Kyle Whittingham Provides Key Updates On Bryce Underwood, Position Battles And Michigan’s Defense

Five practices into Michigan's fall camp, head coach Kyle Whittingham is beginning to get a better idea of what his team could look like when the season arrives.

As is always the case when you ask a head coach, there are still plenty of questions to answer, but Whittingham provided updates on several position battles, young players making impressions and the continued development of quarterback Bryce Underwood.

Per offensive coordinator Jason Beck, Michigan's running game has been the clear strength of the offense early in camp, while the passing game continues to progress. Whittingham echoed the sentiments and said that the passing game is "coming along," although the Wolverines aren't yet where they ultimately need to be. The offensive line is also making progress, with Andrew Babalola, Evan Link and Blake Frazier competing for the starting left tackle job.

Underwood has been another encouraging development.

Whittingham said the sophomore quarterback's decision-making has improved and that he's developed much more confidence in his offensive line. He also praised Underwood for being very coachable.

Earlier this year, one of Whittingham's former players from Utah, Eric Weddle, made some pretty bold comments about Underwood.

“Mark my words, I was out there for spring ball,” Weddle said. “Don’t be surprised if the backup is playing early because that Underwood kid, you know, I don’t think he could throw or play quarterback, so we’ll see.”

Weddle, a long-time NFL standout and one of Whittingham's marquee players, obviously meant what he said, but Whit didn't let it bother him. The veteran coach chuckled and noted that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Michigan, however, remains confident in its quarterback.

The Wolverines are also getting strong contributions from their receiving corps.

JJ Buchanan has stood out to Whittingham, who described the wide receiver as "unguardable" at times. Jaime Ffrench and Andrew Marsh have also made strong impressions, with Salesi Moa earning a mention as well.

Speaking of Marsh, Whittingham is open to using Marsh on special teams, saying he's "all for it." Ultimately, however, that decision will depend on whether Marsh wants to take on the additional responsibility. Getting the ball into Marsh's hands three to six more times per game seems like a good idea to Whittingham, though.

On the defensive side, Michigan's cornerback rotation is beginning to take shape. Smith Snowden, Zeke Berry and Jyaire Hill are currently the primary players at the position. With Hill being pretty cemented in as an outside corner. Snowden and Berry seem destined to rotate at Nickel depending on the matchups.

The interior defensive line also has a developing group of players at the top of the depth chart. Enow Etta and Trey Pierce are currently working as starters, with Jonah Lea'ea also part of that top group.

Linebacker Nathaniel Staehling is another player who has caught Whittingham's attention. The Michigan coach called Staehling a "tackling machine" and said he expects the linebacker to play a prominent role this fall. Whittingham also praised Staehling's exceptional football IQ.

Two more guys who would make a huge difference if they played prominent roles this fall are veterans Rod Moore and John Henry Daley. Both are battling back from injury and cleared medically, but it's a process with them. Michigan is being cautious with the pair with good reason.

The coaching staff is limiting their workloads to make sure neither player is pushed too hard. Their reduced workload isn't because of lingering health concerns, and Whittingham said he has liked what he's seen from both players.

With the roster continuing to take shape, Whittingham also addressed speculation about Michigan potentially adding another veteran player for a fifth year as rumors began to swirl that former captain linebacker Ernest Hausmann might be in the mix. Per the head man, the Wolverines aren't targeting anyone for another year of eligibility, he said. For now, the focus remains on evaluating the players already on the roster.

Whittingham said the 10th practice is typically when coaches begin making some of the more significant decisions about the lineup. It's also around that point when a coaching staff starts to get a much better feel for what it has as a team.

That means the next few practices could provide some important clues about Michigan's depth chart as the Wolverines continue working toward the start of the season.

Finally, Whittingham also addressed one of the most obvious storylines surrounding Michigan's season: Ohio State. While in Chicago for Big Ten Media days, Whittingham spoke about the Buckeyes but apparently, it wasn't aggressive or hateful enough for some.

The new Michigan head coach pushed back on the idea that his players need to hate the Buckeyes [more] in order to be properly motivated for the rivalry game. He emphasized that hate doesn't necessarily equate to success.

That doesn't mean the importance of the game is lost on Michigan.

"It's in the back of our minds 24/7," Whittingham said.

The message was clear: Michigan doesn't need to manufacture hatred for Ohio State to understand what winning that game means.

For now, though, the Wolverines have plenty of work to do before they get to that point.