Will Michigan's offense change much in 2025? 'The plan is still to force you to quit'

The Michigan Wolverines have a new quarterback and new playcaller ahead of the 2025 season in Bryce Underwood and Chip Lindsey, but the formula might not change as much as some think.

When the Wolverines were playing for championships between the 2021-23 seasons, the smashmouth mentality, led by now-head coach Sherrone Moore, reigned supreme. Quarterbacks Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy threw for around 200 yards per game and let the run game lead the way.

This year’s team might be built to do that, according to On3’s J.D. PicKell.

“We’re not putting the ball in the air when we’ve got Blake Corrum pounding the rock for over a thousand yards in a season. We’ve got Hassan Haskins going for 1,300 yards,” PicKell said on a recent video. “We don’t need to worry about throwing the football when we can turn around and hand it to somebody and still get a tremendous gain and make you say uncle, because we’re just bullying you in the trenches.

“So for Bryce Underwood, I think this drives home the idea you don’t need him to be Superman. It’s this thing where I almost feel like I’m talking outta both sides of my mouth, because I’m telling you he could definitely have a year where he’s an all-conference caliber kind of quarterback for you. That’s true. I’m not backing down from that. However, the formula for Michigan in 2025, I think will still be built on the old Michigan formula of punch you in the face. If you’re a Michigan fan, do you feel like you can Moneyball with Jordan Marshall, Justice Haynes and Bryce Underwood a world where you run for in the neighborhood of 2,000 yards?

“It’s asking a lot. I get that. But I mean, if you want to compete for Big Ten championships, you gotta do a little bit extra. I think that’s possible. I dunno if I’m predicting it right now, but I think that’s possible. I think that’s not inappropriate to think that could happen for Michigan in 2025. So if that’s the case, now you’re asking Bryce Underwood to then throw for right around 200 yards a game. That feels very doable.”

Michigan’s new offense under Lindsey projects to take more shots down the field and involve the passing game more,

 ”The biggest part of this whole conversation when you talk about how mission’s gonna approach things offensively, is who’s calling the plays with Chip Lindsay,” PicKell said. “It’s a different offensive scheme. It’ll be a little bit more spread out. It’ll be a little bit more shotgun…It’s not gonna be unorthodox because it’s an offense a lot of people run in college football. It’ll be a little bit unorthodox to what Michigan fans have seen over the course of the last few years with different offensive coordinators. But that soul of Michigan football of we want to move you against your will.

“I truly believe that’s still the plan. And that’s where this gets a little bit complex. When you talk about Bryce Underwood… the Bryce Underwood part of all this is the potential. But it’s potential in the context of their plan. The plan is still run the football, the plan is still force you to quit.”

Lindsey spoke about his vision for the Michigan offense this spring, saying that the plan was to build the system around the talents and strengths of the guys on the roster.

“I think you always tailor your offense according to your players, the strength of your players,” he said in March. “When I was a high school coach, you don’t really know what you’re getting every year. So you’ve got to do that. But I think that’s where this spring is going to be about is really establishing kind of our foundation of our offense and figuring out who does what. Do we need to move this guy inside to guard or is he really a tackle? Can he he operate in space against a pass rush? Same thing with the wide out position. Is he better playing inside or outside? With our system, I think we’ll have the flexibility to play guys where we want.

“That’s what’s the beauty about spring is letting these guys get on the field and just play. And I think Coach Moore started off we’re going to be really simple early on trying to just let them play. Who can block, who can tackle, who can run routes, who can get open, who can make throws? That’s what I’m excited about. Now, after four or five days, I’m sure we’ll get going. Wink is licking his chops, I’m sure to do his deal. But at the same time, at the end of the day, it’s about blocking and tackling. Football still, that’s the way it’s played. Then the guys that do it the best are the guys that’ll be on the field.”