RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Michigan football coach Kyle Whittingham spoke of his special teams philosophy earlier this fall.
As a former special teams coordinator, it's of extreme importance to him, to the point where he sits in the front row of every meeting U-M's current unit coach, Kerry Coombs, holds. While some coaches don't like to put star players in the mix for the unit for fear of a potential injury, Whittingham is unafraid.
He wants the ball in the hands of his playmakers. That's almost assuredly how U-M will approach it this year, too, after Whittingham said Friday, Aug. 21, that the three primary options at this point are Andrew Marsh, Savion Hiter and Smith Snowden.
“I think that we’re just about settled in on that, but maybe not quite 100%,” Whittingham said.
Marsh is U-M's top wideout, Snowden is expected to be a starting defensive back after earning All-Big 12 last season at Utah a season ago and Hiter, a true freshman, is expected to be a significant piece of the Wolverines ' rushing attack this fall.
Marsh took over the punt return role from Semaj Morgan in the latter stages of last season and after fumbling a kickoff return in his Wolverines debut in the role, proved to be dynamic in the unit in one game under Coombs, returning four kicks for 43 yards in December's Citrus Bowl.
Other decisions have been made on special teams, too. Sophomore Trey Butkowski and junior Cam Brown are expected to start at kicker and punter, respectively. It's a new-look room and after the unit struggled in 2025, there's a likelihood the unit will be significantly improved this season.
Banged up in the trenches
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While the Wolverines have been mostly healthy throughout fall camp, there have been "a few setbacks with guys here and there" per Whittingham.
Andrew Babalola, a five-star offensive tackle in the class of 2025 who missed the entirety of last season with a torn ACL, has been out of practice for some of this week. He's expected back before the season opener, but it won't be immediate.
“[He was] really progressing, [but] he's had a minor setback,” Whittingham said. “He hasn't been out there for a few days and probably be a few more, at least, before we get him back. He was showing progress, and he's got all the tools, as I mentioned at the onset of camp, but has just been slowed by by a nagging thing.”
Also on the line, freshman interior lineman Ace Hamilton sustained a leg injury and will all of this season. Although he wasn't expected to crack the rotation, it's a tough break for a young player looking to get valuable reps in practice.
On defense, Dom Nichols − who Whittingham implied was on the short list for a starting role earlier this month − has been out for most of this week.
“[He] was having a really good camp and unfortunately had an injury that's just kept him out for a few days,” Whittingham said. “He hasn't been there for four or five days, but he was doing very well.”
Buy in from top to bottom
There's exactly one Wolverines assistant who has coached a regular-season game for U-M − running back coach Tony Alford − and with a near-complete change of staff comes new standards and processes.
Since the winter, U-M players have discussed a renewed emphasis on strength and conditioning, a focus on discipline and a team from top to bottom that stresses accountability. There was no guarantee that a new message would be well received − even as Whittingham said, "You will become us, we will not become you" at his introductory press conference in Florida.
But after having seen a team through every season − winter conditioning, spring practice, summer workouts and now fall camp − Whittingham feels there has been buy-in from the team, which has been essential for its development.
"I think it's been as good as we could have possibly hoped for," he said. "Love our staff. The players have embraced them. The players have bought in, and you know it's just a good vibe in the building right now. And the players really believe in what we're doing schematically and process-wise.
"Like I said many months ago, these guys are eager, hungry and willing to work, and that hasn't changed in eight months."
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No depth charts
Whittingham has settled on a starting offensive line ahead of the opener, but he won't say who's penciled in.
“Not ready to divulge that,” Whittingham said. “We know, but we're not going to do a depth chart. We'll let Western [Michigan] figure that out on the first snap.”
For a decade, the Wolverines haven't released depth charts. That began under former coach Jim Harbaugh, who used to say depth charts were like a living, breathing organism, always changing. That's not changing under new leadership.
"Hate depth charts," Whittingham said. "I just think it's a pain in the rear. It also causes some player [to say] 'Why? What?' You know, so it's just better just to go about our business and let the other team figure out who's playing. After one game, they'll all figure it out [anyway]."
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia .
For openers: Broncos
Matchup: Michigan (8-5 in 2025) vs. Western Michigan (10-4 in 2025); season opener.
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5; Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor.
TV/radio: NBC; WCSX-FM (94.7).
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football not afraid to use its stars in return game
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