The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1538670
26 THE WOLVERINE ❱ SEPTEMBER 2025 BY CHRIS BALAS M ichigan's 2024 team was one of the worst in the country offensively — lit- erally — finishing near the bottom of the NCAA in almost every passing category. The offensive line was out of sync, there was no quarterback, and only tight end Colston Loveland and running back Kalel Mullings really kept the ship from sinking. Enter first-year offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, who comes from North Carolina with a wealth of experience. Though he started his career as an "air raid" guy, he's leaned much more on the run in recent years. That's just one of the reasons head coach Sherrone Moore hired him. "You want to be able to be balanced, and when you feel one-dimensional, that's not a way to operate, anyway," Moore said. "For us to be as successful as we were at the end of the year, one, kudos to our run game, but two, kudos to our defense and how we played foot- ball … complementary football. "So, it's all part of the plan, and I think we'll be explosive. That's the plan. We'll see as we get through camp and see what happens, but I feel good about the direction we are headed and where we're going for the offense." Here's what it looked like in the mid- dle of August during fall camp. QUARTERBACKS T h i s ro o m s i m p ly wa s n 't go o d enough last year and would have been a bigger issue this season if not for one thing — Bryce Underwood's arrival. Moore wouldn't name him the starter, noting the freshman was battling with Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene and sophomore Jadyn Davis, but it seems clear the former Belleville (Mich.) High star is going to be the guy. Keene has been somewhat limited after recover- ing from a spring injury, and there's a huge gap between him and the rest of the quarterbacks. If it's Underwood, Moore predicted, he'd be just fine. "He has the ability to, especially for a young guy, understand the offense," Moore said. "Obviously, his talent. Consistency is the biggest thing — don't turn the ball over, command the offense, make plays, and then we'll have our quarterback." Ke e n e 's p ro g re s s i s i m p o r ta n t , though. Michigan needs two guys, and he might be the only adequate No. 2. "He's done a good bit," Moore said. "He's participating at his rate that he can, and we'll see how much he can do and what he'll do as we go through. But he's been doing a good job for us and managing everything he needs to do." RUNNING BACKS There are two outstanding options here in sophomore Jordan Marshall and Alabama transfer Justice Haynes, la- PLENTY TO PROVE Michigan's Offense Has Talent, But Also Question Marks Last year's No. 1 recruit nationally and a consensus five-star talent, Underwood is likely to be the U-M starter at quarterback in his first college game, just days after turning 18. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL