Michigan Looks to Take Next Step under New Leadership

Michigan Revamps Coaching Staff

One of the biggest questions of the offseason came from Ann Arbor – who would be the next head coach for Michigan Football? Stepping up to the plate was former Utah frontman Kyle Whittingham, who after 21 seasons in Salt Lake City, took his talents to Michigan.  

In those 21 seasons, Whittingham posted a 177-88 record, maintaining a winning culture following the departure of Urban Meyer in 2004. The three-time national coach of the year honoree looks to bring the Wolverines back to the top of the college football mountain. Whittingham stepped to the podium at Big Ten Football Media Days presented by Discover with confidence ahead of 2026. 

“We’ve had some real good things going on with our players,” Whittingham said. “Winter conditioning… went exceptionally well.” 

Following Whittingham to Ann Arbor is offensive coordinator Jason Beck. The former Utes coordinator was the maestro behind one of the top scoring offenses in the country a season ago when the team ranked fourth nationally with 482.9 yards per game and fifth nationally with 41.3 points a contest.  

Whittingham rounded out his staff with another coach from the state of Utah, this time hiring former BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill to run the Wolverines defense. Hill helped lead the Cougars to a Big 12 title game appearance, anchoring a defense that only allowed 19.1 points per game, among the top 25 in the country.  

Bryce Underwood Returns

Just a year after he made headlines with his decision to attend Michigan, sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood returns for his second year in the Maize and Blue.  

As a true freshman, Underwood was thrust into the fire from game one, throwing for 2,428 yards and 11 touchdowns. Underwood surprised many with his rushing ability, scrambling for 392 yards and six scores on the ground. Going into year two, Underwood will look to utilize that ability as much as he can. 

“Physically, he's got everything we want,” Whittingham said. “Six-foot-four, 230 pounds. Runs about a 4.40 40. Has a cannon for an arm. Throws well on the move. He's got a very high ceiling.” 

The sophomore will be surrounded by weapons in 2026, with the arrivals of multiple big names including five-star running back Savion Hiter, who projects to make an impact immediately for Michigan. Hiter finished his senior year of high school rushing for 1,445 yards and 25 touchdowns despite missing three games to injury.  

In the transfer portal, the Wolverines went out and got some weapons for Underwood to throw to, adding wide receiver JJ Buchanan – who follows his coaches from Salt Lake to Ann Arbor. Buchannon offers the sophomore quarterback a speedy, big body receiver that tallied 427 yards and five touchdowns in 2025. 

Underwood said he’s working on improving his already established leadership, after being voted team captain ahead of the season. 

“My main focus is being the best I can for my teammates,” Underwood said. “I try to build a lot of trust from that last year, and then really transfer it into this year.” 

Defense Looks to Improve

In the 2025 campaign that saw the team go 9-4, the defense picked up slack when the offense wasn’t operating in full swing. This year, as a new coordinator enters the fold and new faces arrive, they look to take a leap to where they were during their national title run in 2023-24. 

Senior Trey Pierce will look to man the middle of the defensive line with former Utah Ute-turned-Wolverine John Henry Daley entering the group at edge rusher. Henry Daley seemed to be primed for the NFL Draft with 11.5 sacks before he tore his Achilles on November 22. Henry Daley decided to enter the transfer portal where he, like Buchanan, followed his coach to Michigan. Pierce said Henry Daley has stood out to him coming off an Achilles tear, which Henry Daley himself says he’s fully healed from. 

“John Henry Daley can bench [press] a house,” Pierce said. “He's unreal. Like he's the most competitive person I've ever met, and I'm just so happy he's on our team.” 

Pierce will look to assume a leadership role in a room with an influx of talent, channeling energy he saw from veterans when the team won the national title. 

“I've been trying to just take guys under my wing,” Pierce said. “I've been trying to step into that leadership role.” 

The Wolverines face a schedule that will not relent this season. They host Oklahoma in their second game, a rematch of last year’s loss in Norman. In week eight, Michigan will welcome reigning national champion Indiana before traveling to Eugene to face Oregon in week 11. Then, of course, comes “The Game” in Columbus against Ohio State to close out the regular season. With a gauntlet of a schedule ahead, Underwood and company will have to take the next step to be in the mix come December. 

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