We're just two days away from Michigan football returning to action! The Wolverines will have their annual Spring game on Saturday, April 19th, at noon. This will be our first chance to see how the roster looks heading into the 2025 season. The game will be televised a week later, after the Spring transfer portal period has concluded.
This is a very hyped up Spring game, because we don't necessarily know what we have for the 2025 season. This is a Michigan roster that seems to have the potential to contend for a national championship, but we won't know that for sure until we see the guys in action.
With that being said, let's look at three key things to watch for in Michigan's Spring game.
#1: How will the quarterbacks look?
This is the obvious thing that everyone is going to be watching for. Michigan football needs to see significant improvement in the passing game, and it starts at the quarterback position. All eyes will be on Bryce Underwood, as the generational freshman will look to make his mark.
It's very tough to be a dominant quarterback as a freshman, which is what Underwood is trying to be. We've heard all Spring long about how Underwood has impressed, and this is going to be his chance to prove it. Obviously he won't be going up against the entire starting defense, but it will still be a great opportunity to see him dissect a defense and make some throws.
Underwood isn't the only quarterback to watch, however. Jadyn Davis appears to have made significant improvements heading into his sophomore season, and will be crucial to Michigan's success in 2025. While it seems very likely that Underwood will be the starting QB for Michigan's opener, Davis can continue to push him and be an excellent backup option for Michigan, especially if Mikey Keene's injury lingers.
In a perfect world, both quarterbacks make some great throws, and we see a dynamic passing attack on display.
#2: OL vs DL
Michigan's other biggest issue in 2024 was the offensive line. It was hard to watch sometimes, as opposing pass rushers were living in Michigan's backfield. While we won't see the entire starting offensive line playing together, it'll be crucial to see how the battle between the offensive and defensive lines plays out.
The defensive line, despite losing three top elite linemen to the NFL draft, looks like it'll be one of the best in the nation. Derrick Moore is a potential first round pick, and the defensive tackles will be elite again. We know, or think we know, what we have with the defensive line. The opposite is true with the offensive line.
For Michigan football to reach its goals in 2025, the offensive line needs to be much better than it was in 2024. While the Wolverines are looking to potentially bring in a starting lineman from the transfer portal, it'd be amazing if the line held their own against the defense in the Spring game. I'm looking out for any signs of improvement.
#3: Which freshman take over?
Freshman five-star offensive lineman Andrew Babalola was the first pick in the Spring game draft (many starters are divided by coaches). He has an opportunity to battle for a starting spot this season. It'll be interesting to see which other freshmen are making a serious case for playing time.
Some freshmen to potentially watch for include CB Shemari Earls, WRs Jamar Browder and Andrew Marsh, and linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng. Of the early enrollees, those four, along with Babalola, seem the most likely to make an early impact. But don't be surprised if another freshman steals the show.
Every championship caliber team needs players who surprisingly outperform expectations. If a freshman or two can come in and play quality football, Michigan's ceiling for the 2025 season will be raised.
As a whole, the Spring game offers an exciting glimpse into the upcoming season. This should be an extremely fun game, and it'll be great to see how the team looks.