The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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AUGUST 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 11 ❱ INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Bryce Underwood Is The Biggest Key By Chris Balas Michigan running back Jordan Marshall would have been a 1,000-yard back last year had he not gotten hurt, and he's one of the leaders on an offense that is going to run the ball … and run it a lot. But as we saw two years ago when the Wolverines had issues at quarterback — frankly, they didn't have a capable one — it's hard to do anything on offense when a team doesn't respect your ability to throw the ball. Then-freshman Bryce Underwood came out gunning and looked the part in his first start last year, putting up big numbers against New Mexico. He started to struggle, though, as the competi- tion got tougher, and there have been question marks since the end of last year as to just what his ceiling might be. We've seen him do it, but can he be consistent throwing the ball? Can he read defenses and improve his footwork? If he can't, the Wolverines' coaches will have to improvise, which means running the quarterback more. And that still makes Under- wood an extremely important cog in offensive coordinator Jason Beck's offense. Ideally, he'll be a dual-threat guy who can beat a team with his arm and his legs. Either way, he's the key to the Michigan offense this year, and his success will determine this team's ceiling. Jordan Marshall Is The Most Crucial Cog By Clayton Sayfie Here's a line that's not new: Michigan will run the football a lot this season. That much is clear with head coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive coordinator Jason Beck — both of whom joined the program from Utah — call- ing the shots. That makes junior running back Jordan Marshall not only the best but the most important offensive player on the team head- ing into the fall. Utah ranked eighth nationally in rush at- tempts per game last season (44.2) and led the country with 6 yards per carry. The Wolverines hope not to be one-dimensional, but sopho- more quarterback Bryce Underwood is still young and may not be ready to carry the offense. The run game should be strong behind Marshall, who led Michigan with 932 rushing yards a year ago, and an offensive line hoping to come together under position coach Jim Harding. Marshall became the heartbeat of Michigan's offense last year after Justice Haynes, who's now with Georgia Tech, suffered a season-ending injury. Keeping Marshall healthy will be key — think of the difference between when he was and wasn't at the end of the 2025 campaign. The offense wasn't just missing one or two gears without him — it was nearly an impossible task to beat Ohio State or Texas when he wasn't in the lineup. The hope is that everyone else around him will elevate and make him less important, but he's still the most key piece on the unit. ❱ POINT ❙ COUNTERPOINT ❰ WHO IS MICHIGAN'S MOST IMPORTANT OFFENSIVE PLAYER? MARSHALL UNDERWOOD Follow Michigan Sports Year-Round With The Wolverine Magazine! The Wolverine Magazine! THEWOLVERINE.COM | APRIL 2026 | $5.95 THEWOLVERINE.COM | APRIL 2026 | $5.95 ON A ON A MISSION MISSION Yaxel Lendeborg, Big Ten Champs Yaxel Lendeborg, Big Ten Champs Enter Postseason Ready To Roll Enter Postseason Ready To Roll THEWOLVERINE.COM | MARCH 2026 | $8.95 THEWOLVERINE.COM | MARCH 2026 | $8.95 CARTER MEADOWS SAVION HITER FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE FIVE-STAR TALENTS FIVE-STAR TALENTS Michigan's 2026 Recruiting Class Stays Largely Intact, Michigan's 2026 Recruiting Class Stays Largely Intact, Led By EDGE Carter Meadows And RB Savion Hiter Led By EDGE Carter Meadows And RB Savion Hiter Makes a terrific gift for your Michigan Fan! TWO EASY WAYS TO ORDER: www.TheWolverineOnDemand.com Order 24 hours a day from our online store! Call: 800-421-7751 10:00-4:00 ET, Mon.-Fri. Or call 919-688-0218 if outside the U.S. The Wolverine magazine is the foremost source for analysis, information and opinions on Michigan football, recruiting and other sports! A one-year subscription includes: n 11 Monthly Editions Of The Wolverine n The Wolverine's 160-Page Football Preview n Online Access at TheWolverineOnDemand.com Subscription plans start at $49.99 for digital-only delivery and $74.99 for print/digital delivery. First-class postage upgrades are available. Sales tax may be added where applicable.