The 2025 college football season may seem far off as the 2024 postseason hasn’t even concluded yet. However, as the calendar turns so too does our attention towards next year. There are undoubtedly many moving pieces still yet to be settled, namely a few transfer portal targets and high school recruitments that have yet to be resolved. With that being said, the two-deep is largely set barring any late, big additions.

The strengths and weaknesses of a team are usually fairly easy to identify a few weeks into the regular season. In the offseason, it’s not quite as cut and dried. Today we’re taking a stab at predicting what Michigan football’s strengths and weaknesses will be in the 2025 season.

Strength: Running Backs

Donovan Edwards and Kalel Mullings leave Ann Arbor as some of the most decorated Wolverines in recent memory. Each had multiple highlight runs, especially in the biggest games against Ohio State. In walk Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes.

Marshall played third-fiddle to Edwards and Mullings throughout the regular season, but was finally given the spotlight in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama. He rushed 23 times for 100 yards and singlehandedly started his hype train for 2025.

Haynes transfers to Michigan from the aforementioned Alabama Crimson Tide and should instantly form a potent duo with Marshall. In 2024 he rushed 79 times for 448 yards (5.7 YPC) with seven touchdowns. He also caught 17 passes for 99 yards. The tandem of Marshall and Haynes should be one of the best in the Big Ten, if not the country. Don’t forget about Ben Hall as well. The bruising tailback should get some carries as well.

Weakness: Pass Blocking

The offensive line was a bit of a disappointment in 2024, though it’s tough to live up to the baseline that Michigan set from 2021-2023. By the end of the season, they got into a bit of a groove run blocking but never fully put it all together in pass protection. The line loses two starters in Josh Priebe and Myles Hinton but returns the other three (Greg Crippen, Gio El-Hadi, and Evan Link). Look for some younger, highly touted recruits to step into starting roles in 2025 such as Andrew Sprague and Blake Frazier.

I expect the line to be at least adequate at Michigan’s bread-and-butter: running the ball. However, there’s no real reason to believe the pass blocking will be much better, if at all. Mikey Keene, Bryce Underwood, Davis Warren, or whoever is under center will need time in the pocket to execute the offense.

Strength: Defensive Line

You can’t simply replace Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, and Josaiah Stewart one-for-one. However, Michigan’s depth on the defensive line showed out against Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Derrick Moore, T.J. Guy, and Rayshaun Benny all have the potential to be stars in 2025. While I wouldn’t expect the defensive line to be as good in 2025 as it was in 2024, it should still be the number one strength of the team as it has become Michigan’s identity as of late.

Weakness: Wide Receivers

If there’s one critique of how Michigan has handled the transfer portal, it’s at the wide receiver position. The Wolverines have been the kings of being interested in a transfer before not being selected. Donaven McCulley is set to transfer in from Indiana as a big-bodied receiver but it feels as though Michigan needs more bodies. All but Tyler Morris from 2024’s receiver room return but that isn’t saying much as the production just wasn’t there from this group. Look for Sherrone Moore to be aggressive in the portal specifically at receiver.

Strength: Kicking

Two words: Dominic Zvada. The importance of Zvada’s return cannot be understated. He was arguably the best kicker in the nation last year and could have gone off to the NFL. Bringing him back ensures that basically any trip inside the 35-yard line results in points. Look no further than the Ohio State and Alabama games to see how important his presence was and is.

Weakness: Punting

Tommy Doman had an up-and-down season punting the ball. However, in the most important punt of the season, he uncorked a field-flipping bomb in Columbus that set up the entire fourth quarter. Now off to Florida, Doman’s departure leaves a bit of a hole on the roster. Hudson Hollenbeck was okay against Alabama but outkicked his coverage at the worst possible time to set up the Crimson Tide for a potentially game-winning drive. I’m willing to give Hollenbeck another shot next year but don’t love the idea of going into 2025 with an unknown.