Michigan football started out spring ball on Tuesday and had its first of 15 practices (including the spring game on April 19) in preparation for the 2025 season. The deeper side of the ball between offense and defense definitely appears to be the latter as the majority of players who will either start or be in deep rotation dominated in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama in December.

If it’s true a positive performance in a bowl game can be a springboard into the next season, then Michigan’s defensive players must be feeling pretty good.