The Wolverines are less than two weeks from their season-opening game against New Mexico, and while everyone has been focused on the NCAA punishments handed down on Friday, the Michigan football team has been doing work.
Michigan held a scrimmage on Saturday. It's not clear if there will be another. Fall camp will be wrapped up this week. Then, it will be game week with New Mexico as the first opponent.
We have already offered some of the things we have learned from fall camp, but here are the biggest takeaways from Michigan football fall camp so far.
Bryce Underwood is Michigan's best quarterback
It's hard to say that Underwood has lived up to the hype of being the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 class until he shows what he can do during live game action, but the early returns have been great.
Every coach, assistant, player, and observer raves about what the 6-foot-4, 228-pound quarterback can do. Sherrone Moore didn't name a starting quarterback last week, but everyone knows who it will be.
Underwood shined in the scrimmage last weekend. He was solid on Saturday, too. It's clear as day that he gives Michigan the best chance to win. That's something that we knew before fall camp started. At least we thought we knew.
Now, Bryce has backed it up on the field. Moore said he will announce his starting quarterback on August 25th, and it will be Underwood, thanks to a strong fall camp performance.
The offensive line is set and it's improved
There were a few position battles along the offensive line that seemed up for grabs heading into fall camp, however, after some recent updates, it feels like those positions are set.
Giovanni El-Hadi, Greg Crippen, and Andrew Sprague were all in very good positions to start before the beginning of camp. Those have only been solidified.
Crippen and El-Hadi are two players who are being counted on to lead a revival on the offensive line. They were each blue-chip recruits. All five projected starters, which include Evan Link on the left side, as well as Nathan Efobi at right guard, are former four-star recruits.
These guys have the talent. Juan Castillo was brought on to assist with development. The early returns have been good. Of course, our impressions of the offensive line last season were incorrect.
What's even better is that there is actual depth. Andrew Babalola, Ty Haywood, Lawrence Hattar, and even Brady Norton can provide some depth this season. It might not be the best offensive line in the Big Ten.
It won't be one of the worst, though. At times, it looked like that last season. In 2025, there will be a noticeable improvement. That's one thing we have learned in fall camp so far.
The skill positions are better
This goes beyond quarterback. It feels like the Wolverines will get more out of the running back position this season.
Kalel Mullings was incredible last season. But he didn't have a passing attack able to relieve any of the pressure on him. Donovan Edwards was snake-bitten with the injury bug. Things just didn't work out as planned, despite the heroic runs from Mullings, such as the final offensive drives against USC and Ohio State.
Michigan wouldn't have won those games without him. Justice Haynes, a former five-star running back from Alabama, averaged 5.9 yards per attempt over the past two seasons with Alabama. The Wolverines will feed him the ball, along with Jordan Marshall who ran for 100 yards against Alabama without any semblance of a passing attack.
Even freshman Jasper Parker is generating some buzz. Donaven McCulley has turned into the Wolverines' No. 1 option at wide receiver. The freshmen wide receivers -- all of them -- have been impressive, plus guys like Fred Moore and Semaj Morgan have looked better with a big-time quarterback throwing them the ball.
The tight ends will play a big role in the offense. Colston Loveland will be missed but overall, as a whole, the group surrounding Underwood will be better than last season, especially since Loveland missed a good chunk of the season, too.
The front seven is elite
Michigan's defense lost two first-round picks on the defensive line, plus another third-round pick. Yet, nobody close to the team expects much dropoff in production.
Rayshaun Benny was a force last season. He should have gotten more recognition but dominated against Alabama. Tre Williams and Damon Payne aren't Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham, obviously, but that doesn't mean they won't be effective.
Michigan seems really excited about Williams, who did have two sacks against Texas in the College Football Playoff last season. He's flashed potential. Payne was a former five-star recruit who was at least a solid space-eater at Alabama.
Derrick Moore and TJ Guy each could have been drafted last April. The same goes for linebackers Jaishawn Barham and Ernest Hausmann. Put it all together, and you might have the best front seven in the Big Ten, maybe even all of college football.
Sherrone Moore "loves this team"
This Michigan football team has a quiet confidence. You could see it on the face of Sherrone Moore earlier this week as he met with the media.
The team slogan for this season is "TNT." It means today, not tomorrow. Moore said the idea isn't to worry about tomorrow or the past, but today. What's right in front of you.
Moore also said he learned this team is "physical" and the players love to be around each other. Michigan football fans know what a good combination that can be.
There are question marks about this team. How will the secondary hold up? What kind of impact will Rod Moore have this season and when will he return? Yet, there is a lot to feel good about.
There will be some new faces starting, but outside of Underwood, almost all of them have been starters or at least contributors before. This is an experienced team with what should be an elite defense.
With even above-average or good play from Underwood, this team could be even better than expected, and you get the sense that the Wolverines know that.