Michigan football players excited to display new explosive offense under Chip Lindsey in 2025
In 2024, not only did the Wolverines have the worst yards per attempt in the passing game, but the offense as a whole was 127th (out of 134 teams) in yards per play. Given that the run game for Michigan averaged 77th (in the middle of the pack) when it came to average rushing yards, that tells you just how moribund the passing attack was.
Sherrone Moore hopes that bringing in offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, quarterback Bryce Underwood, running back Justice Haynes, and wide receiver Donaven McCulley will fix what ailed the Wolverines a year ago.
Regardless of the personnel additions or the playcalling or changes in scheme, the extant players on the team want to push the envelope, with the same type of will to prove that last year wasn't up to the standard of Michigan football. Fullback and team captain Max Bredeson shared at Big Ten media days that while the offense is looking for a quick turnaround, the goal isn't to show that the offense is capable; it's to win games.
"There's no more offense that wants to rewrite a script than ours," Bredeson said. "Just because all the stats, all the numbers that go behind that. Guys just want to go out and play football, just play winning football. We're not trying to chase a place on what explosive offense we are. We're just trying to chase a number, the amount of wins."
Even with the stated goal being different, how does the offense look with all of the changes?
Bredeson says that there's not necessarily a feeling of familiarity year over year, given that there are always coaching changes and tweaks made. Yet, the whole group of players is excited about what Chip Lindsey has brought to the table.
"Yeah, definitely a different feel," Bredeson said. "Every offense feels new, maybe 22-23 just because of the same amount of people. But every offense always feels different. This offense feels excited, an offense that wants to feel explosive. That's the feeling that everyone's chasing."
Michigan is set to begin fall camp on Wednesday with an eye on the August 30 season opener against New Mexico at The Big House.
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New York Times
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He's in line to be Michigan's No. 2 quarterback when he's ready, but it's hard to say with certainty when that will be. 'He's participating at his rate that he can,' Moore said. 'We'll see how much he can do and what he'll do as we go through (camp). He's been doing a good job for us and managing everything he needs to do.' There would be a bigger rush to get Keene back in action if Michigan had concerns about Underwood's readiness. Coaches and players continue to signal extreme confidence that Underwood is ready to lead the team. 'The quarterback has to be the captain of that room and that offense,' Moore said. 'Whoever that is, that's what I want him to be.' Starters: Justice Haynes, Jordan Marshall Backups: Micah Ka'apana, Bryson Kuzdzal Is it cheating to cram four running backs onto a two-deep? Not at Michigan. The Wolverines love their running backs, and they have two who are worthy of being designated as co-starters. 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Starters: Evan Link (left tackle), Andrew Sprague (right tackle) Backups: Andrew Babalola, Blake Frazier The longer the battle continues at left tackle, the more likely it is that Babalola finds his way into the starting lineup at some point this season. The five-star freshman is locked in a competition with Link, who was Michigan's starting right tackle most of last year before moving to left tackle in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Link's experience is enough to make him the projected starter, but for how long? He has three years of eligibility remaining, and Babalola is going to be ready sooner rather than later. If another starter struggles or gets hurt, Link could move inside or back to right tackle, clearing the way for Babalola. Link had his struggles as a first-year starter and responded just as Michigan's coaches hoped he would. It's a testament to Babalola's talent and maturity that the left tackle competition remains as close as it is. 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DE Mikail Kamara, Indiana: The 6-1, 262-pound former unranked recruit followed Curt Cignetti from James Madison to Bloomington last year and became a first-team All-Big Ten selection and second-team All-American. He produced 47 tackles, 15 TFLs and 10 sacks and helped lead the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff. Advertisement DE T.J. Parker, Clemson: Parker, ranked the No. 2 edge rusher in Brugler's draft-eligible positional rankings, set a school record with six forced fumbles last season while accumulating 19 1/2 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. In two seasons, the Alabama native has 32 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks. DT Zane Durant, Penn State: Durant, a former four-star recruit from Florida, started all 16 games for the Nittany Lions last season on their run to the national semifinals, tallying 42 tackles, including 11 for loss and three sacks. His 28 career starts are the most for any player on the Penn State defense. 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CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame: The sophomore from Texas started 10 games last season for the national runner-up. He tallied 48 tackles and two interceptions and led the Irish with 11 pass breakups. CB D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana: Ponds, a 5-9, 173-pound junior, is another former James Madison player who followed Cignetti to Bloomington and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors. The South Florida native started 12 games and recorded 57 tackles, 4 1/2 TFLs, three interceptions and nine pass breakups. Advertisement S Caleb Downs, Ohio State: Downs was a unanimous All-American last season, winning a national championship in his first year with the Buckeyes after transferring from Alabama. The Georgia native is widely regarded as the best defensive player in the country. S Koi Perich, Minnesota: The 6-1, 200-pound Esko, Minn., native and former top-100 recruit started only three games but earned Freshman All-American and first-team Big Ten honors last season. 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The 2024 Western Carolina transfer ran for 966 yards and five touchdowns, caught 52 passes for 579 yards and four scores and had a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown in the season opener against Kent State. (Illustration: Kelsea Peterson / The Athletic; Photos: Grant Halverson, Jason Mowry / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Tigers mailbag: What will Detroit's roster look like in September?
DETROIT — The kids are heading back to school. The NFL preseason is underway. The dog days are very much here. August is a strange time in the MLB schedule, where playoff races are coming into focus but the intensity has yet to turn all the way up. September call-ups, crisp nights and decisive games are coming soon. Until then, there's a little more waiting and a lot of baseball left to play. Advertisement Here are answers to reader questions in our latest Tigers mailbag: Questions have been lightly edited for length and clarity Is there another way to read what the Tigers did and did not do at the trade deadline (other) than the front office thinks they overperformed in the first half and are likely to regress in the second, so they don't want to overspend? — Scott R. That's a fun conspiracy theory, but I don't think it's true. If anything, the Tigers seemed defiant in their belief that the team we saw for 90-plus games was very real. Otherwise, they likely would have shown more interest in adding to their position group at the deadline. They didn't exactly go for high-end pitching, but they did add quantity. And they seemed to hope Matt Vierling and Parker Meadows could get up to speed in the second half and make up for any offensive regression elsewhere. It's fair to criticize the Tigers' approach to the deadline. But the lack of big additions doesn't mean management doesn't believe in the current team. Keep in mind the American League is wide open for the taking. With how left-handed the Tigers are and how left-handed all their top prospects are, how valuable do you think that makes Spencer Torkelson? Or, do you still think he's not in their long-term plans? — Rich P. The Tigers' left-handedness isn't an accident. They prefer drafting players who will have the platoon advantage more often than not. But you do have to have some right-handed hitters. HOW BOUT A TORK BOMB — Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 12, 2025 Perhaps that makes Torkelson valuable. Tork has done enough to lock down his job for next season. I'm not sure the Tigers are thinking too far beyond that. There are many variables: How will Colt Keith age in the field? How fast will Josue Briceño be ready? How will Tork perform in the future? Right-handed-hitting first basemen tend not to age well. Just look at Christian Walker, a player I liked a lot this winter. The profile is one reason the Tigers opted for Gleyber Torres rather than signing a right-handed first baseman. Advertisement The simplest answer: As long as Torkelson is playing like a 30-homer guy, he should be in the team's plans. He's under team control through 2028. With how short the major-league depth is at SS and CF, and what Scott Harris said in his post-deadline presser about 'some as soon as this year,' is there any chance Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle get a September cameo to see how they look, even if the plan is for them to go back to Toledo next spring? — Dan S. The chance of Clark debuting this year is about zero percent. It wouldn't be like the Tigers to make a player skip Triple A. Clark is off to a good start at Double A but needs more time. In center field, Meadows should be back shortly, Wenceel Pérez is available, Javier Báez can play there and the Tigers haven't ruled Vierling out for the season, so there's not a huge need. McGonigle perhaps has a better chance than Clark to debut, but still a very low percentage. The Tigers seem to believe in Trey Sweeney. There are other infielders, such as Jace Jung and Hao-Yu Lee, in Toledo. McGonigle is an awesome prospect with a hitting profile that should translate well to the major leagues. But keep in mind how badly Torkelson, Riley Greene and Keith struggled early in their careers. I don't see the Tigers throwing a young position player into the fire like that, even if it sounds tempting. Who do you expect to see for September call-ups? Is there a sense of whether they go with need or readiness when they decide to call players up? — Kyle S. It will be a combination of both. Detroit is certain to add a pitcher to the roster in September. In a way, multiple players might get that roster spot given Paul Sewald is expected to come off the IL sometime after Sept. 10. José Urquidy and others, such as Sawyer-Gipson Long, could be candidates, too. But rosters are still capped at 14 pitchers in September. Advertisement If you're looking to see a young pitcher debut before the end of the year, I'd keep an eye on lefty Drew Sommers. On the position-player side, it's harder to know what the Tigers want to do. Might they call up Justyn-Henry Malloy just to have another right-handed bat off the bench? Will they be ready to give Lee a look? Even Max Anderson is probably in line before McGonigle. Do you think A.J. Hinch will ever play Kerry Carpenter and Keith full-time against lefties? Maybe he sees something we fans don't in practice that is holding him back? — Kerry L. The cries for Carpenter to play every day against lefties are getting old. He has had a few more chances this season, and he's hitting only .214 with a .632 OPS. For his career, he's up to 161 at-bats with a .205 average against lefties. With the way the Tigers are constructed, there has to be better performance to merit more chances. In a way, it's clear Hinch views having Carpenter off the bench as a strategic asset, too. Keith was initially viewed as a hitter who would play every day — he hit .305 against left-handed pitching last season. Chances against lefties have been fewer this year in part because others, such as Zach McKinstry, have earned the at-bats. McKinstry is a left-handed hitter with a .900 OPS against left-handed pitching. Keith has just a .367 OPS and no home runs in 45 plate appearances vs. LHP this season. I wouldn't rule out more chances for Keith in the future. But a big part of what Hinch sees is the raw results. A little surprised Malloy has not been recalled yet. What do you see his future as? — Don H. There's a real argument that the Tigers should have brought Malloy up over Sweeney after Vierling's latest trip to the IL. It seems the Tigers preferred to play Báez more in center field and thus wanted to bring up Sweeney as an option at shortstop. Malloy would give the Tigers an extra right-handed bench bat, which has proven helpful at times this year. But it also seems the team's lack of faith in his defense is hurting him. Other players like him get stuck in so-called Four-A status because they're glorified DHs. Advertisement I still love Malloy's offensive profile, but it's worth noting the Tigers need him to be a power hitter. As good as he's been in Toledo (.892 OPS), he also has only five home runs. How do you see the bullpen shaking out once Alex Lange, Jose Urquidy, Alex Cobb and Sawyer Gipson-Long all come back (pretend no one else gets injured) — Chris H. Well, it will probably take some injuries for all those guys to get on the roster. Lange still needs to improve his strike-throwing in Toledo. Cobb might still be a long shot to make it back. The Tigers do seem to believe in Urquidy, so it's possible he or Gipson-Long could join the team in a swingman capacity come September. The good news is the Tigers have some candidates with MLB experience to serve as reinforcements. But it's not like the Tigers are counting on all these guys to come back and join the roster at once. Are we going to go through another Bregman saga this offseason, or has that bridge been burned? — Walter D. Oh, boy. We'll have all offseason to talk about this one, but it's fun to speculate a little. If Bregman were to opt out of his Red Sox deal, he would certainly again be a player who checks a lot of boxes for the Tigers. So, too, would Bo Bichette — whose ability to play shortstop (even if it's at a below-average grade) might make him an even better fit. Bregman has been great when healthy this season. But in addition to last year's drama, it's worth remembering he will be a year older. Are the Tigers willing to offer as much as they did last winter? A few other factors to consider: Keith has looked playable at third base. McGonigle and other infield prospects are coming. The Tigers have fared well with this year's position group. And they could also consider a new deal with Torres. It wouldn't be wise with the Tigers to rule out any player just based on how a previous negotiation went. At the very least, they should consider Bregman if he indeed becomes a free agent. (Photo of Kerry Carpenter: Rick Osentoski / Imagn Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
