Michigan football wrapped up its spring game on Saturday, putting a bow on spring ball for the Wolverines.
It was the first under head coach Kyle Whittingham. The former Utah head coach was the adult in the room that Michigan football needed.
This program is getting back on track, after two seasons under Sherrone Moore, and here are five things we learned this spring about the Wolverines.
Bryce Underwood still isn't polished
Quarterback development isn't always linear. There are good days and bad days. That was the case last season for Bryce Underwood, who had some stellar games, especially at home, as well as some rough games, usually on the road.
Underwood didn't develop as expected as the season wore on in 2025. That needs to change this season. With Jason Beck calling the offense, it should suit Underwood better.
Michigan plans on using him as a runner more. We didn't get to see that on Saturday. The fundamentals were still an issue, and the continued development of Underwood is paramount to the success of the Wolverines this season.
Running back room is loaded
Some fans worried about a drop-off after the departure of Justice Haynes, but Michigan made the right choice by keeping Jordan Marshall and counting on five-star freshman Savion Hiter.
Hiter was impressive throughout the spring. Kyle Whittingham gushed about the talented running back, and the five-star looked the part on Saturday.
With Marshall and Hiter, the Wolverines 1-2 punch sholuld be just as good as it was in 2025, if not better once Hiter gets his feet wet in college football.
Freshman class is star-studded
It's way too early, but this 2026 recruiting class feels like a game-changer for Michigan football. It's the one thing Moore did well when he was the head coach: recruit.
Tommy Carr looks like a home run. The four-star signee who made a big leap in the rankings down the stretch, should have leaped higher, because he looks like a future starter and the current QB2.
Carr was probably the most impressive player in the spring game. Hiter stood out. Salesi Moa had a one-handed grab and Travis Johnson also looks ready to play right away.
Then, you have a loaded group in the trenches with guys like Carter Meadows, McHale Blade, Titan Davis, Alister Vallejo, and Tariq Boney, who are all blue-chip prospects.
The offensive line has added some big-time talent, too. Ace Hamilton and Marky Walbridge made a positive impressiont this spring and Malakai Lee, the top-rated O-line signee will be joining the program in the fall.
With guys like Hiter, Moa, Meadows, Johnson, and maybe even Jamarion Vincent (CB), having a chance to play early, this class should make an immediate impact.
Toughness and discipline are back
I still go back to what Whittingham said in his opening press conference: "You will become us."
Whittingham knows how to build a championship football team. He won multiple conference titles with the Utes, despite not having the resources of Oregon, USC, or other programs he was competing with.
Now, Whittingham has the resources. For the first time in his career, he's got the talent advantage. But all the little things that made his teams great were on display this spring.
Whittingham told the media last week that the one thing he wanted to find out this spring was who the tough guys were.
The man says and does so many things that remind you of Jim Harbaugh. It's refreshing. Moore tried to be Harbaugh. Whittingham actually is that guy, and you can feel the discipline reverberating out of Schembechler Hall, something that was missing far too often the past two seasons.
Michigan football defense is legit
One of the best things about the hire of Whittingham, was his hire of Jay Hill, the former Weber State head coach and BYU defensive coordinator.
Hill is elite. He might be the next Michigan football head coach. He runs a scheme similar to Jesse Minter's, and his defense led college football in interceptions the past two seasons.
The defensive line was a concern of fans going into the spring, but that group dominated. Whittingham said it was ahead of the offensive line before the spring game, and that played out last Saturday. There were two sacks of Bryce Underwood, and constant pressure.
There are concerns about Underwood, sure. The offensive line needs to play better, and like Whittingham, I'm confident it will, but Michigan will have a defense to hang its hat on this season, as well as a running game.
Underwood is the X-factor because points won't be easy to come by against Michigan in 2026.
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