Michigan Football 2026 Offensive Depth Chart: Projected Starters and Key Battles

Bryce Underwood Raj Mehta/Getty Images

Fall camp is underway in Ann Arbor, and the offense under new offensive coordinator Jason Beck is starting to take shape. A few things are known, like Bryce Underwood being the starting QB and the offensive line should have some depth that becomes “plug-in-play” after it gels. 

Here’s a projected offensive lineup for the Wolverines in 2026, based on spring camp results, media days, and the latest reports.

Quarterback

Starter: Bryce Underwood

Backup: Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi

In the mix: Tommy Carr, Chase Herbstreit, Brady Smigiel

Like we just said, there’s no competition for the starting QB spot this year, but what is up for grabs is the QB2 spot. Tommy Carr wowed fans and coaches with his decisiveness and arm in the spring game, while Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi transfers in from Colorado State as the most experienced passer on the team. It’s honestly a coinflip whether experience takes the cake or Carr can use his youthfulness and potential to move up the chart.

Running Back

Starter: Jordan Marshall

Backup: Savion Hiter

Depth: Bryson Kuzdzal, Micah Ka’apana, Jonathan Brown

This is by far the strongest position on the team. Marshall returns after a productive 2025 season and enters camp as the clear RB1. Five-star freshman Savion Hiter impressed throughout the spring and is expected to play significant snaps from the start. The rest of the room will provide valuable depth in a position that faced injuries last season.  

Wide Receiver

Starters: Andrew Marsh, JJ Buchanan, Jaime Ffrench

Depth: Salesi Moa, Travis Johnson, Channing Goodwin, Kendrick Bell, Jamar Browder

This is the make-or-break position for the Wolverines in 2026. For the first time in years, this is a room plagued with talent that has yet to truly shine. In order for this offense to click and Underwood to play to his potential, Marsh, Buchanan, and Ffrench will need to live up to the hype.

Tight End

Starter: Zack Marshall

Depth: Hogan Hansen, Deakon Tonielli, Jalen Hoffman, Eli Owens

If you’re noticing a trend, 3/4 of the starters on the team have a name that begins with “Marsh.” Coincidence? I think not and Michigan needs to target ten more. Jokes aside, this is another position with talent that is largely unproven. Zack Marshall only caught 16 passes for 199 yards last season and Hansen gathering a total of 74. While the production looks bleak based on history, it’s worth remembering that both Marshall and Hansen were former 4-Star recruits.

Offensive Line

Projected Starters (left to right):

LT: Blake Frazier or Andrew Babalola

LG: Evan Link

C: Jake Guarnera

RG: Nathan Efobi or Brady Norton

RT: Andrew Sprague

Key depth: Avery Gach, Malakai Lee, Houston Ka’aha’aina-Torres, Ace Hamilton

As you can see, the offensive line appears to be a full on war for playing time. For the first time since the national championship season, the trenches on the offensive side will look to be a strength instead of a liability. The key race to watch will be whether 5-Star Andrew Babalola can recover from injury and win the starting job, being a former 5-Star recruit.

Bottom Line

This Michigan offense looks to be lightyears away from the 2024 team and a significant improvement from last year. While there are certainly questions regarding both the receivers and tight ends, the offensive line has far more depth and Bryce Underwood has another year of experience.

While I don’t expect the Wolverines to break any records or even have a top 20 offense in 2026, this step up will allow them to be competitive at the start of the Whittingham era.