There is plenty of reason for optimism ahead of the 2025 Michigan football season, but there are some question marks surrounding this team as well. Here are a few position groups that are a concern ahead of fall camp:
The Michigan Wolverines are about a month away from beginning the 2025 college football season, and the anticipation is ramping up. After winning a national championship in 2023, Michigan took a step back last year by only winning eight games and missing the College Football Playoff. However, the Wolverines ended the season with wins against Ohio State and Alabama that made the campaign feel better than it actually was.
There are many reasons for optimism ahead of the season — the defense was terrific to end the year, and the Wolverines have an exceptional young talent in the quarterback room in Bryce Underwood. On the other hand, there are still some question marks about this team. There were some alarming areas last season that needed to be addressed during the offseason, and until we see them fixed, they remain apparent.
Let’s take a look at a few different position groups that are a bit of a concern as the team heads into fall camp, going from least to concerning to most.
Quarterback
I know, I know. Underwood is here. The position should be in better hands, but again, until we see it succeed, it’s still a concern. Not to mention, Underwood is a true freshman, albeit a talented one, and has yet to take a snap in college football yet.
Michigan had one of the worst offenses in all of college football last season, and quarterback play was a reason why. Completing a forward pass was a legitimate struggle.
The Wolverines want to be a run-first team no matter what, and that was obviously the case last season. The goal is to be able to keep the defense honest with the passing game, opening the door for the run game. Well, when you can’t complete a pass for more than five yards, the defense doesn’t really have to worry about getting beat through the air. Every defense Michigan faced last year knew there wasn’t a passing threat, and it made it difficult for the Wolverines to establish the run.
If Underwood matches the hype, Michigan’s offense should be in good shape. If not, who knows what the final product will look like? Fans should be excited for Underwood’s arrival, but don’t get upset if he doesn’t look like a Heisman contender right away.
Offensive line
The offensive line took a big step back last year. The Wolverines lost their entire line from the 2023 national championship team, so there just wasn’t as much experience. It was clear, as opposing defenses had a much easier time getting to the quarterback and blocking run lanes than fans were used to seeing.
Last year was important for this offensive line, as a lot of fresh talent got a lot of meaningful experience. A lot of those same players will be back in their same role this year, and having another offseason under the belt should be helpful.
Having better quarterback play should also take some of the pressure off the offensive line. If Michigan poses a passing threat, the opposition won’t be able to sell out to stop the run. It will obviously make everything easier offensively. Again, we expect this area to be better, but there are still some question marks.
Wide receiver
This is the obvious one. Production at the position goes hand-in-hand with quarterback play, but the production from wideouts was incredibly poor.
Tyler Morris was Michigan’s leading wide receiver last year, and he finished the season with 248 yards and two touchdowns. The wide receivers scored only five touchdowns last year. That has to change.
Better quarterback play will obviously translate to more success with the receivers, but who is going to be the guy who steps up next season? Who will Underwood’s go-to receiver be? Michigan’s big add in the portal was Donovan McCulley, who had a successful season in 2023 with Indiana with 644 yards and six touchdowns. He is expected to be the guy this season, but there’s a lot of uncertainty after him.
As you can see, the concerns for Michigan lie offensively, and that was always going to be the case after last year. It’s hard to worry about the defense, but like we saw in 2024, that unit can only take the team so far. Michigan needs to be drastically better offensively if it wants to be a legitimate CFP contender, and while the fan base is cautiously optimistic, there are still some big questions marks that can’t be answered until the Wolverines take the field once again.