Death, taxes and explosive offenses in spring football.
Michigan football is in its final week of spring ball, with the culmination set for Saturday, April 18, in the annual Maize vs. Blue spring game (2 pm, Big Ten Network).
The Wolverines are now just days away from their first opportunity to demonstrate an offense that’s been billed as “explosive” and “dynamic” by both players and staff under new coach Kyle Whittingham and first-year offensive coordinator Jason Beck.
“We’ve had stretches in our team move it periods where we’ll throw a long ball and then Bryce [Underwood] will keep it on an option fake for like another 30-yard play,” tight end Deakon Tonielli said Wednesday at Schembechler Hall before practice. “I mean it’s hard to stop when you don’t know what’s going on.
“Everyone on the field is going to make a play and has the opportunity to make a play, it’s hard to stop that.”
Part of what makes this offense unique is the scheme. Edge Dominic Nichols says trying to stop it is most similar to USC last year – the Trojans racked up 489 yards in a 31-13 win over U-M – and added that it’s different than what most Big Ten teams run.
That’s not surprising, given Whittingham spent the past 31 years at Utah and molded his offensive philosophy as the Utes went from the Mountain West to the Pac-12 to the Big 12. Beck’s scheme has been lauded since he was hired more than three months ago as player-friendly and adaptable to the strengths of its pieces.
“I think that’s a good thing. I think it’s an opportunity for teams to see something new that you’re not used to, which is usually always harder to play against,” Nichols said.
“You’re looking at the formation and you’re like, you don’t really know what you’re going to get, but you still got to try to make a play and do your job the best you can. … They look good out there.”
Scheme is important, but the Wolverines seem to have the talent to match. Underwood, the nation’s top-rated freshman entering 2025, has a skillset that’s unquestioned. Honing his natural ability into a polished passer proved more difficult than expected in 2025, but in the past month, Whittingham said he “has improved without a doubt” and that his “footwork is better.”
The running backs have long been a strength at Michigan and this staff knows how to get the most out of its run game. Last year, Utah ranked No. 1 in rushing average (6 yards per carry), No. 2 in rushing yards per game (266.3) and No. 5 in scoring offense (41.2 points per game).
The surplus of talent in the room bodes well for the team’s lofty expectations, too. Running back Jordan Marshall returns, five-star Savion Hiter enters as the top-rated running back in the 2026 class and Bryson Kuzdzal comes back as a rare third back with experience.
Tonielli simply shook his head Thursday when asked about the room as a whole.
“They’re fast, physical, they’re going to make a lot of plays,” he said. “I’m excited to see these guys run around out there this year, it’s gonna be good.”
But what could really make this group different is the depth and versatility out wide. Andrew Marsh returns as a true No. 1 receiver, while J.J Buchanan enters the fold after a true freshman year with more than 400 yards and five touchdowns last fall at Utah.
Jaime Ffrench Jr., a former four-star who began his career at Texas, has added a Swiss Army knife to the group, while Salesi Moa, a true freshman who joined U-M early in the winter, was a top-five athlete in the 2026 class.
Michigan had just two players record more than 250 receiving yards in 2025 and didn’t have a single wide receiver have even 250 yards or more than two touchdowns the year prior, in 2024. After years of desired production at the position, it appears 2026 could be a turning point.
“I’d just say playmakers all around,” tight end Hogan Hansen said of the wide receiver room. “Marsh, doing what Marsh does, building off last year − but the new guys, Ffrench, JJ just coming in, making plays, Salesi Moa, Travis Johnson. I think we’ve got a lot of depth in terms of playmakers and people who can go stretch the field.”
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football offense looks ‘hard to stop’ with talent across the board
Reporting by Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
