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Michigan

Michigan football's offensive leaders, stats predicted by AI

Anthony Broomeby: Anthony Broome05/06/25anthonytbroome
Bryce Underwood is the heavy favorite to start at QB for Michigan. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Bryce Underwood is the heavy favorite to start at QB for Michigan. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Michigan Wolverines have undergone an offensive transformation this offseason with a freshman quarterback phenom in Bryce Underwood and a new offensive coordinator/position coach in Chip Lindsey.

The hope is that the duo can be the face of a renaissance of balance while entering a new era of the program. That said, Lindsey and Michigan will adjust its offense to what it does well.

“I think you always tailor your offense according to your players and the strength of your players,” Lindsey said this spring. “When I was a high school coach, you didn’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.”

What could the production look like on the field for Michigan’s offensive stars this year? We asked ChatGPT to take a shot at it. The app said it accounted for 13 games (12 regular-season and 1 postseason game, either a bowl or first-round College Football Playoff appearance).

Quarterback: Bryce Underwood (Fr.)

Stats: 3,020 yards, 27 touchdowns, 10 interceptions (63% completion), 350 yards rushing, 4 touchdowns

Underwood’s projected passing yardage total would move him into third-place all-time for a single season at Michigan behind John Navarre (3,331 yards, 2003), Shea Patterson (3,061, 2019) and ahead of Jake Rudock (3,017, 2015). It would also make him one of four players in program history to throw for 3,000 or more yards in a season. He would also break Chad Henne’s single-season freshman passing yardage record of 2,743.

Should Underwood eclipse 25 touchdowns or more, as the projection states, he would set the new single-season record for passing touchdowns at U-M.

Running backs: Jordan Marshall (So.) and Justice Haynes (Jr.)

Stats:
– Marshall: 200 carries for 1,040 yards, 10 touchdowns, 15 catches for 110 yards, TD
– Haynes: 160 carries for 880 yards, 8 touchdowns, 20 carries for 180 yards, 2 TD

ChatGPT initially had Haynes way out in front with almost two-thirds of the carries, so we had it dial it back with Jordan Marshall taking 50% of the carries and Justice Haynes getting around 40% to reflect more of a timeshare. We gave a nod to Marshall, given that he was with Michigan last year.

Wide receivers: Donoven McCulley (Gr.), Fredrick Moore (Jr.), Semaj Morgan (Jr.), Anthony Simpson (Gr.)

Stats:
– McCulley: 58 catches for 930 yards and 8 touchdowns
– Morgan: 44 catches for 630 yards and 5 touchdowns
– Moore: 40 catches for 620 yards and 5 touchdowns
– Simpson: 22 catches for 310 yards and 2 touchdowns

One of the data points we used in helping the simulation was the assumption that Donaven McCulley will wind up being the team’s No. 1 wide receiver. Semaj Morgan and Fredrick Moore are neck-and-neck for the next tier. We asked ChatGPT to pick a WR4 of the available contestants and it went with Anthony Simpson, given his experience and versatility over freshmen Jamar Browder and Andrew Marsh.

Tight ends: Marlin Klein (Sr.) and Hogan Hansen (So.)

Stats:
– Klein: 28 catches for 380 yards and 4 touchdowns
– Hansen: 20 catches for 290 yards and 2 touchdowns

We expect Marlin Klein and Hogan Hansen to be a 1-2 punch at tight end for Michigan this fall. It would not be a surprise to see Hansen have a true breakout season, but the simulation gave Klein the edge, given his experience and veteran status within the room.

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