Michigan football has two weeks left before wrapping up spring practices on April 19th with the annual spring game.
This year's spring game is more anticipated than usual thanks to Bryce Underwood. It won't be broadcast on television until April 27th, but soon enough, Michigan football fans wil get a look at their prize quarterback.
There has been plenty of buzz about Underwood, and rightfully so. The kid feels like a superstar, not unlike Jeremiah Smith for Ohio State. Yet Underwood isn't the only important storyline or development.
We have learned plenty of other things this spring about the Michigan football team, and with two weeks left, here are the four biggest takeaways so far.
Bryce Underwood is QB1
Mikey Keene, the transfer from Fresno State, hasn't taken part in spring practice yet. It's been Underwood and Jadyn Davis.
From what we have heard, Davis is playing better than he did last season. That's good to hear, but he doesn't seem like a serious threat to unseat Underwood.
After getting most of the reps, Bryce should be even more ready to play when the season starts, and it feels nearly impossible to keep him off the field at this point.
The offensive line will be better
Michigan football didn't make any big splashes in the transfer portal along the offensive line, but they did add former starters from the FCS in Brady Norton and Division-2 in Lawrence Hatter.
Hatter hasn't joined the team yet and won't until the fall. Norton has and is contending for a starting job. He's a 6-foot-3 offensive tackle who could also play guard. He didn't allow any sacks last season at Cal Poly, and despite many believing he would need a year before he could contribute, that might not be the case.
Giovanni El-Hadi has moved to left guard. Nathan Efobi has emerged at right guard, while the other starters are the same as in the bowl game. Michigan football is banking on interal development, but so far, the buzz has been positive.
The pass-catching options could be worse
Good quarterbacks make wide receivers better. So even if the Wolverines don't add another body in the spring, although it's expected to try, the room will be better simply from playing with Bryce Underwood.
Donaven McCulley will be an upgrade. He's 6-foot-5 and had nearly 700 yards for Indiana during the 2023 season playing wide receiver. Fred Moore has created some positive buzz this spring. Marlin Klein also seems poised to be Michigan's next draft pick at tight end.
Hogan Hansen is another threat at tight end who flashed at the end of the season. When you add Semaj Morgan, along with freshman like Andrew Marsh, the Wolverines should have enough weapons in the passing game to be much improved in that area.
The Michigan football defense will be elite again
Quite possibly the biggest reason for all of Michigan's success over the past five years is the elite play of the defense.
Michigan held Ohio State to 10 points in Columbus, then without four NFL draft picks, the Wolverines held Alabama to 13 points in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Most of the players on defense in that game will be back. Michigan football also added Tre Williams and Damon Payne to the defensive line. With those two as well as Rayshaun Benny, Derrick Moore, T.J. Guy, Trey Pierce, Cameron Brandt, and others, this D-line is loaded.
The linebackers have Jaishawn Barham, who will also play some EDGE, along with Ernest Hausmann and Jimmy Rolder, not to mention Cole Sullivan, a budding star.
Rod Moore will be back in the secondary and could be the nickel this season. T.J. Metcalf was an underrated addition who had tthree interceptions and seven pass breakups for Arkansas last season, while Brandyn Hillman is another dude ready to make a huge leap. He also might be one of the biggest hitters in college football, or he'll be known as that by the end of the season.
Zeke Berry was a revelation at cornerback last season. Jyaire Hill was close to being really good, and Shamari Earls is already turning heads.
There are no weaknesses on the defense. Wink Martindale will be even better this season as defensive coordinator, so even though Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant are gone, I expect the defense to be the strength of Michigan football once again.