The Michigan Insider

In this episode, Zach Shaw and Steve Lorenz break down the Michigan football team’s 21-18 win over Penn State, in which the Wolverines switched quarterbacks at halftime, forced three second-half turnovers and snapped a two-game losing skid with their first Big Ten win of the season. They open with a look at Michigan's offense, which was a tale of two halves with Bryce Underwood and then Tommy Carr playing as quarterback. They discuss why the run game looked better, what Carr did and did not do well, how they would handle Michigan's quarterback situation moving forward and more observations from the offensive side of the ball.In the second half of the episode, they look at the Wolverines' defensive performance. They discuss Michigan's three takeaways, fourth-quarter struggles, dominant run defense, improved pass-rush and some issues in coverage.They close with a discussion on how the win changes their view on Michigan's upcoming slate of games, including Indiana next week.

In this episode, Zach Shaw and Steve Lorenz break down the Michigan football team's home matchup against Penn State, and the keys for the Wolverines to get back into the win column against a slumping Nittany Lions squad.They open up with a look at the Wolverines' offense. They discuss what needs to change for Michigan's run game to find more success, and the impact that could have on the rest of the offense. They also discuss turnovers, Bryce Underwood's attempt to bounce back, and the holes in Penn State's defense.In the second half of the episode, they look at the keys for Michigan's defense. They break down the Nittany Lions' offense, the importance for the Wolverines to reignite their pass-rush and clean up their tackling, Michigan's success stopping the run and the Wolverines' fourth-quarter dilemma so far.They close the episode with other factors to watch, and their score predictions for the game.

Michigan is reeling, Bryce Underwood is under fire, and the coaching staff is facing mounting scrutiny. What better time to bring back Steady Droppin’ Dimes! Sam Webb and former Michigan point guard Daniel Horton launch the new season with outspoken former Michigan defensive backs coach and former Louisville and Texas defensive coordinator Vance Bedford, who’s filling in while the search for a permanent football voice continues.Vance brings the same candor and intensity that defined his coaching career, offering an unfiltered perspective on Michigan’s struggles and the difficult decisions ahead.Is Bryce Underwood REALLY Michigan’s biggest problem, or are the coaches setting him up to fail? Vance delivers a pointed critique of the offensive scheme, the overuse of Rhino personnel, the failure to establish a downhill running game, and the lack of adjustments against defenses teeing off on Michigan’s young quarterback. He also challenges Kyle Whittingham and his staff to adapt their system to the talent on hand.But Underwood isn’t getting a free pass. Sam examines Bryce’s struggles under pressure, his breakdowns in composure, and whether he can correct those problems before Michigan is forced to consider a quarterback change. Daniel offers a former five-star athlete’s perspective, questioning whether the coaching staff is doing enough to develop its most important player.And the concerns extend well beyond quarterback. The crew also tackles Zack Marshall’s leaked messages, growing questions about offensive coordinator Jason Beck, Whittingham’s public criticism of play-calling, and the danger of losing the locker room. Vance also lays out what needs to change during the bye week before Michigan faces Penn State.(00:00) – Steady Droppin’ Dimes Returns With Vance Bedford(05:56) – Vance Says Michigan Has to Build the Offense Around Its Actual Players(08:00) – Vance Says Michigan’s Rhino and Wildcat Packages Make Life Easier for Defenses(13:32) – Vance Says Michigan Failed to Adjust to Minnesota’s Pressure(15:27) – Vance Says Michigan’s Defense Has Its Own Five-Minute Problem(21:05) – Daniel Says Michigan Has to Rebuild Bryce’s Confidence(24:57) – Daniel Pushes Back on Attacks on Bryce’s Intelligence and Work Ethic(27:57) – Vance Explains Exactly How He Would Attack Michigan’s Rhino Package(31:20) – Bryce’s Costly Final Throw and Michigan’s Unused Timeouts(36:17) – Vance Says the Best Cure for Quarterback Pressure Starts With the Run Game(38:12) – Vance Says Many Successful College QBs Aren’t Making Full-Field Reads(41:07) – Vance Says Michigan’s Problems Belong to the Entire Program(43:40) – Daniel Compares Bryce’s Situation to Vince Young’s Early Development(45:45) – Vance Says Michigan’s Coaches Have to Adjust to the Big Ten(48:17) – Bryce’s Composure, Footwork, and Job Security(51:07) – Zack Marshall’s Leaked Messages Reveal a Larger Locker-Room Concern(54:45) – Vance Gives Michigan His Immediate Offensive Prescription(57:14) – Daniel Questions Whether Changing QBs Actually Solves the Development Problem(1:01:49) – Can Bryce Handle Pressure and a Real Quarterback Competition?(1:14:03) – Vance Lays Out His Complete Bye-Week Reset for Michigan(1:23:29) – Q&A Turns to Tommy Carr and the Quarterback Decision(1:28:19) – Vance Completely Rejects Michigan’s Wildcat Approach(1:31:18) – Vance Explains How He Would Attack Michigan’s Defense(1:32:08) – The Panel Discusses the Consequences if Bryce Transfers(1:34:03) – Vance Says One Bye Week Is Enough to Change the Running Game(1:38:13) – Vance Says Switching Quarterbacks Will Not Fix a Bad Offensive Fit(1:44:30) – Vance and Daniel Give Their Advice to Bryce as Parents(1:50:25) – Daniel Questions Whether Michigan’s Offensive System Fits Bryce(1:55:08) – Horton and Bedford Call for a Complete Michigan Reset

Shea Patterson joins The Michigan Insider to analyze the football team's performance following recent losses. The discussion focuses on offensive struggles, the importance of pocket presence under pressure, and potential tactical adjustments during the bye week to improve situational play.(0:00) Shea Patterson joins after Michigan's second straight loss(2:41) Bryce's struggles under pressure and the first interception(8:05) The final play and the protection breakdown on the second interception(14:19) Rhino personnel and safeties crowding the box(24:37) How Michigan can get its quarterback comfortable again(31:42) Shea's own benching at Wisconsin and the bye-week outlook

Michigan went to Minneapolis needing a response after its late collapse against Iowa. Instead, the Wolverines delivered an even more alarming sequel. In this week's Michigan Insider Postgame Recap, Sam Webb, Josh Newkirk and Alejandro Zuniga dissect Michigan's disappointing 20-14 loss to Minnesota — a game in which a 14-7 halftime lead unraveled amid three second-half turnovers, another costly special-teams mistake and an offense that again failed to find answers once momentum turned. The discussion digs into an offensive attack that still lacks a dependable identity, Michigan's continued struggles to establish a downhill running game, Bryce Underwood's regression after showing encouraging progress against Iowa, and several troubling examples of players appearing to be on different pages — from questionable zone-read/RPO execution to snap-count breakdowns and recurring communication issues. Webb, Newkirk and Zuniga also examine perhaps the biggest concern of all: Michigan's inability to adjust when games begin slipping away. While Minnesota changed its approach after halftime to counter Michigan's pressure, the Wolverines never found a comparable offensive answer, leaving a defense that forced turnovers and produced a touchdown increasingly exhausted by repeated short fields and extended time on the field. Now Michigan enters its bye week at 3-2 with Kyle Whittingham promising to reassess everything — personnel, scheme and even the coaching staff — after calling the offensive performance unacceptable. With Penn State waiting on the other side of the break, the conversation shifts from diagnosing another collapse to a bigger question: What does Michigan need to change before a disappointing start becomes a lost season?(00:00) Michigan Suffers Another Second-Half Collapse Against Minnesota(03:54) Michigan's East-West Run Game Fails to Adjust to Minnesota(04:19) Michigan's Offense Looks Completely Out of Sync(06:18) Michigan Still Has Not Established an Offensive Identity(08:17) Bryce Underwood Regresses After His Strong Iowa Performance(10:43) Repeated Miscommunication Becomes a Coaching Issue(13:05) Michigan Has to Reevaluate Personnel and Scheme During the Bye Week(13:54) Whittingham Says Michigan Will Reassess Everything(16:46) Michigan May Have More Talent but It Has Not Earned the Results(18:08) Michigan Needs Real In-Game Offensive Adjustments(21:16) Heavy Rhino Usage May Be Limiting Michigan's Passing Game(23:02) Mic ...

Michigan's margin for error is gone. After giving away a game it largely controlled against Iowa, the Wolverines head into their first road test against Minnesota needing to fix the self-inflicted mistakes before they derail the season. On this week's Michigan Football Breakdown, The Michigan Insider's Sam Webb, Al Borges and Ron English dissect the stunning 20-19 loss, from Bryce Underwood's best performance of the season and an improving offensive line to the breakdowns that erased that progress. Michigan piled up 429 yards to Iowa's 285, but eight penalties for 75 yards repeatedly put the offense behind the chains, a turnover and failed 4th &amp; 1 left points on the field, a 99-yard kickoff return surrendered seven more, and a critical personal foul helped extend Iowa's game-winning drive. The crew also examines Michigan's conservative four-minute offense and the defensive issues that surfaced late — poor eye discipline, missed tackles, inconsistent rush lanes, missed interception opportunities, and the coverage approach on the decisive touchdown. Michigan made plenty of progress against Iowa, but it now has to prove it can pair that progress with cleaner, more disciplined football in a must-win matchup at Minnesota.(00:00) Borges and English React to Michigan's Frustrating Iowa Loss(02:44) Borges Says Bryce Played His Best Game but Michigan Beat Itself(08:03) Borges Identifies the Plays That Cost Michigan the Game(13:40) Ron Says Michigan's Defense Is Talented but Undisciplined(17:37) Borges and English Explain How Michigan Has to Fix Its Discipline(25:09) The Coaches Discuss Whittingham Publicly Questioning Key Calls(30:20) Borges Explains Exactly How He Would Handle Four-Minute Offense(36:09) English Breaks Down Michigan's Final Defensive Call(44:08) Ron Reconstructs Iowa's Final Drive and Finds Multiple Defensive Breakdowns(52:41) The Panel Returns to Michigan's Larger Discipline Problem(59:34) Borges and English Find Plenty of Positives Beneath the Loss(1:04:37) Borges and English Give Their Grades(1:09:17) Borges and English Refuse to Blame the Officials(1:15:04) Borges Defends Michigan's Running Backs(1:17:05) <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer ...

Michigan let one get away against Iowa — and the frustrating part is Bryce Underwood may have taken his biggest step forward yet. In his second week as The Michigan Insider’s Monday Morning Quarterback, former Michigan QB Shea Patterson joins Sam Webb to break down the Wolverines’ stunning 20-19 loss and the mistakes that turned a winnable game into a painful defeat. Patterson details Underwood’s improved footwork, pocket presence and growing command of the offense, plus why Michigan’s game plan finally appeared to fully tap into its young quarterback’s strengths. But the progress was overshadowed by eight penalties for 75 yards, costly personal fouls, red-zone failures and an alarming lack of discipline that ultimately helped sink the Wolverines. Webb and Patterson also tackle the decisions sure to fuel debate: Should Michigan have put the ball in Underwood’s hands with a chance to close the game? Did the Wolverines get too conservative late? And what went wrong defensively on Iowa’s decisive 91-yard touchdown drive? It’s a deep dive into an encouraging performance from Underwood, a crushing Michigan loss, and the correctable mistakes they must fix before they cost the Wolverines again.(00:00) – Shea Patterson Reacts to Michigan's Painful Iowa Loss(06:11) – Shea Says Michigan Should Have Trusted Bryce on the Final Drive(11:13) – Shea Likes Bryce's Competitive Fire With the Coaches(17:21) – Shea Calls the Iowa Game Bryce Underwood's Best Yet(19:10) – Bryce Is Learning to Keep His Eyes Downfield(22:29) – Shea Explains Four-Minute Offense and Why Michigan Needed More Aggression(25:15) – Shea Explains How Michigan Must Respond to a Loss Like Iowa(34:23) – Shea Wants More Drop-Back Passing Against Minnesota(40:38) – Shea Says Michigan Has to Stay Together After Iowa(47:08) – Shea Explains How Bryce Is Adjusting to the Speed of the Game(54:57) – Overtime Returns to Michigan's Penalty Problem(1:03:34) – Shea and Sam Defend Michigan's Running Game Against Iowa(1:18:07) – Finishing Drives Becomes Michigan's Next Offensive Priority(1:25:32) – End of Show

Michigan had been flirting with disaster for weeks. Against Iowa, it finally caught up with the Wolverines. In the latest Michigan Insider Postgame Recap, Sam Webb Josh Newkirk dissect a gut-wrenching 20-19 loss in which penalties, missed opportunities, and an inability to finish overwhelmed some of Michigan's most encouraging football of the season. Bryce Underwood delivered arguably his best performance yet; the offensive line moved Iowa's highly regarded defense for much of the game — but eight penalties, a costly special-teams breakdown, and squandered chances kept the Hawkeyes alive. Then Michigan failed to put the game away late and watched its defense surrender a stunning 91-yard game-winning drive. The TMI crew breaks down the mistakes that turned a winnable game into a crushing loss, the progress they can build on, and the discipline problems that will keep it from happening if they aren't corrected soon.(00:00) Michigan Lets a Winnable Game Slip Away Against Iowa(04:11) Penalties and Missed Opportunities Keep Iowa Alive(07:09) Michigan Leaves Too Many Game-Changing Plays on the Field(09:41) Michigan's Defense Fails Its Biggest Test but the Run Game Shows Progress(12:30) Michigan's Defense Does Not Finish Like an Elite Unit(13:55) Michigan's Leaders Publicly Demand More Accountability(16:12) Bryce and Michigan's Offense Show Their Most Encouraging Signs Yet(17:50) Michigan Cannot Let the Iowa Loss Snowball(19:57) Every Phase of Michigan Contributed to the Loss(21:18) Michigan's Next Goal Is Simply to Play a Clean Football Game(23:00) Sam Says Penalties Were the Difference Against Iowa(23:52) Michigan Has to Reset and Respond Against Minnesota(25:38) End of Show

Michigan football enjoyed a comfortable win over UTEP to close its non-conference slate with an unblemished record, but as Kyle Whittingham acknowledged, "the gauntlet starts this week."&nbsp;The Wolverines host 17th-ranked Iowa on Saturday at the Big House on Saturday as Big Ten play begins. Kickoff is set for 3:36 p.m. ET, and the game will air nationally on CBS.&nbsp; The Hawkeyes are making their first trip to the Big House since 2019 and just their third since 2012. They're seeking their first conference road victory over a ranked opponent since 2015. David Eickholt of The Hawkeye Insider on 247Sports joins the show to tell us what to expect from them in the Big Ten opener.

A new quarterback takes the MMQB chair as former Michigan signal-caller Shea Patterson joins The Michigan Insider's Sam Webb for his debut episode to break down Bryce Underwood's continued growth in Michigan's 52-17 win over UTEP. Patterson goes inside the details of Underwood's encouraging performance and then the focus shifts to No. 17 Iowa and the start of Big Ten play, as Patterson explains how Underwood can attack the Hawkeyes' disciplined defense, why stressing their safeties could unlock Michigan's play-action game, and where the Wolverines may find opportunities to finally make defenses pay for crowding the line of scrimmage. It's a quarterback-focused look at the latest sign of progress and the next step he'll need to take as Michigan enters conference play.(00:00) Shea Patterson Takes Over Monday Morning Quarterback(04:21) Shea on Five-Star Pressure and Coming to Michigan(07:33) Shea Says Bryce Underwood Is Getting Better Every Week(09:55) Michigan Puts More Back on Bryce's Plate Against UTEP(12:54) Bryce's Reads and Arm Talent Show Real Progress(20:18) Andrew Marsh and JJ Buchanan Can Make Life Easier for Bryce(24:50) Shea Remembers the Pressure of Being Michigan's Quarterback(28:42) Shea's Biggest Coaching Priority for Bryce Before Iowa(31:31) Bryce Looks Much More Comfortable Diagnosing Defenses(38:01) Shea Explains How He Would Attack Iowa's Defense(40:35) Ball Security Becomes Critical Before Big Ten Play(42:35) Shea Reflects on His Favorite Michigan Memories(47:48) Overtime Q&amp;A Begins(50:20) Shea Believes Bryce Can Continue Expanding as a Passer(51:36) Shea Names the Receivers Who Made His Job Easiest(53:47) Shea Shares His Favorite Harbaugh Story and Toughest Road Environments(57:08) Shea Explains Learning When to Climb the Pocket(1:00:31) <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/wa ...

Michigan shook off a sloppy start and eventually delivered the domination expected in a 52-17 win over UTEP, but what did the performance reveal about the Wolverines heading into Big Ten play? The Michigan Insider’s Sam Webb and Josh Newkirk break down Bryce Underwood’s encouraging step forward as Michigan put more on his plate with RPOs and dropback passing, plus the emergence of Andrew Marsh and J.J. Buchanan as a dangerous receiving tandem. They also examine the continued ball-security concerns, a reshuffled offensive line, and a running game that finally found its footing after halftime. On the other side of the ball, Michigan’s defense overcame a few early breakdowns before overwhelming UTEP, with the Wolverines’ increasingly impressive front-seven depth taking center stage. And after young standouts like Tommy Carr got their chance to flash late, Webb and Newkirk assess where Michigan made real progress, what still needs cleaning up, and what it all means with a much bigger test against Iowa looming.(01:17) – Bryce Underwood Shows More Passing Progress(05:19) – Getting Andrew Marsh the Football Was Clearly a Priority(13:07) – Michigan’s Defensive Line Hype Looks Real(19:47) – Webb Believes Tommy Carr Is Going to Be a Player(22:57) – Michigan Finishes Non-Conference Play 3-0

Michigan welcomes the UTEP Miners to the Big House for the first-ever meeting of the two programs. The Wolverines are Miners are on opposite sides of the FBS spectrum: One has more wins than any other program in college football, while the other has just two conference titles in more than 110 seasons of play.Bret Bloomquist of the El Paso Times has covered the UTEP Miners for two decades. He joins the show to give us the inside scoop of what to expect from Scotty Walden's team at Michigan Stadium this weekend.

In this episode, Zach Shaw and Steve Lorenz break down the Michigan football team's win over No. 11 Oklahoma. In the episode, they look at what the Wolverines did on both sides of the ball to pull off the upset win, and what it means for Michigan moving forward. In the first half of the episode, they look at Michigan's offense, and what changed from a week ago to yield better results. They discuss the Wolverines' gritty yet creative ground game, Bryce Underwood's dual-threat usage, Underwood's improved steadiness and other factors, as well as what the progress means for Michigan's season. In the second half of the episode, they look at the defensive side of the ball, and discuss what enabled Michigan to play so well against Oklahoma's offense. They look at an elite game in the secondary, strong pushes up front and breakout players from the game. Along the way, they consider where Michigan could be even better moving forward, and what to make of the Wolverines' two seemingly different performances so far.