Preview: Michigan vs. Western Michigan

 

Broc Lowry (image via X)

RUSH OFFENSE vs. WMU RUSH DEFENSE
Michigan was #2 in the Big Ten in 2025 with 210 yards/game on the ground and averaged the highest yards per carry (5.44) of any team in the conference, which might be surprising to some, considering the ho-hum season and general feeling about Michigan football last season. They finished with 33 rushing touchdowns (#3 in the conference) but played in only thirteen games, while the top two teams - Indiana and Oregon - played sixteen and fifteen games, respectively. The bad thing is that Michigan swapped out Justice Haynes (who transferred to Georgia Tech) for freshman Savion Hiter. Hiter is undoubtedly talented, but probably not quite as advanced as Haynes was in 2025. Meanwhile, Utah was #2 in the country in rushing (266 yards/game) and #1 in yards per carry (6.02), and Michigan imported Utah's offense with offensive coordinator Jason Beck and offensive line coach Jim Harding. The offensive line is mostly new in 2026; right tackle Andrew Sprague is the only full-time starter returning in the same spot, with part-time starters Blake Frazier (LT), Evan Link (LG), Jake Guarnera (C), Nate Efobi (RG), and Brady Norton (RG) also playing quite a bit. Beck stated earlier this week that there will be a rotation at guard, presumably between Link, Efobi, and Norton, until they decide on a winner. Western Michigan went 10-4 last season and finished #2 in the MAC in yards allowed on the ground (126 yards/game). Their top three tacklers from last season are gone, but they return fifth year senior CB Jarvarius Sims (6'0", 188 lbs.) and redshirt junior S Micah Davis (6'1", 200), who were #4 and #5 in tackles last season. Davis was a walk-on at Michigan from 2022-2023 before transferring to WMU and will be starting once again in 2026. The entire front four consists of transfers from FCS Long Island, JUCO Kilgore College, Ohio State, and Ball State, and none of them is taller than 6'1". The starting linebackers are fifth year seniors Domanick Moon (6'2", 235) and Dillon Moore (6'2", 223), who were both backups last season and had 23 and 19 tackles, respectively. The Broncos gave up 4.1 and 4.4 yards per carry last season to Michigan State and Illinois, and Michigan is a better running team than either. I expect the Wolverines to be able to control the game on the ground.
Advantage: Michigan

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Michigan's 10 Longest Plays vs. Western Michigan

 

Brandon Herron

Michigan is 6-0 against Western Michigan since their first meeting in 2001.

1. Brandon Herron 94-yard INT return TD (2011)
2. Blake Corum 79-yard kickoff return (2021)
3. Cade McNamara 76-yard TD pass to Ronnie Bell (2021)
4. A.J. Henning 74-yard rushing TD (2021)
5. J.J. McCarthy 69-yard TD pass to Daylen Baldwin (2021)
6. Karan Higdon 67-yard rushing TD (2018)
7. Jeremy LeSueur 49-yard kickoff return (2002)
8. John Navarre 47-yard pass to Calvin Bell (2001)
9. Tate Forcier 44-yard TD pass to Junior Hemingway (2009)
10. Michael Shaw 44-yard rushing TD (2011)
11. Shea Patterson 44-yard pass TD to Nico Collins (2018)

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2026 Season Countdown: #7 John Henry Daley

 

John Henry Daley (image via MLive)

Name: John Henry Daley
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 252 lbs.
High school: Alpine (UT) Lone Peak
Position: Defensive end
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #90
Last year: Daley played for Utah. He made 48 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 pass breakup.
TTB Rating: N/A

John Henry Daley was a star last season. Football fans around the country were probably at least aware of the name because of the numbers he was racking up, finishing tied for #5 in the country in tackles for loss (1.59 for #3 on a per game basis) and #7 in sacks per game (1.05 for #2 on a per game basis). He was a wrecking ball coming off the edge for the Utes, hustling his way to outstanding numbers.

So, Thunder, why did you rank him at #7 in the countdown instead of in your top two?

Well, there's a pesky thing in the back of your leg called an Achilles tendon, and Daley injured it last season. That's why he only played in eleven games and why he didn't participate in spring football. Head coach Kyle Whittingham insists Daley is back to full strength and even might be quicker and more explosive than he was prior to his injury, but historically, it seems like Achilles injuries are difficult to come back from in such a short time while retaining every bit of burst. So along with a tougher opponent schedule, Daley is going to be building back trust in his lower body.

I think Daley will be good. I hope he will be as good as he was at Utah. But I have my doubts. Michigan also has an array of other pass rushers to throw at other teams, so perhaps even if Daley struggles to return to form, Michigan will have guys they can put in to get the job done. Perhaps nobody else is an All-America level talent this season like Daley, but the coaching staff seems pretty confident in the defensive end group.

Prediction: Starting defensive end; 45 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 7 sacks

2026 Ex-Wolverine Updates: Week 0

 

Justice Haynes

FORMER PLAYERS

Devon Baxter, DE (Virginia): Baxter is a 6'6", 247 lb. redshirt sophomore for his first season at Virginia.

Jeremiah Beasley, LB (Missouri): Beasley made 19 tackles and 1 forced fumble in 2025 and is penciled in as a backup linebacker for the 2026 season.

Josh Beetham, TE (Georgia Tech): Beetham started five games and played in all thirteen in 2025, making 6 catches for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns altogether.

Tristan Bounds, OT (Arizona): Bounds started eight games for Arizona in 2025 and is expected to be the starting right tackle in 2026. He's listed at 6'8", 306 lbs. going into his sixth year.

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2026 Season Countdown: #8 Jyaire Hill

 

Jyaire Hill (image via Yardbarker)

Name: Jyaire Hill
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 190 lbs.
High school: Kankakee (IL) Kankakee
Position: Cornerback
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #20
Last year: I ranked Hill #9 and said he would be a starting cornerback with 40 tackles and 2 interceptions (LINK). He started thirteen games and made 36 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and 5 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: 88

The big question heading into Hill's 2025 season was whether he had made the necessary jumps in maturity and preparation to be a #1 cornerback. By all accounts, that seemed to have happened, and it showed on the field. There appeared to be fewer missed tackles and fewer busted coverages coming from Hill's side of the field. He notched an interception against Ohio State and was named the team's Defensive Skill Player of the Year, which was a decent accomplishment, considering one of his teammates was Zeke Berry.

I ranked Hill #9 last year and maybe he's deserving of being higher than #8 this season. After all, I have yet to get to the aforementioned Berry. I would like to think that new defensive coordinator Jay Hill could use scheme and personnel - such as Shamari Earls - to work around the proven depth issues at cornerback. Michigan also has a few somewhat inexperienced corners like Jo'ziah Edmond, Jamarion Vincent, Jeremiah Lowe, and others to fill the void at outside corner. The Wolverines need one of those guys to step up this season, and I think that will happen, though I'm not sure which one. Regardless, I think Hill will be a very solid cornerback this season, and Michigan will need him as they face Dante Moore of Oregon, Julian Sayin of Ohio State, John Mateer of Oklahoma, and other solid quarterbacks.

Prediction: Starting cornerback; 40 tackles, 3 interceptions

2026 Season Countdown: #9 J.J. Buchanan

 

J.J. Buchanan (image via Instagram)

Name: J.J. Buchanan
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 218 lbs.
High school: Henderson (NV) Covenant
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #6
Last year: Buchanan played at Utah. He caught 26 passes for 427 yards and 5 touchdowns while starting seven games.
TTB Rating: N/A

Buchanan was a lightly regarded tight end recruiting coming out of high school and was listed by Utah as a tight end in 2025, but he didn't play tight end. Offensive coordinator Jason Beck moved him all around the field, playing him in the slot, outside, snug to the line, etc. He showed a really impressive ability to adjust to short throws and especially balls thrown behind him, and his hands are outstanding. At 6'4" with long arms and strong hands, he's a problem for opponents because of the size advantage against most defensive backs.

Michigan needed help at wide receiver after frankly being pretty bad at receiver in 2025. Michigan has not recruited extremely well at wide receiver in the past couple classes outside of Andrew Marsh, and the inability to throw the ball also goes back to having starting quarterbacks named Davis Warren and Alex Orji, along with a young true freshman Bryce Underwood last year. Kendrick Bell and Channing Goodwin don't strike fear into opponents, so Michigan brought in Buchanan - a size mismatch - and Jaime Ffrench (Texas) and Salesi Moa (Utah). Between Buchanan and Marsh as the top two and then whoever they decide the #3 and #4 receivers will be, the Wolverines should be much improved in 2026.

I wanted to save Buchanan for later and thought long and hard about whether to rank him higher than Andrew Marsh, but ultimately, I think Marsh is the field stretcher and perhaps special teams contributor (kick/punt returner) who could be more difficult to replace. Underwood developed a good rapport with Marsh during the second half of last season, and this spring/summer, it looks like Underwood has done the same with Buchanan. While it should be a run-focused offense, it looks like Michigan will be able to create some big plays and more consistent chunk gains through the air this fall.

Prediction: Starting wide receiver; 50 catches, 750 yards, 7 touchdowns

2026 Season Countdown: #10 Enow Etta

 

Enow Etta (image via Michigan Daily)

Name: Enow Etta
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 328 lbs.
High school: Keller (TX) Covenant Christian Academy
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #17
Last year: I ranked Etta #43 and said he would be a backup defensive tackle (LINK). He made 15 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, and 1 pass breakup.
TTB Rating: 87

Etta was a tweener defensive tackle/defensive end coming out of high school in 2023, so he spent some time insisting he was an edge player even when he was hovering close to 300 pounds. There were either going to have to be some major body composition changes or he was headed for defensive tackle, and the latter happened. He spent most of 2024 standing straight up and getting pushed around, so he was a work in progress. Last season the light started to come on a little bit, but the production wasn't there. For a top-100-ish recruit not to flash more when the other defensive tackles were so-so was a little disappointing. Overall, 15 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and half a sack isn't awful for a backup defensive tackle, but I had hoped for more out of Etta by year three.

Now it's year four, and Michigan for sure needs more out of Etta. There's no more time to lurk behind Rayshaun Benny or anyone else. Etta has excellent size and athleticism, but things need to start coming together. There aren't many proven options on the defensive front, and defensive tackle might be the most concerning position on the team. I would like to rank Etta higher, but I haven't seen him produce enough on the field to determine whether he's head-and-shoulders above the other guys at the position. Etta almost left Michigan this off-season and supposedly could have got paid handsomely, but he was convinced to return to the Wolverines (likely with a healthy NIL offer) and now he has a chance to show he was worth the bidding war.

Prediction: Starting defensive tackle; 35 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks