Michigan football : 4 takeaways from annual Spring Game

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Football was back in Ann Arbor at the Big House for one day.

Only 131 days remain until the Michigan Wolverines open the season against New Mexico, but fans got their first look at the team on Saturday (April 19) afternoon during the Maize and Blue Spring Game.

It’s too early to glean too much about Team 146, but “Locked On Wolverines” podcast host and Wolverines Wire publisher Isaiah Hole joined Sports Final Edition to break down the split-squad scrimmage.

Here are four takeaways from the game, which airs for the first time Sunday, April 27 at 11 a.m. on the Big Ten Network.

Bryce Underwood is “a work in progress”

Head coach Sherrone Moore did his best to temper expectations for the 17-year-old Belleville quarterback.

Through ups and downs, Bryce Underwood’s eagerly awaited debut in a Wolverines uniform showed flashes of why he was the nation’s top recruit in the class of 2025.

Underwood’s Blue team started with three consecutive three-and-outs to start, and the first half ended with an interception by Tevis Metcalf.

The game ended with a flea-flicker for an 88-yard touchdown. All in all, Underwood went 12-of-26 for 187 yards.

He also showcased a little of everything—athleticism, arm strength, and aura—that showed he could be the frontrunner at the position.

“He’s super locked in and focused on trying to get better at quarterback,” graduate edge rusher TJ Guy told Local 4 after the game. “He’s doing good things.”

“When you’re on the field, you know [he’s good], but it’s when you’re outside the field; when you’re walking around, talking to him, when you’re playing basketball, eating,” sophomore running back Jordan Marshall added. “There’s something about the kid.”

Dominant defense

Aside from trickery on the final play, the Wolverines’ defense dominated for much of the afternoon.

The Maize team sacked Underwood on a quick drop-back on the first play and went on to sack the true freshman four times.

Team Maize, quarterbacked by Jadyn Davis, was held to 190 yards of total offense and 2-of-10 on third down.

Even with projected starters separated, the defense combined for three interceptions.

Question marks remain at defensive back, but the front seven shined throughout.

“I could be here for a while talking about that,” said Moore. “I feel like there’s 10 guys that can play [on the defensive line]. A guy that stood out today was Dom Nichols. Every day, it’s trying to figure out ways to block him, and TJ [Guy], and Derrick [Moore], and Cam Brandt up front. It’s Tré [Williams], it’s Rayshaun Benny, it’s Ike [Iwunnah], it’s Trey Pierce, it’s Enow Etta, so it’s a group of guys that have been really fun to watch, evaluate, and push each other.”

Wide open at wide receiver

By design, split-squad scrimmages don’t offer a consistent glimpse of who the QB1’s top targets will be.

While Underwood and Davis combined for 261 yards passing, only one player cracked 50 yards receiving: fullback/tight end Jalen Hoffman.

The junior earned Moore’s MVP designation with a game-high seven catches for 148 yards, the longest snag coming on an 88-yard touchdown as the clock hit zero.

The Wolverines boast a more balanced offense, but the game wasn’t called by new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey.

“It’s part of the reason I brought Chip in,” Moore said. “We’ve created some shots and some different pass concepts to help us, and we’ll continue to do that. It’s not like the offense isn’t put together right now, but it’s a whole summer to evaluate and do what we need to do to go win the game. It’s been fun, fun, fun spring, and the receivers have gotten better, which has helped.”

Let’s get physical

Michigan takes pride in hard-nosed play on both sides of the ball. Coaches and players insist this will continue in 2025, perhaps improving on last season’s 8-5 team.

“I spoke to multiple coaches after the game,” Hole shared with Local 4. “They all said the physicality of this team in spring ball was just so much higher than what they’ve seen over the last year or two. I think that’s going to be a really big thing for this team to be able to carry that over into the fall.”

When asked how many wins the offense has had in practice so far, Marshall quickly replied, “Only one. Maybe two,” another positive indicator for the defense in particular.

“The saying ‘defense wins championships,’ it’s real,” the sophomore continued. “When we won in ’23, the defense was like that. We move the ball on them, don’t get me wrong. It’s back and forth, but it’s great going against this. I’m not going to see a better linebacking corps, a better front line. These guys fly around, and it’s a privilege to go against them every single day. It’s going to make us so much better, and these teams we play aren’t going to know what to do.”

--> Underwood, Davis quarterback battle heats up as Michigan football eyes offensive resurrection