2025 Michigan Offseason Thread

[Mdot21]

I'm afraid of the Blackshirts D-Line will suffer in that game.
Only hope is that your frosh QB doesn't have a good game.
I'm still pickin the Wolverines in that one

which is totally plausible considering he's a 17 year old true freshman and won't turn 18 until the season has started. 

my hope was that the porthole addition QB Mikey Keene would come in and start and that they'd sprinkle Bryce Underwood in until midway through the season and then let Bryce take over- but Mikey Keene missed all of spring and summer with an undisclosed shoulder injury- and he's just getting back now. So at this point, who knows? 

if Keene is healthy, think it would be ideal to start him. Michigan went 12-1 in the regular season and won the B1G CCG in 2021 with Cade McNamara starting and only throwing for 2,500 yards and 15 TD's vs 6 INT's- while they sprinkled in JJ McCarthy. No reason why they can't try and do something similar this year imo. 

[ELA]

I think Underwood will be fine.  His skill set doesn't look like a guy who is going to be a true freshman star, but he doesn't have to be.  As long as he's "good", which I think he will be, they have enough talent at RB and OL to figure it out.  They go to Norman and Lincoln in September, but then the schedule is pretty light until the finale against OSU.  If they even go 1-2 in those games, and handle business otherwise, they should be in the CFP

[ELA]

I think Underwood will be fine.  His skill set doesn't look like a guy who is going to be a true freshman star, but he doesn't have to be.  As long as he's "good", which I think he will be, they have enough talent at RB and OL to figure it out.  They go to Norman and Lincoln in September, but then the schedule is pretty light until the finale against OSU.  If they even go 1-2 in those games, and handle business otherwise, they should be in the CFP

EDIT: Missed the trip to Troy.  So they need to go 2-2 in those, and otherwise, the schedule is very light.  The hardest game otherwise is???  Home against Wisconsin or Washington?  At Michigan State?  They should comfortably go 8-0 in their other games

[Mdot21]

I think Underwood will be fine.  His skill set doesn't look like a guy who is going to be a true freshman star, but he doesn't have to be.  As long as he's "good", which I think he will be, they have enough talent at RB and OL to figure it out.  They go to Norman and Lincoln in September, but then the schedule is pretty light until the finale against OSU.  If they even go 1-2 in those games, and handle business otherwise, they should be in the CFP

I agree with you, they don't need Underwood to be a superstar- but he's still a true frosh- and those guys are prone to press, try too much, and just make mistakes in general out of complete lack of experience- and 2 of Michigan's first 4 games are @Lincoln and @Norman - both tough environments to play in right off the rip for a true frosh and both those teams should have really good defenses- especially OU.

They just need a steady hand who can execute the offense functionally- and who won't turn the ball over or make crushing mistakes- doesn't seem like much because it honestly isn't- unless your QB's are absolute ass garbage (see: Warren, Davis or Orji, Alex) or a green true frosh who is learning how to swim.

I think Mikey Keene would be a really good option to start off with and then you slowly sprinkle in Underwood as he gets more experience and acclimates to the speed of the game at the P4 level.

[Mdot21]

EDIT: Missed the trip to Troy.  So they need to go 2-2 in those, and otherwise, the schedule is very light.  The hardest game otherwise is???  Home against Wisconsin or Washington?  At Michigan State?  They should comfortably go 8-0 in their other games

I think they're likely an 8-4 or 9-3 team, just because I think it'll take new OC Chip Lindsey, Bryce Underwood, and that offense a good half a season just to get going in the right direction. They are just bound to trip up 3-4 times along the way imo. But if they do manage to get to 10-2 and one of those 10 wins is home vs Ohio State- they are probably in the playoff.

2026 should be the year when they set up for a catapult season with Bryce Underwood in Year 2 and that OL in 2026 with more seasoned versions of Andrew Babalola at LT and Andrew Sprague at RT legit has me salivating- both these guys are proto-type 1st rd NFL draft pick offensive tackles imo- but super young- Sprague a RS Frosh and Balbalola a true frosh this year.

[847badgerfan]

EDIT: Missed the trip to Troy.  So they need to go 2-2 in those, and otherwise, the schedule is very light.  The hardest game otherwise is???  Home against Wisconsin or Washington?  At Michigan State?  They should comfortably go 8-0 in their other games

I'd like to think that the Badgers will punch them in the mouth a little, now that the twinkle toes OC is gone. They also spent a lot of $ on the DL.