Former NFL linebacker Pernell McPhee has been elevated from a defensive analyst to outside linebackers coach for Michigan. He joined Michigan's staff in 2024.
McPhee played under Wink Martindale when Martindale was the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. The outside linebacker was a Raven from 2011-2014 and 2019-2021, with stints in between playing for Washington and Chicago.
McPhee graduated from Pahokee (FL) Pahokee, the home of former Michigan wide receiver Martavious Odoms and linebacker Brandin Hawthorne. He then attended Itawamba Community College and Mississippi State before getting drafted in the fifth round (#165 overall) in 2011. He made 260 tackles and 38 sacks during his eleven-year NFL career.
The coaching landscape has changed in college football. This off-season, the NCAA passed a rule allowing analysts and "off-the-field" staff to now become on-field coaches. Instead of being allowed eleven coaches - a number that was recently increased from ten - now programs can basically hire as many coaches as they can afford. Michigan recently lost defensive analyst LaTroy Lewis to the Toledo Rockets as he became their defensive line coach, so the promotion of McPhee seems connected to the loss of Lewis.
RETURNING PLAYERS: Benjamin Hall (RS So.), Jordan Marshall (So.), Micah Ka'apana (RS Fr.) NEWCOMERS: Justice Haynes (Jr.), Donovan Johnson (Fr.) DEPARTURES: Cole Cabana (transfer to Western Michigan), Tavierre Dunlap (transfer to Eastern Michigan), Donovan Edwards (NFL Draft), Kalel Mullings (NFL Draft)
OUTLOOK: The 2024 squad looked to have a pretty solid makeup with Donovan Edwards gracing the cover of NCAA '25 and Kalel Mullings a promising mooseback. And while both had decent seasons - Mullings had 948 yards and 12 touchdowns while Edwards had 589 yards and 4 scores - it was a step down from the years of Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum leading the charge from 2021-2023. Part of that stemmed from the offensive line issues, and part of it was the running backs themselves.
The good news is that true freshman Jordan Marshall, a high-level recruit, was ready to step in and run for 100 yards against Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl after Edwards and Mullings both opted out of playing in the bowl game. Marshall reminds a lot of people of Blake Corum, and he might even have better breakaway speed, at least if you put stock in high school track times. Marshall also showed some toughness in breaking a bunch of tackles, and his combination of skills helped him jump ahead of Benjamin Hall, who is one year older.
Speaking of Hall, the 235 lb. bowling ball managed just 72 rushing yards in his second year, including 16 carries for just 28 yards in the bowl game. He showed some good running skills in the spring game and against Indiana in 2023, but he has been pretty quiet on the field on Saturdays.
Redshirt freshman Micah Ka'apana was very slight as a freshman last season and needed to add weight in the off-season. He does not seem like a likely candidate to be one of the top couple backs in 2025, but he could work his way into being a complementary back or a pass receiving threat out of the backfield. One interesting thing to note about new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey is that his starting running back in 2024, Omarion Hampton, caught 38 passes for 373 yards and 2 touchdowns. Michigan hasn't had a running back catch that many passes since Chris Perry caught 44 balls in 2003.
Michigan also has reinforcements coming in the form of Justice Haynes, who played for Alabama the past two seasons. Haynes ran 79 times for 448 yards and 7 touchdowns last season as a backup for Jam Miller, and he was a 5-star recruit who boasts both power and speed. While Michigan has had complementary backs in recent years with the power of Haskins/Mullings, the speed of Donovan Edwards, and the power/elusiveness of Blake Corum, the duo of Marshall and Haynes - who I expect to be the top two backs - represents the first time where two similar backs will be able to spell each other. Both were listed in 2024 at 5'11" and 210 pounds, and they each have a good combination of balance, strength, and quickness.
The wild card this spring will be true freshman early enrollee Donovan Johnson, who missed his junior season with a torn ACL. Running backs coach Tony Alford reportedly checked in on Johnson personally to make sure Johnson was back up to speed, and Michigan pursued accordingly. He has not posted a highlight video on Hudl since his sophomore year, so nobody really knows how he looks except people who have been to his games in person. He's supposedly up to around 215 pounds now, so the major question will be whether he has the speed/agility to be successful at this level.
Overall, it appears to be a Marshall vs. Haynes battle for the top job, but both players will probably see a lot of playing time in 2025. The primary battle this spring will be between Hall, Ka'apana, and Johnson for the third spot.
With the house settlement expected in April of this year, FBS rosters are going to change. Instead of the old 85-scholarship limit with unlimited walk-ons available, it is expected that teams will be allowed to have 105 total players on a roster. All of those players would be able to receive scholarships, but there would no longer be walk-ons beyond the 105 limit. Michigan had 136 players on its roster in 2024, so that means there are 31 fewer students at the University of Michigan who will be able to run out of the tunnel on home game Saturdays.
Even though I think that's a little bit sad for the state of college football, those are the times we're living in. So I'm going to adjust the "scholarship count" posts - which used to differentiate between scholarship players and walk-ons - and just keep track of players with spots on the roster.
TOTAL ROSTER PLAYERS FOR 2025 = 121
Michigan needs to lose 16 players from this list prior to the season. I've checked social media and transfer portal trackers to see if any of these players are leaving, but that's not information that will always be publicly available until official rosters are released.
RETURNING PLAYERS: Davis Warren (RS Sr.), Jadyn Davis (RS Fr.) NEWCOMERS: Mikey Keene (RS Sr.), Bryce Underwood (Fr.) DEPARTURES: Anthony Arnou (transfer portal), Jayden Denegal (transfer to San Diego State), Alex Orji (transfer to UNLV), Jack Tuttle (graduation/retirement)
OUTLOOK: Davis Warren started for the majority of the season in 2024, but to say it was a disappointing campaign would be an understatement. There were times when Warren was a turnover machine, and even though he cleaned things up a little bit down the stretch, there were some glaringly bad plays against Ohio State in the regular season finale. He completed 64.1% of his passes but for just 5.7 yards per attempt, 7 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions on the season. Still, he was at the helm for the upset win over the Buckeyes and started the ReliaQuest Bowl win against Alabama. Unfortunately, his torn ACL suffered in the bowl game will keep him out of spring participation.
That leaves Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene and true freshman early enrollee Bryce Underwood as the likely starters for each side in the spring game. Keene is a fifth year senior who has starting experience at UCF and Fresno State, including time spent at UCF under new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey. Altogether, Keene has completed 67.8% of his career passes for 8,245 yards, 65 touchdowns, and 28 interceptions. Last year he was at 70.5% completions for 2,892 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He's a functional game manager who can handle short to intermediate throws, but he has a relatively weak arm and isn't much of a runner; he might be able to have a 2021 Cade McNamara-like performance if the offensive line and running game can hold up.
The phenom and wild card is Bryce Underwood. Underwood was an LSU commit for a long time before flipping to Michigan late in the early signing period. Much has been made of the NIL deal he received, but regardless, he's ranked as the #1 overall player in the country for 2025. He completed 71.8% of his passes as a senior, throwing for 2,509 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions; he also ran for more than 600 yards and scored 6 rushing touchdowns. At somewhere in the neighborhood of 6'3" and 215 pounds, he has the arm strength and speed to be a dynamic player. There are always growing pains for freshmen, so the biggest question mark is how quickly he downloads the playbook.
Just like in Any Given Sunday, Keene is the savvy veteran (Dennis Quaid) and Underwood is the ultra-talented young buck (Jamie Foxx). Michigan has two intriguing options going into spring ball, and it will be interesting to see who looks more ready to run the offense once April comes.
Belleville (MI) Belleville wide receiver Charles Britton III (unranked) was offered by Michigan. Britton is a 5'11", 165-pounder who caught passes from Bryce Underwood this past season and reportedly has excellent hands. Kentucky, Purdue, Vanderbilt, and others have already extended offers, too.
Palestine (TX) Westwood quarterback Kavian Bryant (247 Sports 4-star, #10 QB, #96 overall) was offered by Michigan. He's a dynamic dual-threat quarterback at 6'3", 180 lbs. and started on varsity as a freshman, completing 68.4% of his passes for 2,282 yards, 33 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions; and rushing for 812 yards and 9 touchdowns. He also averaged 28 points per game as a freshman on the basketball team. Florida State, Oklahoma State, and every program in the state of Texas (except Texas) has offered him already.
Bedford (OH) Bedford running back Rayshawn Duncan, Jr. (unranked) was offered by Michigan. He's a 5'8", 195-pounder with offers from Georgia, Maryland, Penn State, and TCU, too.
Douglasville (GA) Douglas County defensive end Jordan Carter (4-star, #4 EDGE, #43 overall), a Texas A&M commit, was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'4", 235 lb. player with other offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, and USC, among others.
Richmond (VA) Huguenot athlete Markel Dabney was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'1", 205-pounder who plays safety and wide receiver but looks like he'll be a linebacker at the next level. Florida State, Miami, Notre Dame, and Penn State have also offered.
Brownsville (TN) Haywood cornerback Caden Harris (4-star, #14 CB, #166 overall) was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'0", 160 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, and Tennessee, among others.
CHIEFS PLAYERS FROM MICHIGAN: DE Mike Danna, OLB Josh Uche, WR Xavier Worthy*
The 15-2 Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Buffalo Bills 30-21 and then got blown out by the Denver Broncos in the final week 38-0, but that was when the Chiefs didn't care because they had their playoff spot locked up. Otherwise, it was a perfect but underwhelming season. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is undoubtedly one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL - and his Super Bowl rings say he's currently the best - but he finished 7th in passing yards (3,928), 9th in passing touchdowns (26), and 8th in QBR (67.7). Retread RB Kareem Hunt (200 carries, 728 yards, 7 TDs) led the team in rushing because Isiah Pacheco missed a big chunk of the year due to injury. Famed TE Travis Kelce grabbed 97 passes but for a mediocre 823 yards (8.5 yards/catch) and 3 touchdowns. Former Michigan commit Xavier Worthy, a 1st round pick wide receiver in 2024, caught 59 passes for 638 yards and 6 touchdowns, adding 20 carries for 104 yards and 2 scores. Former Michigan DE Mike Danna finished #4 on the team with 3.5 sacks, behind Purdue product George Karlaftis (8.0). Outside linebacker Josh Uche managed just 10 tackles across six games in his first season coming over from the Patriots.
EAGLES PLAYERS FROM MICHIGAN: DE Brandon Graham, OG Trevor Keegan, LB Ben VanSumeren*
Philadelphia QB Jalen Hurts is more involved in the running game (150 carries, 630 yards, 14 TDs), but he has had a fairly efficient year throwing the football (68.7% completions, 2907 yards, 18 TDs, 5 INTs). The offense has really been powered by RB Saquon Barkley (345 yards, 2005 yards, 13 TD), who has had the most amazing season by an NFL running back in a long time - not just with yardage, but with explosive plays and highlight reel talent. The receiving group is led by WR A.J. Brown (67 catches, 1079 yards, 7 TDs) and WR Devonta Smith (68 catches, 833 yards, 8 TDs), with TE Dallas Goedert (42 catches, 496 yards, 2 TDs) also a valuable receiving target. Former Michigan DE Brandon Graham (20 tackles, 3.5 sacks) played in eleven games this season, but an upper body injury caused him to miss the remainder of the year; he has been activated since the NFC Championship game, so he may play in the Super Bowl, which will likely be the final game of his career as he trends toward retirement. Former Michigan LB Ben VanSumeren, who finished his career at Michigan State, has played in eleven games and made 3 tackles; he has also played a little bit of fullback as a blocker in short yardage situations.
*Worthy and VanSumeren both signed with Michigan out of high school. Worthy did not get through admissions and ended up at Texas, while VanSumeren transferred to play for MSU.
PREDICTION
I don't want to pick against the best quarterback in the NFL. Mahomes always seems to make the plays - and some would say get the calls - when the game is on the line. But when I look at the rosters, I think Philadelphia has more talent. They have the best running back in the league, a great defensive line, two good receivers, a good tight end, and players up and down the roster from Georgia, along with high-level draft picks. The Chiefs of course have great players (Mahomes, Kelce, WR DeAndre Hopkins, DT Chris Jones, etc.), but top-to-bottom, I see more talent on the Eagles side. I'm excited to see what wrinkles Andy Reid has in store for the big game - he always has some fun play designs - but I think the Eagles' defensive talent will make enough plays to eke out a win. I'm going with the Eagles, 24-20.
Denton (TX) Ryan offensive tackle Ty Haywood committed to Michigan on Wednesday morning. The former Alabama commit also had offers from Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and USC, among others.
Haywood is listed at 6'5" and 285 pounds. He also participates in the high school shot put, where he has put up a personal record of 58'6".
Tomorrow is the anticlimactic "late" National Signing Day that we have to suffer through after the "early" signing period that popped up in December a few years ago. It's tough to get too excited about the early signing period since we're still in the midst of thoughts about Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, bowl games, the College Football Playoff, etc. at that time of year, but there's still some potential for excitement for the 2025 class:
Denton (TX) Ryan offensive tackle Ty Haywood (4-star, #6 OT, #39 overall) will be announcing his commitment at 8:00 a.m. CST (9:00 a.m. EST), so keep an eye on him. It appears to be a Florida State vs. Michigan battle, but Michigan is the betting favorite as of right now. The 6'5", 285-pounder could be a star in the near future and would make two top-40 offensive tackles for Michigan in the class if he joins Andrew Babalola, who signed in December. Haywood has outstanding potential, but my primary concern is that he's usually the last guy off the ball, so he needs to get quicker off the snap.
Chase Herbstreit (#7, image via X)
Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier quarterback Chase Herbstreit (3-star, #147 QB, #2191 overall) committed to Michigan already, but he committed after the early signing period was over, so he should officially be in the fold on Wednesday. He just took his official visit to Ann Arbor this past weekend, which caused an uproar on the internet since his dad, famous Ohio State alum-turned-broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit, showed up in some social media pictures wearing navy blue and a Michigan lanyard.
Philadelphia (PA) Imhotep defensive end Zahir Mathis (4-star, #12 EDGE, #114 overall) is still uncommitted after decommitting from Ohio State. Michigan was in the mix, but the two parties parted ways before Mathis took an official visit in January, so it looks to be down to Florida State and Maryland for Mathis.
OFF THE BOARD
Columbia (SC) Heathwood Hall Episcopal cornerback Onis Konanbanny (4-star, #34 CB, #361 overall) flipped from Tennessee to Florida. He had been committed to the Volunteers since August 2024.
