5 things learned so far in Michigan football fall camp

It's hard to believe, but the 2025 Michigan football season is just a few weeks away. The Wolverines are in their second week of fall camp.

It's the dog days of August, as the saying goes, but it's the perfect time to build a championship-caliber football team.

Many have talked about Michigan as a potential College Football Playoff team. The truth is the Wolverines could surpass even that expectation. They could compete for a national championship. They have the talent.

Bryce Underwood needs to deliver. The offense in general needs to improve, which includes the offensive line. Double-digit wins, a victory over Ohio State, these things are all on the table, if all goes according to plan.

And looking back at the first week or so of Michigan football fall camp, here are five things we have learned about the Wolverines.

Quarterback has been upgraded

Regardless of who ends up being the starting quarterback, although we all know that it will be Bryce Underwood, the Wolverines have upgraded the quarterback position.

Even if Mikey Keene ended up being the starter, it would still be an upgrade over last season. Keene might not be an All-American be he threw for over 200 yards last season against Michigan. He could throw the ball down the field.

The Wolverines offense will be much better if he directs it, after throwing for over 8,000 yards in his career. He also led the Mountain West in passing last season with over 2,800.

However, as long as everything goes to plan, and nothing happens to Underwood, he should start every game, beginning with New Mexico. Still, from 1-3, the quarterback position is deeper, more epxerienced, and much more talented this season.

That much is clear.

Michigan football defense is as good as advertised

The biggest reason Michigan football fans should have confidence going into this season is the defense, and after a week of fall camp, it sounds as good as advertised.

The defensive line might not be quite as good without Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham, but the dropoff won't be as big as expected. Tre Williams has made a positive impression, along with Damon Payne. Enow Etta and Trey Pierce are really solid in their own right too.

At EDGE, defensive line coach Lou Esposito was singing the praises of freshman Nate Marshall, along with Cameron Brandt, who had three sacks last season in a limited role. With Derrick Moore, TJ Guy, Brandt, Marshall, and the interior D-line, the pass rush should be just as good as it has been.

The linebackers might be the best they've been in the past five years, and there is a ton of positive buzz about Jyaire Hill, who was even projected as a first-round pick by CBS Sports this spring.

Wink Martindale adjusted to being a college defensive coordinator, so I wouldn't expect any of the bumps along the road that the Wolverines experienced at the start of last season.

This will defense is elite and look like the one that dominated Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

The Wolverines got a No. 1 wide receiver

One thing Michigan football didn't have last season was a No. 1 wide receiver. The Wolverines did have Colston Loveland, who is the next best thing, but even he was out for most of the season.

It's fair to question how effective Donaven McCulley will be. He didn't play much last season for Indiana after suffering an injury and deciding to redshirt early in the season.

McCulley is wearing No. 1 for a reason. Sherrone Moore said there have been moments where the 6-foot-5 wide receiver reminded the Michigan football head coach of Nico Collins.

With Indiana in 2023, McCulley had 644 yards receiving on 48 receptions. He had a 100-yard game that season and had four for 96 against a really good Penn State defense.

The video released recently by Michigan football only adds to the hype, and it's hard not to believe in Donaven McCulley at this point. He was the big-time transfer addition fans wanted. They just didn't realize it at the time.

The offensive line is deeper, better

One of the issues that haunted Michigan football last season was the offensive line. The Wolverines knew their quarterback situation was going to be an issue, but nobody expected the offensive line to be as bad as it was.

There were four-star recruits who were expected to be step in and they didn't meet expectations. It was better as the season wore on. Sherrone Moore hired NFL veteran offensive line coach Juan Castillo to give Grant Newsome a hand.

That move has made an impact. When it comes to offensive line, great coaching is a difference, perhaps as much or more than any other position.

The Wolverines also upgraded their talent. They signed the top-ranked offensive line recruit in program history in Andrew Babalola, who has progressed quickly after enrolling in the spring, to the point he's battling Evan Link for the left tackle job.

Ty Haywood was another recruit ranked in the top 50 overall of the 2026 recruiting class.

The running game will remain a focus

It would be easy to assume that Michigan is going to start airing it out because of Underwood. However, that assumption is wrong.

The identity of this program is "smash." It's the phrase Sherrone Moore used when he was hired, and it's the style of play that got Michigan football past Ohio State at last.

The Wolverines have out-rushed Ohio State in each of the past four seasons. That's why Michigan has dominated "The Game."

Urban Meyer knew what it took to win that game. You have to control the line of scrimmage. The defense will do that. Can the offense impose its will?

If the offensive line is improved, it's hard not to see the running game having more success. Even without the threat of a passing game, Jordan Marshall ran for 100 yards on 23 carries against Alabama in the bowl game.

Justice Haynes will be part of the mix now. He might even be the starter. Bryce Underwood will be part of the running game, too. Underwood has the ability to throw and run, something Michigan didn't have last season with Alex Orji or Davis Warren.

If teams focus too much on the backs, Chip Lindsey won't be afraid to get Underwood involved. He's 6-foot-4, 228 pounds after all. So in a lot of ways, this offense should feel like the 2021 offense, just with a more dynamic quarterback.