Wednesday is the second day of Big Ten Media Days. On Thursday, Michigan football head coach Sherrone Moore will take his turn (3:45 EST).
Moore will be joined by Derrick Moore, Max Bredeson, and Ernest Hausmann. Bryce Underwood is surely going to be a hot topic of conversation, and here's a look ahead to Big Ten Media Days for Michgan football on Thursday in Las Vegas.
The quarterback position
I don't know if Sherrone Moore is going to name Bryce Underwood as the starting quarterback on Thursday, but there should be plenty of questions about the five-star freshman.
There are sure to be questions about his backup, too. Mikey Keene was added during the winter transfer portal window. Jake Garcia, a quarterback who has played for East Carolina, Miami, and Missouri, was another late addition.
Does Moore feel good about the quarterback room? What's the status of Keene and Garcia? Davis Warren is also in the mix and wouldn't be the worst backup. He's beaten Ohio State in Columbus.
The Michigan QB room was one of the worst in college football last season. Expect Moore to focus on how much the room has improved.
The NCAA/NOA
Moore will likely say, "No comment' but you expect the head coach to be asked about the June hearing with the NCAA Committee on Infractions.
It was floated in the media that Moore could be suspended for two games in the 2025 season. He also wouldn't be allowed to attened practice during the week, unlike Jim Harbaugh in 2023.
A decision could come soon. Tony Petitti confirmed he sent a letter arguing that Michigan should receive "no further punishment", but I wouldn't expect any new information on Thursday, even though you can expect the question to be asked.
The offensive line
It feels like three starters are set: Greg Crippen, Andrew Sprague, and Giovanni El-Hadi. The left tackle job should be a battle between Andrew Babalola and Evan Link.
Link is the veteran who started games at left and right tackle last season. He also struggled, and might even be better as a guard. It will be interesting if Moore comments on the competition at tackle.
Nathan Efobi has been projected to start at guard, but Lawrence Hattar and others could join the mix. The offensive line is vitally important with a freshman quarterback. He needs protection. The running game needs to improve from last season, and the O-line will be a driving force behind that.
"The Game"
Ryan Day was asked what Ohio State needs to do in order to beat Michigan on Tuesday. His response, according to Ari Wasserman of On3.com, was, "score more points."
Someone asked Ryan Day “how do you beat Michigan?”
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) July 22, 2025
Day: “Score more points than them.”
Back in 2021, Jim Harbaugh famously said Michigan football was going to "Beat Ohio (State) or die trying."
You still don't feel that urgency from Day. Moore has embraced the rivalry, taking more of the Urban Meyer approach. Harbaugh adapted to view the game the way Meyer once did, or at least emphasized it in the same way.
Day hasn't. We'll see what Moore says about the Wolverines four-game winning streak.
Wide receivers
One of the biggest storylines this offseason was did Michigan surround Underwood with enough talent? It's a fair question.
Moore recently talked about how Donaven McCulley, the Indiana transer, reminded some on the coaching staff of Nico Collins.
Hogan Hansen is a sleeper at tight end. Anthony Simpson, Semaj Morgan, and Fred Moore are all better than people realize, while Marlin Klein is underrated, too. Don't forget about Channing Goodwin or Andrew Marsh, either, even Peyton O'Leary.
Scheduling
It feels like every coach is talking about scheduling as it relates to the College Football Playoff. Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said Indiana was adopting the "SEC scheduling philosophy" on Tuesday.
The hint was that SEC teams only play eight conference games. Sometimes they will play a power-4 opponent, but even so, they are still playing nine power-4 games, just like a Big Ten team.
Moore will likely be asked the same question. The Wolverines are playing Oklahoma this season, and played Texas in 2024. Those games are a good thing for college football, and in the Wolverines case, a win over the Sooners would help their playoff chances.
We'll see what the response is.
How good will the defense be?
There are some question marks on the defensive line, simply because all-time greats like Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant are gone.
Rayshaun Benny is a stud, though. Tre Williams and Damon Payne were quality additions. The pass rush should be elite, and TJ Metcalf is a name to remember in the secondary.
The health of Rod Moore will be another topic, but expect plenty of praise for the defense, and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.