level. That experience alone should lead to significant improvement from where this group was last year.

Quarterback

It will be true freshman Bryce Underwood who leads the Michigan offense onto the field on Saturday night. Underwood is the first true freshman to start Week 1 for the Wolverines since 2009, and he's just the fourth true freshman QB to make a start in program history. The other three true freshman starting QBs for Michigan include Rick Leach (1975), Chad Henne (2004), and Tate Forcier (2009).

Running Back

Running backs coach Tony Alford indicated that he views both Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes (Alabama transfer) as starters. Both will see significant reps on Saturday night against New Mexico, and that one-two punch is expected to continue throughout the season.

Wide Receiver/TE

When asked about the wide receiver group on Monday, head coach Sherrone Moore singled out Donaven McCulley as the guy who was leading the pack. McCulley, who spent his first four seasons of college football with the Indiana Hoosiers, figures to be a major factor in Michigan's passing attack this fall. At 6-5, 215 pounds, he has the size and athleticism to become a top target for Underwood this fall.

Beyond McCulley, Moore mentioned guys like Semaj Morgan, Channing Goodwin, and true freshman Andrew Marsh as players who are standing out and in the mix. Also, look for returning WR Fredrick Moore to be part of the rotation, along with true freshman Jamar Browder.

At tight end, Marlin Klein will look to fill the void left behind by Colston Loveland. Klein has appeared on Bruce Feldman's "Freak Athlete" list for two consecutive seasons, and the fact that his teammates voted him as a captain speaks to his influence on the program.

Defense

Michigan returns its top two leading tacklers from last season, and both are at the linebacker position. Ernest Hausmann led all defenders with 89 tackles, while Jaishawn Barham came in at No. 2 with 66 tackles. The linebacker duo started all 13 games for the Wolverines in 2024.

On the defensive line, look for the Wolverines to cycle through a whole host of defenders who are capable of starting anywhere in the Big Ten. At the edge, Derrick Moore and TJ Guy will lead the way, but junior Cam Brandt is another guy who's currently viewed as a starting EDGE. Look for all three to play significant roles. On the interior, Rayshaun Benny, Tre Williams, and Trey Pierce are your likely starters there, and there's plenty of depth behind them.

The secondary also returns significant experience and talent. At corner, look for Jyaire Hill, Zeke Berry, and true freshman Shamari Earls to play significant reps. Incoming transfer TJ Metcalf is expected to start at Nickel, while big-hitter Brandyn Hillman and Jaden Mangham are projected to start at safety. Obviously, the biggest piece missing from the secondary is Rod Moore, who's expected to make his return to the field at some point this fall.

Special Teams

It often seems easy to overlook special teams when talking about impact players, but there's no question that having Dominic Zvada back is huge for this program. It was recently confirmed that senior kicker drilled a 70-yard field goal in the Big House during practice, which speaks to how deep his range really is. Michigan would obviously prefer seven points over three, but having an automatic weapon like Zvada could end up being the difference between a win and a loss when the Wolverines inevitably find themselves in a dogfight this fall.

Final Thoughts

Overall, head coach Sherrone Moore and his staff did an incredible job in loading this 2025 roster with talent and experience. There are still some question marks for sure, but there's certainly no glaring weakness, which is a contrast from where the team was last year—particularly at the QB position.

With an offense that is expected to be far more explosive, along with a defense that should be one of the best in the country, this is a roster that will likely be in serious contention for a Big Ten Championship and spot in the College Football Playoff.

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