As is tradition, the Michigan Wolverines will open up their new season with a fairly straightforward non-conference tilt. Full stop, there is not really anything that should give Michigan too much concern against the New Mexico Lobos, who are the 7th-worst team nationally in preseason SP+. However, of the four unit-vs-unit matchups, the Wolverines’ passing game is the one that jumps out most.
To be clear, the pass defense numbers for New Mexico last season were ugly: 5th-worst in PPG, 4th-most passing touchdowns allowed, 6th-most passing yards allowed per game. As a result, SP+ has this defense 3rd-worst heading into the 2025 season. What, then, makes this matchup so intriguing? How about a bunch of new faces for both teams!
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New is always better
Understandably, the Lobos will feature new faces all across the secondary. Head coach Jason Eck followed the recent trend of bringing former players with him to his new school, including cornerback Abraham Williams, who played four games under Eck at Idaho before getting injured last fall. An FCS All-American, Williams made this year’s Freaks List, with Bruce Feldman highlighting his 39-inch vertical and 22.5 mph top speed.
Williams is far from the only incoming transfer joining the secondary. In, too, are former four-star safety Clint Stephens (UCLA), Jon Johnson (Montana State), Jayden Sheridan (Utah Tech), Azariah Levells (Stephen F. Austin), Caleb Coleman (Texas State), Austin Brawley (Ohio), and Albert Nunes (Northern Iowa). The only returning players that seem to have a home on the two-deep are Aaron Smith and Tavian Combs.
While none of these incoming players are necessarily amazing talents, the two-deep needed a refresh and certainly acquired a bunch of dart throws. This is probably going to be a bad pass defense again, but it really cannot get much worse than last season…hopefully. With a new coach and new names at essentially every position, this secondary has reason to think it can be a little better.
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(Over?) excitement all around
All these defensive backs will not be the only newcomers looking to make a big impression at their new schools. As good as Bryce Underwood is, this will be his first ever game in college, coming under the lights at the Big House. His pathway is much different than the New Mexico grab-bag secondary, but he has as much big-time experience as any of these transfers.
An amped-up freshman quarterback making his debut should make a secondary lick its chops, regardless of its composition. Underwood is going to want to throw as much as the coaches allow and will likely have a little extra zip on his throws passes thanks to adrenaline. An overthrow is an easy way to bring in a pick, and surely the Lobos will seek out opportunities to take one back the other way.
I do not actually think the Michigan offense will struggle in the opener, but at the same time, Underwood is not going to have a perfect game. Against the 2024 New Mexico secondary, perhaps mistakes would go unpunished, but who is to say how this new group will perform? If there is one way this game gets a little dicey, chalk it up to the new faces on both sides squaring off when the Wolverines want to throw.
