Big Ten Media Days kicked off in Chicago on Tuesday, but Michigan fans have to wait a bit longer before they get to hear from their new head football coach. Kyle Whittingham is set to make his first appearance as the Michigan head coach at Media Days on Thursday, and he brought some great player representatives with him.
Bryce Underwood, Jordan Marshall, and Trey Pierce will join Whittingham in interviews on Thursday, but fans are ready to hear from their new head guy during his primary press conference.
Whittingham took over a scandal-ridden football program and is expected to turn things around quickly, especially with a quarterback like Underwood leading the offense. So, it is expected that there will be lots of questions about the upcoming season for Whittingham, and here are a few I believe fans will want answered most.
1. What can fans expect from the offense this season under Jason Beck and Bryce Underwood?
This question is a burning one every season, especially with how much Michigan's offense has struggled through the years. Fans have looked at sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood as the second coming in Ann Arbor since he flipped from LSU to Michigan in his recruiting process. His first season wasn't what anyone hoped it would be, but now he has a new coaching staff and a year of experience under his belt.
There has been a lot of talk this offseason about how Whittingham and offensive coordinator Jason Beck will use Underwood this season and how much he has improved. So, with that, how will the rest of the offense respond to any changes that have been made?
There are a lot more weapons around Underwood now, with J.J. Buchanan transferring from Utah and five-star running back Savion Hiter breaking onto the scene for his freshman season. Will all the talk of improvement be shown, or will this be the same old Michigan offense relying on the defense to bail them out?
2. What is the plan to improve in-state recruiting?
Kyle Whittingham did a lot in the 2027 recruiting cycle, especially coming into a new program after a scandal with its head coach. There is still time for a few flips or to add a few players in the 2027 cycle, but right now, Michigan has over 20 commits, which is great, but in-state recruiting was practically non-existent.
Of the 21 commits so far in the 2027 class, only four hail from the great state of Michigan, and Whittingham has some big misses when it comes to other in-state recruits. The biggest miss was five-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant, who chose Big Ten foe Oregon over the Wolverines.
Whittingham will have to find a way to bring in-state recruits to Michigan. It is great to get guys out of state, especially with the new Ohio pipeline that is forming, but fans want to know how he will fix this.
3. How has the team responded to the new coaching staff in Ann Arbor?
Whittingham and his staff came to Ann Arbor in December and quickly got to work on the recruiting trail, but also had to keep guys in the building and out of the transfer portal. They also went through spring ball, and it seems the players are responding well to his coaching style.
However, no one knows what goes on behind closed doors, so fans may want to get a little insight into how things are running with the new coaching staff. Are the new transfers who have played under Whittingham gelling well with the veteran Michigan guys? Are the coordinators creating good relationships with their respective players?
Big things are expected with Whittingham now leading the way in Ann Arbor. Is this the year that Michigan turns it around after two down seasons? Only time will tell.
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