The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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6 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2025 FOOTBALL PREVIEW MICHIGAN FOOTBALL BY CLAYTON SAYFIE M ichigan players flooded the stage and were smiling ear to ear when head coach Sherrone Moore lifted the tro- phy and confetti fell on New Year's Eve. That was exactly how the Wolverines wanted to end that day — beating Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl, 19-13 — but not the season. Just minutes after being named the game's MVP and celebrating with his team- mates, running back Jordan Marshall met with reporters and, right then and there, set the tone for Michigan football in 2025. "It's a good season, but it's not Michi- gan's standard," Marshall said. "We have to get it back to the standard, which is bring- ing national championships back here. And like I told [quarterback] Bryce [Underwood] right when we walked into the locker room, 'This isn't happening again. We're playing for the 'ship. We're playing for the whole thing — the natty.' That's what we want." The Wolverines lost five games last year, their most in a season since 2017. In 2018, U-M came back and won 10 and entered the final day of the regular season with a shot to make the Big Ten title game. Now that the 12-team College Football Playoff era is here, a campaign like that would put the Wolverines in the mix to compete on the national stage. It wasn't hard to turn the page and get back to work in January. "As soon as the bowl game ended, the kids took some time off, got right back to work. [Strength] Coach [Justin] Tress and his guys on the strength staff did a phe- nomenal job with the boys," pass game co- ordinator and wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy said. "We had a really good spring, and I like where we're at." Losing games and the anger that comes with it, if channeled correctly, can be a powerful motivator. "We know that that's not the standard that we want to have," Bellamy said. "Ev- ery year for us, we want to win Big Ten championships, and we want to compete for national championships. We under- stand what the formula is. Coach Moore has done a phenomenal job of challenging all the players and the coaches. "The buy-in is there from everybody. We're all pulling in the same direction, and we love each other." Marshall committed to a Michigan pro- gram in March 2023 that would win the school's 12th national championship at the end of that season. The 17 portal transfers who were added this spring know the caliber of program they joined. The leaders who are back — some of whom played key roles on the 2023 cham- pionship squad — know what it takes, too. Michigan has two returning captains in tight end/fullback Max Bredeson and safety Rod Moore who have been integral in some of the Wolverines' greatest wins in history. Bredeson brings the boom as a blocker, while Moore has the necessary swagger and communication skills to lead one of the na- tion's top defenses. "There's not another 'Breddy' at another school somewhere. He's special," sopho- more tight end Hogan Hansen said. "It's really good to have somebody in the back end that's looked at as a leader of the team," junior safety TJ Metcalf, an Arkan- sas transfer, added of Moore. "We've got guys who have been around, and we've got some guys that are in their first year — they've bought in quickly." The most notable in that last group is Underwood, the freshman quarterback. Rated as a five-star-plus prospect and the nation's No. 1 recruit, the Belleville (Mich.) High product is the favorite to start behind center this fall. While his dazzling physical abilities are most im- pressive, his leadership skills have blown away teammates and coaches. He hasn't just bought in — guys are following him. "The way Bryce attacks football … he's the first one and the last one in the [football] building," Bellamy said. "He's a sponge, always wanting to learn. He's a great leader. We all know about the physi- cal attributes. He's definitely on the right track." Moore said he's had to tell Underwood to "go home" when the 17-year-old is at Schembechler Hall late at night, want- ing him to get his rest. But each time he's told those stories, the head man has had a smile on his face, knowing the future is bright with No. 19 running the show. He'd much rather hold him back than have to push him to work. Moore knows the drive he's seen from his team since New Year's Eve has put them in the mix to add another banner inside Glick Fieldhouse. "When you're at Michigan, there's a standard of winning championships," Moore said. "Right now, it's compete, beat your rivals, get to the Big Ten champion- ship, win it and get to the playoffs. Those are going to be our goals every year here. "You have to get the recruits to that standard. You have to compete and work to that standard. Our goal is to be the best team in college football, so you have to work like it." ❑ Team 146 Is 'All Pulling In The Same Direction' To Reach Michigan's Standards MICHIGAN FOOTBALL MICHIGAN FOOTBALL "When you're at Michigan, there's a standard of winning championships," second-year head coach Sherrone Moore said. "Our goal is to be the best team in college football, so you have to work like it." PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL