Michigan’s football team entered its Nov. 9 matchup at Indiana having lost three of its previous four games.

The defense had shown cracks through the first nine games under first-year coordinator Wink Martindale, who took over a unit that lost a plethora of cornerstone players to the NFL.

Martindale spoke before the Indiana game, emphasizing the need for building depth and developing younger players. With the two spears of the defense playing at an elite level, defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, other pieces around them started to fall into place.

The defensive production drastically improved down the stretch, with the Wolverines holding Indiana, Northwestern, Ohio State and Alabama to under 21 points and 265 yards.

They lost four defensive players who could go in the first three rounds of this year’s draft with Graham, Grant, cornerback Will Johnson and edge Josaiah Stewart, but the departing Wolverines believe there is a strong foundation set for 2025.

“All those guys on that front seven, they’re all hungry,” Stewart said during his media session at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last week. “They’ve been waiting for a long time, and I can’t wait to see what they do. Really, that whole defense, they’re young, they’re hungry. I’m excited to see what they do.”

At the edge spots, Michigan is in good shape with return of starter Derrick Moore and T.J. Guy, who played 49% of snaps in 2024 – third most behind Stewart and Moore.

“Those guys are slept on for sure,” Stewart said.

Martindale’s biggest task this offseason will be trying to replace the team’s two star defensive tackles. Both opted out of Michigan’s bowl game against Alabama for the NFL draft, and the defense still held the Tide to 260 yards and forced three turnovers.

Tackles Rayshaun Benny (fifth year), Trey Pierce (junior) and Ike Iwunnah (fifth) each saw more opportunities in the 19-13 upset over Alabama and played at least 20 snaps each.

The trio is back in 2025, and Michigan also added reinforcements through the portal by bringing in graduate transfers Damon Payne (Alabama) and Tre Williams (Clemson) – both former top-50 recruits who never cemented starting roles at their previous schools.

“I think the strength is their hunger to show that there’s not going to be a drop off,” Martindale said recently on the “In the Trenches” podcast of the front seven heading into spring practices this month. “Obviously, talent-wise, though, there’s going to be a drop off because they’re not talking about Ike the same they were the same way they were talking about Mason Graham or Trey Pierce, the same way they were talking about KG. But they have that hunger that they’re going to keep the tradition of Michigan defense just right where it’s at. It’s fun to watch and you can just see them growing. I mean, a lot of these guys, you’re seeing them now after five weeks in the (offseason strength) program. Ike, being one of them, he had his shirt off today and I’m like, ‘dang.’ But there’s quite a few guys like that. And you still have guys who played last year on the defense, and they’re not going to let it drop the expectation of where our defense is going to be.”

At the combine, Johnson said he expects returning starting linebackers Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham to take another step forward and believes rising junior Brandyn Hillman is a player to watch in the secondary.

The hard-hitting 6-foot, 200-pound safety was a part of the safety rotation in 2024 but was behind Quinten Johnson, Makari Paige and Wesley Walker on the depth chart. All three graduated, opening the door for Hillman to make a move.

“He’s going to be a fun guy to watch this year as well,” Martindale said. “We just got to keep slowing things down for him. I think his next step is learning how to disguise coverages and things like that, because he didn’t have many mental busts for us last year when he was in there. He just knew his job and lined up in it and had blinders on to everything else. So we got to expand.”

Michigan entered 2024 with few proven commodities on offense after losing 10 starters from the 2023 national championship team. The results were underwhelming, with the Wolverines finishing No. 129 in total offense among 133 FBS teams.

They are losing their two leading rushers again this offseason, but Donovan Edwards is optimistic about the running back room in 2025. He said he expects a big leap from sophomore Jordan Marshall, a former top-100 recruit who performed well in the ReliaQuest Bowl behind a makeshift offensive line. Redshirt sophomore Ben Hall also is a player to watch, Edwards said.

“If you just watch the film with the minimum plays that he’s even had, he’s made the most of them,” Edwards said at the combine of Hall, who has 141 rushing yards on 44 career attempts. “He’s a big power back. He can make guys miss. He’s elusive in the open field, but he can make guys miss one on one. I think that that’s somebody that is underrated and deserves more attention.”

There’s uncertainty up front for a second straight offseason. The offensive line struggled in 2024 and lost two starters in left tackle Myles Hinton and left guard Josh Priebe.

Veteran Giovanni El-Hadi likely will remain the starter at right guard, but there could be shuffling elsewhere. Redshirt sophomore Evan Link started 11 games at tackle last season but might be better suited inside.

Hinton highlighted young tackles Andrew Sprague and Blake Frazier when speaking to media at the combine. Both were top-200 recruits in the 2024 class, and Sprague worked his way into a starting tackle spot for the bowl game with Hinton out.

“Honestly, the whole line is coming up doing well,” Hinton said. “I feel like all the guys last year had a great foundation and did really well.”