Beat writer Q&A: Alejandro Zúñiga dishes on Michigan ahead of Week 1 debut vs. Western Michigan

Week 1 is here, and the questions that have hung over college football programs across the country will soon have some answers — for better or worse — including Western Michigan and Michigan, set to square off on Saturday night in Michigan Stadium. 

Ahead of the Broncos and Wolverines showing down for the 2026 season opener on NBC at 7:30 p.m., Mitten Football caught up with Michigan beat reporter Alejandro Zúñiga of 247Sports/The Michigan Insider. 

The following is a written Q&A, covering the various happens around Michigan football and what to make of the Wolverines under new management heading into Week 1. 

And, of course, we asked Alejandro for a prediction. Stick around for that and make sure to follow him and his work at The Michigan Insider.

Mitten Football: We’ve heard a lot of the “adult in the room” talk about Kyle Whittingham and Co. taking over at Michigan — where have you seen that manifest most in the nine(ish) months this staff has been in place? 

Alejandro Zúñiga: In addition to the off-field scandal that ultimately ended Sherrone Moore’s tenure at Michigan, the reality is his staffs were quite young. Moore was 37 when he was promoted to head coach, a position he had never held before. Several of his assistants were also relatively inexperienced either at the high-major level or in college football at all. 

Kyle Whittingham coached 20-plus years at Utah and maintained a clean program throughout. He’s a proven commodity who brought with him a group of assistants with proven success at a Power 4 conference.

Now, it’s easiest to tout a program makeover before a ball has been kicked. Come Sept. 5, we’ll see if the “adult in the room” talk means a better football team and a better reputation off the field, too. But so far, Whittingham’s experience stands in contrast to the previous regime and does provide, at minimum, confidence that the people in charge know what they’re doing.

M.F.: Moving on the field here, I think there’s a general belief that Michigan will be pretty good and capable as a rushing offense, and many of the questions lie with the passing attack. Without having seen it ourselves yet, what about this passing offense do the coaches and players seem excited about or confident in? 

A.Z.: The Wolverines massively upgraded their receiver room this offseason, and that’s a reason for optimism. Andrew Marsh returns after his stellar freshman season, and this fall he’s joined by one of the nation’s other excellent freshman wideouts from 2025: JJ Buchanan, who transferred to Michigan from Utah. 

Buchanan is a 6-foot-4 converted tight end with the fluidity of a wideout and the size to make jump balls a mismatch. He and Marsh, a route-running artisan, should provide a dangerous top duo. 

Of course, the spotlight remains on quarterback Bryce Underwood as he too begins his sophomore campaign. Michigan has a dedicated quarterbacks coach now, something Underwood didn’t have as a true freshman. (See the “adult in the room” comments above.) The QB also spent much of his offseason working with experts on improving footwork and mechanics. He still boasts the physical prowess that made him the nation’s No. 1 overall high school recruit a year ago, but Michigan’s success this season will be largely measured by the steps he has taken as a passer. 

The Wolverines imported Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck to lead the offense. Last season, the Utes had one of the nation’s top rushing attacks, and they used that dominance to create explosive plays through the air. U-M seems to have the talent across the board on offense to take a similar leap, but a lot rests on Underwood’s right arm.

M.F.: The offensive line is evidently a strength, but we don’t know who is starting at left tackle or either guard spot yet — do you have any guesses there? 

A.Z.: I can give you one with near certainty: Left tackle will go to Blake Frazier, a third-year player who appeared in all 13 games with eight starts last fall. He was battling Andrew Babalola for the role, but a nagging injury has sidelined the sophomore and allowed Frazier to earn that role. 

Three players are competing for the two guard spots. Evan Link is a solid bet for one of them, as he started as a tackle for Michigan the last two seasons. His footwork has come a long way since a tough start against Texas as a sophomore in 2024, but he’s certainly more suited for a role inside and I’d bet it’s at LG. 

That leaves Nathan Efobi and Brady Norton for right guard, and it’s been a battle that’s too close to call for much of camp. But neither is a bad option: Efobi has 19 appearances and five starts, while Norton started three games for the Wolverines last season after two productive years at FCS Cal Poly. 

Either way, it’s an offensive line that has some question marks but no major concerns. The staff is highest on center Jake Guarnera and right tackle Andrew Sprague, but all five starters will take the field with plenty of previous experience under their belts. 

I’d be remiss not to mention the new offensive line coach, Jim Harding, who began his career at Troy Athens (Mich.) High School. He’s one of the most respected OL coaches in the nation and should help the Wolverines remain a force in the trenches.

M.F.: Michigan has some big names on defense — Jyaire Hill, Zeke Berry, John Henry Daley, Smith Snowden, Rod Moore — but who else can step up to fill in around them, particularly at linebacker?

A.Z.: The linebacker room and the defensive tackle depth are, in my opinion, two of the bigger potential weaknesses for the Wolverines this fall. 

At safety, Michigan is very happy with Memphis transfer Chris Bracy. He and Utah transfer Smith Snowden join a secondary featuring veteran returners in Rod Moore, Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry, as you mentioned. That unit should be excellent. 

But get into the midsection of the defense and the question marks arise. U-M has spoken highly of NDSU transfer linebacker Nathaniel Staehling, but it might be a big leap from what was then an FCS program to the Big Ten. Chase Taylor is another name we’ve heard a lot at ILB; he’s a sophomore who earned limited reps across 10 games last year. Troy Bowles, Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng and Aisea Moa are other options, but none of them have much in-game experience. 

John Henry Daley highlights a talented defensive ends room, and Trey Pierce and Enow Etta are a solid duo at defensive tackle. Behind those DTs is Utah transfer Jonah Lea’ea, who will need to have improved as a run defender in order to become a reliable part of the rotation.  

M.F.: What do you think Western Michigan needs to do to find some success, on either side of the ball? Do you think there’s a particular weakness (or weaknesses) the Broncos might be able to exploit?

A.Z.: I’m bullish on the Michigan offense, but that’s with the expectation Bryce Underwood will improve as a passer while becoming a bigger part of the run game. And while I believe he has done the work this offseason, no one knows for sure until he faces live competition … which he hasn’t done since the bowl game. 

Underwood was no-contact in spring ball and fall camp for the Wolverines, so he hasn’t been hit since the Citrus Bowl. And his improved footwork and cleaned-up mechanics might look great when he knows the defense can’t get close to him, but that might unravel under the lights, in front of 110,000 fans, and with DeJuan Echoles Jr. or Scoop Gardner Jr. bearing down on him. If the Broncos can make Underwood uncomfortable early, the 19-year-old will certainly feel the weight of expectations on his shoulders. 

Defensively, I’m less sold on Michigan because of their limited depth at defensive tackle and the newcomers at linebacker. I’m intrigued by what the Broncos can do with their rushing attack, particularly if they utilize Broc Lowry on the ground and scheme up plays that confuse run fits. Lowry and Jalen Buckley could churn out enough yards to keep drives alive, and there’s always the possibility that Michigan’s player-and-coaching turnover across the defense leads to a missed assignment or three.

M.F.: Lastly, who wins, why, and what’s the final score?

A.Z.: It’s difficult to pick Week 1 games, particularly in the Transfer Portal era. There are so many new faces on both sides that it can make a prediction feel like a shot in the dark. 

I’m glad Michigan is getting a formidable challenger as its opener. The Broncos return plenty from their MAC-winning team and should contend for another title this fall. But I’m concerned about Western Michigan’s defense — which like Michigan replaced so much on its defensive line and in its linebacker room — and how it’ll hold up against a talented U-M offense. 

To be clear: I’m not ready to crown Michigan’s offense quite yet, but I do expect the unit will take a meaningful step forward after starting six freshmen or redshirt freshmen in 2025. Adding JJ Buchanan, running back Savion Hiter and others to operate with an improved OL should lead to an offense that’s difficult for most teams to contend with. WMU, in game one under a new defensive coordinator and with so many new faces on that side of the ball, could have a long night. 

Michigan 37, WMU 13.