Before the 2026 football season got here, there were not a lot of questions around Michigan's defense. It was expected that this unit would dominate, and it has, but it has come from the most unlikely position, one that was one of the few questions surrounding Jay Hill's unit.
Going into the season, Michigan's linebackers room was seen as the weakest link for Michigan's defense. With barely any returning vets from last year's starting LBs, Alex Whittingham had his work cut out for him, and so far he has shown why he was a great addition to this coaching staff.
There were a lot of questions about the experience of the linebackers. Sure, North Dakota transfer Nathaniel Staehling brought four years of college football experience, but at the FCS level, Michigan is an entirely different beast. Troy Bowles and Chase Taylor had never seen the workload of starters, but this trio has turned out to be some of the best on Michigan's defense.
Michigan's linebackers have stepped up in a big way this season
Whittingham took this linebacker room from weakest link to one of the defense's strongest assets in the span of just five weeks. There was hope that Michigan's dominant defensive line and secondary would be enough to mask the inexperience of the linebackers, but instead, this group has excelled.
Coming from the NFL, Whittingham brought a wealth of experience with him after spending years under Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spanuolo. Whittingham worked a lot with linebackers like Nick Bolton and Drew Tranquill, who play a similar style of play to that Whittingham has brought to Ann Arbor.
While it isn't uncommon for linebackers to lead a team in tackles, both Bowles and Staehling hold the top two spots when it comes to total tackles for the Wolverines. Bowles has blown Staehling out of the water with 40 total tackles compared to the North Dakota transfer's 25. Bowles also leads in solo tackles with 21, being a magnet for the ball carrier on the field.
Taylor may not have nearly as many tackles as Bowles and Staehling, but he has recorded a sack this season in a defensive look where Hill brought the pressure. Staehling has both Bowles and Taylor beat, though, with not just an interception but a pick-six, scoring half of the points for the Wolverines in their loss to Minnesota in Week 5.
Hill has seen the level of play from his linebacker group, and just three weeks into the season, he even said they were playing at an NFL-caliber level.
"I think they're playing beyond what anyone really expected at this point. They've been physical. They picked up the scheme well. I think they're doing a real good job," Hill said. "They're playing like NFL-style linebackers right now, so we need them to continue to do that."
That is some high praise from Hill, who has done a great job with Michigan's defense this season. Even though the Wolverines aren't the highest-ranked defense in the country or even in the conference, this unit is playing at a high level and has been the reason Michigan has a chance to win games in the end.
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