Entering their first season at Michigan, Kyle Whittingham and offensive coordinator Jason Beck have a lot of talent to work with on offense, but how will it all come together? The answer to that question could determine the Wolverines' ceiling in 2026.
Last season, under the former coaching staff, Michigan averaged 27.5 points per game, which ranked 69th in the country. True freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood had his share of ups and downs in the passing game, but the running game was exceptional. Michigan averaged 210.2 yards per game on the ground, which was second in the Big Ten.
Now, Underwood is back for his sophomore season, as are leading rusher Jordan Marshall and leading receiver Andrew Marsh. Two major offseason additions to the arsenal around Underwood -- five-star running back Savion Hiter and Utah transfer JJ Buchanan -- should give Michigan fans hope that the offense is poised for a major step forward.
Whether that comes to fruition depends on how much Underwood develops in his first season under Beck. Following spring practice, Underwood received mixed reviews in that regard.
Last month, sources told CBS Sports that the Wolverines' passing game is a work in progress, and the team is prepared to lean on the running game this fall. That may not be a bad thing, but it could put a cap on what Michigan can achieve in Whittingham's first year on the job.
Turbulence in the air
As expected, Underwood had his share of freshman moments last season. The No. 1 player in the 2025 signing class, Underwood completed just 60.3% of his passes for 2,428 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Underwood seemed to regress a bit last season, at least in the passing game. Over the final six games of the season, Underwood completed 57.8% of his throws while averaging 164.7 yards per game. He also tossed four touchdowns to seven interceptions in that stretch.
Now, with a new staff at the helm, Underwood is trying to adapt in a couple of different areas. On the "Cover 3 Podcast," 247Sports' Sam Webb said Underwood is learning a new scheme while also improving his fundamentals.
"He has to learn a scheme, and they're working with him on his core fundamentals, which were an issue," Webb said. "His fundamentals would erode with pressure. Can you tighten that up? Can you get it to where he's not looking at the rush? Those are big keys for his development."
The good news for Underwood is that he should have a couple of reliable targets around him. Andrew Marsh was Michigan's leading receiver as a true freshman last year, and the team is expecting big things from him moving forward.
Opposing defenses won't be able to hone in on Marsh because Whittingham and Beck brought elite athlete JJ Buchanan with them from Utah. A four-star recruit in the 2025 signing class, Buchanan was listed as a tight end with the Utes, but he will move around in the Wolverines' offense. At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, Buchanan has a wide catch radius, and he can make plays in tight coverage.
"The physical presence he brings to the wide receiver position is different for Michigan," Webb said. "One of the things they struggle with is having a guy who can consistently make those contested catches. I'm just gonna be bigger than you. I'm gonna jump higher than you. I'm gonna be stronger than you. JJ Buchanan can do those things."
Leaning on Underwood's legs
While Underwood sputtered down the stretch in the passing game last fall, he did have more success on the ground as the season progressed. The Michigan coaching staff seemed hesitant to let Underwood, a gifted athlete, run early in the season. That conservative approach went out the window in the back half of the schedule.
He tallied at least seven rushing attempts in five of Michigan's final seven games, and he racked up 14 attempts in the Wolverines' Citrus Bowl loss to Texas. Throughout spring practice, it was clear that Michigan would use Underwood's dual-threat ability more often in 2026.
"You talk to anyone who's been at practice any amount of time, they come out talking about two things," Webb said. "One is Savion Hiter. The other is, 'Wow, they run the quarterback. These dudes run the quarterback a lot.' ... I don't think there's any question they're gonna run it more than they did last year."
Exactly how much Beck will allow Underwood remains to be seen, but it seems as though he won't shy away from letting his star running back carry the ball. That certainly tracks with Beck's history as he's spent a lot of time coaching mobile quarterbacks, dating back to his time with Brennan Armstrong at Virginia.
If the Michigan passing game isn't clicking -- especially in big games -- look for Underwood to get a heavier workload on the ground.
Budding star in the backfield
Between Underwood and Marshall, the Wolverines had two legitimate threats to make a big play in the running game last season. That two-headed monster has become a three-headed behemoth in 2026, thanks to the arrival of five-star running back Savion Hiter.
The No. 2 running back and No. 21 overall player in the 2026 signing class, Hiter has quickly turned heads in Ann Arbor. A source told CBS Sports that Hiter was "tough to tackle," and his physicality was a highlight of spring practice.
"He looks like a first-round draft pick," a source said. "It's insane."
Hiter stands at 6-feet and weighs 210 pounds, but he also has enough burst to hit a home run. Webb said Hiter's "patience" also stood out and earned the freshman a comparison to Le'Veon Bell.
"Even a coach like Fred Jackson, who's been around 30 years, said, 'This dude is different -- not just physically,'" Webb said on the "Cover 3 Podcast."
As a senior at Louisa County High School in 2025, Hiter missed three games due to injury and still managed to rush for 1,440 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also earned Gatorade Player of the Year and MaxPreps Player of the Year honors in Virginia. In his scouting report on Hiter, 247Sports Director of Recruiting Andrew Ivins compared him to Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton.
If Hiter can deliver on all the buzz he got in spring practice, that should afford Underwood and the passing game some time to gel as the running game grinds opponents into a fine powder.
