In 2025, three Michigan athletes stand as the Wolverines’ most indispensable figures. Their talent is elite and their presence could be the difference between title contention and total collapse:
Welcome to Michigan Musings! Every Monday – at least until the start of football season – this will serve as your prime source for all things Michigan Wolverines ; a weekly digest featuring thoughts and commentary on (mostly) the top stories from the week that was. Similar to a newsletter (Brewsletter?), this will feature an assortment of stories and opinions from football to basketball to hockey to pop culture and everything in between.
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Michigan’s Most Valuable Athletes Across Three Sports in 2025
Peyton Manning was dominant in the 2000s. So much so that his dominance exceeded Sundays and extended into practice, with Manning taking nearly every rep for the quarterbacks. Privy to one such practice, Jon Gruden asked former Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore why the backups weren’t getting any reps. Moore responded, “If 18 (Manning) goes down, we’re f—ked. We don’t practice f—ked.”
Jon Gruden once asked Colts OC Tom Moore why the backup QB’s weren’t getting any reps in practice during the Peyton Manning years.
Moore said:
“If 18 goes down, we’re f—ed. We don’t practice f—ed.”
— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) June 21, 2023
As much as I wanted to call this the “Michigan’s Top ‘We Don’t Practice F—ked’ Rankings,” I don’t think this would have flown by my editors for several reasons. However, these three players personify Moore’s quote. Their presence transcends value; their absence defines disaster. These athletes, intentionally or unintentionally, find themselves bearing the weight of an entire program.
Let’s start with the obvious.
Football – Quarterback Bryce Underwood
True freshman Bryce Underwood is a phenomenon. A local legend whose hype and expectation is greater than that of even Drew Henson in the ‘90s. Underwood is a 6-foot-4, 230-pound lab experiment gone right who skeptics have described as Vince Young 2.0 and who supporters have equated to the Second Coming.
Underwood steps into a quarterback situation that experts described as “underwhelming,” “service academy-esque,” and “complete shit” last season. But with a new offensive coordinator, rebuilt offensive line, a handful of playmakers surrounding him and a counterbalancing elite defense, Underwood is expected to be handed the keys this fall and told to “keep it between the lines.” That alone should be enough to lead the Wolverines back to the CFP.
So, what happens if Underwood goes down? If Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene proves to be healthy, remove Underwood from this list. Keene is a proven player who would be an overqualified game manager, more than capable of steadying the ship. However, his injuries have surpassed concerning at this point.
Last week at Big Ten Media Days, head coach Sherrone Moore discussed Keene’s status.
“Yeah, he’s throwing right now, he’s been working back into it,” Moore said . “I think he’ll be in a good place once fall camp starts.”
This tepid endorsement sounds like an athlete promoting a product they have clearly never used. “Hi, Brock Purdy, and I’m here to tell you about the wonderful benefits of Pennzoil. Pennzoil keeps my motor running at an efficient speed, so I can help get the 49ers into the end zone… At an efficient speed.”
After Keene, it’s either second-year player Jadyn Davis, whose throwing motion lasts longer than The Brutalist, or East Carolina transfer Jake Garcia. After playing for five high schools, Garcia is now playing for his fourth collegiate team and is only one touchdown away from equaling the number of interceptions he has thrown in his career.
Hockey – Goalie Jack Ivankovic
Michigan hockey head coach Brandon Naurato changed course this offseason. Instead of trying to out-talent opponents — a strategy that resulted in zero national championships in the 21st century — the fourth-year head coach prioritized building a cohesive team founded upon hard skill and maturity.
Examining the recent national champions, Naurato bolstered his lines with experienced players who are best colloquially described as “having some shit to them.” More physical over finesse, players who prefer to run through you instead of around. All well and good in theory, but the success of this strategy is dependent upon a piece Michigan has not had in several years — an elite goaltender.
True freshman Jack Ivankovic (2007) is that answer. Ivankovic is a 6-foot wall who most recently served as the backstop for the Brampton Steelheads of the OHL. But most know the 2025 NHL Draft second-rounder from his performance at World Juniors last winter.
Ivankovic was 2012 Quick-esque , leading undefeated Canada to the gold medal. Ivankovic posted a .961 save percentage, 1.05 GAA, and only allowed six total goals. Furthermore, Ivankovic took his game to another level with the tournament hanging in the balance. Over the final 147:34 of ice time, Ivankovic did not allow one single goal.
Per Elite Prospects , “Ivankovic is also one of the most entertaining goalies to watch in this draft class. His skating is amongst the best in the class, and he regularly delivers highlight-reel saves. Technically speaking, Ivankovic has the fundamentals of a potential NHL starter. His angles and tracking can click at an elite level at times, and despite his size, he does a much better job fighting pucks through screens than you’d expect.”
Behind Ivankovic are Northern Michigan transfer Julian Molinaro (2003) and freshman Stephen Peck (2005). Although the strength of this room is better than it has been in years, the trilogy is still comparable to the Back to the Future franchise. Ivankovic is the original, and the other two are simply fighting to avoid being the western.
Basketball – Wing Yaxel Lendeborg
Second-year head coach Dusty May has reloaded the roster to compete for a national championship. May returns veterans Roddy Gayle, Nimari Burnett, L.J. Cason, and the ultimate glue guy, Will Tschetter. Tschetter is truly the Max Bredeson of the basketball team and there is no higher compliment.
May has also brought in a small group of talented freshmen, including five-star Trey McKenney and added Morez Johnson, Elliott Cadeau and Aday Mara via the transfer portal. But the biggest addition is UAB transfer Yaxel Lendeborg.
Lendeborg is best described as an alien. An extra-terrestrial cosmic force who has chosen to settle for basketball domination until global domination is more appealing. Experts have elaborated further.
In Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor’s NBA scouting report , he wrote, “Lendeborg fills the stat sheet in every category, showing off athletic shot creation, dominant rebounding, and versatile defense. There really isn’t anything he can’t do, it’s just a matter if what he does in a weaker conference can translate to the pros.”
It doesn’t take Bobby Marks to determine a future lottery pick described as “there really isn’t anything he can’t do” as valuable. Lendeborg is a cross between Chris Webber and Franz Wagner — an alien whose impact cannot be replace by mere humans.