Out with the old and in with the new. The No. 15 Michigan football team looks a lot different this season, and look no further than the man in charge: head coach Kyle Whittingham. Whittingham brings 21 years of head coaching experience with him from Utah, alongside some star talent and coaches from the Beehive State.
Not everything with the Wolverines is new, though: sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood will remain at the helm for his second season, almost the entire offensive line is returning and Michigan’s secondary will feature some important familiar faces. But with all the offseason’s tumult, it remains to be seen how Whittingham will steady the ship and merge old and new.
With this new look across the program, the Wolverines hope to flex their muscles against reigning MAC champion Western Michigan on Saturday. Will Michigan roll over a less-talented opponent, or will its previous nonconference struggles continue? Here are some important questions to help you parse through the season opener.
What will the offensive line look like?
While Whittingham was adamant in press conferences that he will not release a depth chart, in part so that the Broncos have to figure out the offensive line during the game, there is a pretty clear picture of what it will look like.
The two guaranteed starters will be juniors center Jake Guarnera and right tackle Andrew Sprague. Beyond that, indications point to senior guards Nathan Efobi and Evan Link working in with each other, and junior tackle Blake Frazier filling out the line at left tackle. The offensive line will likely be a season-long competition filled with depth at each position. In essence, Saturday’s starting O-line is licensed to change week-to-week.
“(Efobi, Link and senior guard Brady Norton) will all play,” offensive coordinator Jason Beck said Wednesday. “Who starts will be one thing and (offensive line coach Jim Harding) can kind of tell them whenever that is. But all three guys will play and play fairly similar snaps, and because we feel good about all three.”
While the offensive line is composed entirely of returners, Harding is the one fresh face in the room. Whittingham worked with Harding for over a decade and called him a “proven commodity” to have on staff. Throughout fall camp, the players have remarked on the bond Harding has created with the position group, and the rigor in which he approaches practice and training.
By and large, the unit should be able to physically dominate the Broncos, who have a much smaller defensive line than the average Big Ten school. A strong offensive line will help Underwood stay composed in the pocket, while helping the Wolverines establish their potent run game.
How will the linebackers stop the run?
With a defensive line that coaches have highlighted as the strongest position group on the team, and a secondary ripe with NFL talent, the linebackers are the weakest projected defensive position group — almost by default.
But while the starting offensive line is still somewhat ambiguous, Michigan defensive coordinator Jay Hill confirmed Wednesday that the three starting linebackers will be sophomore Chase Taylor, graduate Nathaniel Staehling and senior Troy Bowles. The linebackers aren’t lacking in talent, but aside from Staehling, it’s a group that hasn’t played a ton of football.
By contrast, Western Michigan is returning 2025 1,000-yard rusher Jalen Buckley, First Team All-MAC quarterback Broc Lowry and an experienced offensive line whose depth has been bolstered via the transfer portal. The Broncos ran the ball extremely well last year, and they project to do it again this year.
The D-line will likely be talented enough to impose its will on the Broncos’ offensive line, but stifling the dynamic duo of Buckley and Lowry will be a heavy load for the linebackers. If the Wolverines can stop the run and get Western Michigan into third-and-long positions, their linebackers will have done their job.
How much will Jason Beck utilize the running game?
With all the anticipation of Underwood’s improved throwing mechanics and decision-making process, lest we forget that Michigan has one of the best backfields in the conference. After proving himself as a bellcow back, junior running back Jordan Marshall is primed for a big season. Add on five-star freshman Savion Hiter and senior running back Bryson Kuzdzdal — who showed flashes in limited carries last season — and you get a potent backfield.
Last season at Utah, Beck ran the ball roughly 60% of the time. With his comments about modeling this year’s offense after last year’s with the Utes, and the Wolverines’ offensive line’s run-blocking prowess in 2025, it seems like the rushing attack will be the focal point of the offense.
“This is Michigan,” Frazier said Wednesday. “When you think Michigan, you think run the ball, and so that’s obviously the number one goal that we’re going to have every week is to be able to impose our will when we want to. Obviously we’ve got three of the best backs in the country to do it, and I could not be more excited to see what they’re going to do.”
Obviously, every Michigan fan is clamoring to see Underwood’s development — a topic discussed ad nauseam in the offseason. But if the ground game is rolling, expect Beck to stick with it.
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The Wolverines are coming into the 2026 season with a gauntlet of ranked games on their schedule. But, they aren’t looking past the reigning MAC champions this week. With new faces on its coaching staff, Michigan is hoping to answer these questions — and roll past the Broncos in the process.
