Kyle Whittingham: Michigan Football is a ‘little thin’ at this position

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Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham likes what he has in the Wolverines’ secondary heading into the 2026 season, but there appears to be one glaring issue entering fall camp.

Speaking with Michigan alumnus Rich Eisen on his TV show on Monday, Whittingham acknowledged that while there is plenty of talent on the back end of the defense, it is still a relatively unproven group.

“Little thin in the secondary as far as guys that have accumulated a lot of reps,” Whittingham said. “Same with linebacker — we’ve got some really good young players but not a lot of reps accrued in that position group either.”

It’s an interesting assessment considering the Wolverines have several players capable of earning national recognition this year and being taken in the NFL Draft next spring. But it sounds like Whittingham’s concern isn’t necessarily the top of the depth chart, but what’s behind it.

“Defense in general — Jay Hill is a proven commodity on the defensive side of the ball as a coordinator,” Whittingham said. “And we’ve got some good players; a little thin at some positions, but I think the top 11 players are going to be very formidable.”

Whittingham’s comments are even more interesting after reading a report that was published on Wednesday by On3’s Chris Balas ($). Balas reported that Michigan’s coaching staff believes the secondary has the potential to be one of the team’s strengths when healthy. That starts with sixth-year safety Rod Moore, who is eager to return to form after missing most of the last two seasons while recovering from multiple knee surgeries.

“He is feeling better than he’s felt in two years,” Whittingham said of Moore, per Balas. “He’s ready to go. So knock on wood, hopefully he’s able to make it through the season because he’s a difference maker for us.”

Moore would give Michigan an experienced leader in the secondary, having played college football since 2021, but several key contributors around him still have relatively limited starting experience.

Memphis safety transfer Chris Bracy impressed throughout the spring and is expected to compete for a starting job alongside Moore, but he’s also never played at this level of football. Additionally, per Balas, Hill has been encouraged by the development of Mason Curtis and Jordan Young, though both still need to be more consistent.

At cornerback, Michigan appears set with one of the better starting tandems in the conference. Jyaire Hill returns after starting all of last season, and expectations continue to be high for him. Meanwhile, Utah transfer Smith Snowden is expected to start opposite Hill, which means Zeke Berry is slated to see snaps at the nickel spot. It would not surprise to see Snowden and others play nickel on certain plays and in different formations as well.

“Outside, we’ve got Jyaire Hill, a tremendous corner,” Whittingham said, per Balas. “And Smith Snowden, he’ll play the opposite corner of Jyaire. We think those two guys are really special.”

The Wolverines are also expecting a significant jump from sophomore cornerback Shamari Earls, who is projected to be among the first defensive backs off the bench this year. A couple others to watch for this season include junior safety Jacob Oden and junior cornerback Jo’Ziah Edmond.

Whittingham’s comments highlight a challenge that Michigan faces entering the 2026 season. The Wolverines may possess one of the most talented starting secondaries in the country, but much of that confidence depends on the starters staying healthy and the depth behind them gaining experience.

As fall camp gets underway next week, developing dependable depth behind the starters in the secondary could be one of Michigan’s biggest priorities. If the coaching staff is successful in doing that, the Wolverines’ secondary could be one of the best in the country in 2026.

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