The helmets and pads are on, and it’s officially time for Michigan football to get some roster clarity.
The Wolverines have had six practices so far this month and the season-opener against Western Michigan on Sept. 5 (7:30 p.m., NBC) is now less than 25 days away. Whittingham said earlier this week he usually starts to see players begin to really separate themselves on the depth chart around the 10th practice, which is less than a week away.
U-M will have a couple of scrimmages later this month to really determine who will slot where when the season starts, but based on the way coaches and players have been speaking for the past few weeks, we’re starting to get a good sense of how players are perceived and what the expectations are.
Here’s an early projection for Michigan football’s offensive depth chart with one week of fall camp in the books.
Quarterback
Starter: Bryce Underwood.
Reserve(s): Tommy Carr, Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi.
The buzz: The moment Kyle Whittingham arrived last December in Orlando to meet his new team, he knew the No. 1 job was getting on the same page with quarterback Bryce Underwood. He and the then-freshman had a 45 minute meeting, and since that time there’s been no question that Underwood is the team’s starter. Whittingham has made it clear that last year wasn’t good enough, but understands how that situation could have happened with a new quarterback, no dedicated QB coach and a staff that was in disarray. Underwood spent part of this summer with QB guru Jordan Palmer in Los Angeles − someone who QB coach Koy Detmer Jr. communicated with to ensure both were sharing the same messages with Underwood. Understanding a new scheme, showing an ability to have touch on his throws (not just firing fastballs), improving his footwork, internal clock and decision-making are all critical this season. If he’s able to improve those, his natural talent should take over. If for some reason he’s not and U-M gets off to a slow start, sections of the fanbase will begin to call for Tommy Carr, who’s nowhere near as naturally talented, but showed poise in his spring game appearance and appears to be cerebrally advanced.
Running back
Starter: Jordan Marshall.
Reserve(s): Savion Hiter, Bryson Kuzdzal.
The buzz: There’s reason to believe this group is the strength of the team. Michigan lost a star ball carrier in Justice Haynes (Georgia Tech) to the transfer portal, but returns a bell cow in Jordan Marshall and adds the No. 1 rated freshman running back in Savion Hiter. Marshall ran 150 times for 932 yards (6.2 yards per carry) and 10 touchdowns last season despite missing most of the final two weeks with a shoulder injury. Now he comes into the year as the lead back and is part of an attack led by Jason Beck that last season at Utah was tops in the nation in yards per rush (6.02), No. 2 in rush yards per game (266.3) and No. 2 in rushing touchdowns (41). Hiter, meanwhile, already looks the part getting off the bus. “Savion Hiter – that’s a name you want to know,” Whittingham told Big Ten Network at Big Ten Media Days. “Not an ounce of fat on that young man … looks like he’s in the NFL right now.” It’s a legitimate 1-2 combination, while Kuzdzal, who worked his way to becoming a trusted No. 3 ball carrier last season, provides another veteran option behind them.
Wide receiver
Starters: Andrew Marsh, JJ Buchanan, Jaime Ffrench Jr.
Reserve: Salesi Moa, Channing Goodwin, Travis Johnson, Kendrick Bell.
The buzz: The top two wide receivers in U-M’s ranks are set: sophomores Andrew Marsh and JJ Buchanan. Marsh emerged as U-M’s top pass catcher last season once he finally got to move to the starting role in October, finishing the campaign with 45 catches for 651 yards and four touchdowns. Buchanan also shined as a freshman at Utah, catching 26 passes for 427 yards and five touchdowns. He’s received extensive praise so far in camp. Together, they appear to be U-M’s most formidable pass catching duo on paper since Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tarik Black from 2017-19 (though that combination never quite lived up to the hype). Beyond that, the battle is for the third spot and right now it seems to be between Texas transfer Jaime Ffrench Jr., true freshman Salesi Moa and junior Channing Goodwin, who battled a case of the drops last season and missed spring ball this year. Whittingham said Goodwin has had an excellent start to fall. No matter who wins the job, the good news is there appears to be options, which hasn’t been the case for some time.
Tight end
Starter: Zack Marshall.
Reserve: Hogan Hansen, Deakon Tonielli, Eli Owens, Jalen Hoffman.
The buzz: The tight end position doesn’t have the same headliners from recent years − Colston Loveland shined in 2024 and then became a first round pick, while Marlin Klein was a second-round selection this past April despite an up-and-down season − but there are still solid options. Hogan Hansen and Deakon Tonielli appear to be more of the pass-catching options, while Eli Owens and Jalen Hoffman are closer to the mold of a Max Bredeson as a run-blocker and potential H-back. But Zack Marshall appears to be someone who can do a bit of everything and in an offense that aims to keep defenses off balance − being able to run and pass out of any formation − Marshall seems the most interchangeable in that way. Also, keep an eye out for true freshman Mason Bonner, whose name has come up a few times here in early August.
Offensive line
Starters: LT Andrew Babalola, LG Evan Link, C Jake Guarnera, RG Nathan Efobi, RT Andrew Sprague.
Reserves: LT Blake Frazier, LG Avery Gach, C Houston Ka’aha’aina-Torres, RG Brady Norton, RT Malakai Lee.
The buzz: Of all the projections, this is by far the least established and the most likely to change between now and the season-opener against Western Michigan. Guarnera and Sprague are essentially locked in at center and right tackle, respectively, according to offensive coordinator Jason Beck, but the other three jobs are up for grabs. Whittingham said earlier this week that Link is involved in the left tackle battle with Frazier and Babalola, but he’s also a candidate to slide inside. Babalola over Frazier would be a surprise in the sense that he has no game experience, but the way Whittingham talked about Babalola, simply saying “wow” earlier this offseason and comparing him to Utah’s two first-round tackles from the 2026 NFL Draft, it feels like U-M is hoping he can separate and win the job. At right guard, Efobi is the most veteran player in the room, so he feels most likely to get the nod over Norton or Avery Gach.
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’s depth chart on offense one week into fall camp
Reporting by Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
