Here's what the new coach will get to work with in 2015

          
        


Starting with the best units and working our way back to the weakest, here is how the roster stands going into the off-season workouts. Overall, it is a solid collection of talent. The major problem going forward is the question mark hanging over the quarterback position. More on that later.

Highlighted name indicates that individual gained some starting experience in 2014. Actually, there are over 30 players returning in 2015 with some quality PT on their resumes. Most of them will still be underclassmen so there is no reason to think this team can't make huge strides in the next two seasons.

Michigan Football Roster Outlook for 2015:

DT Bryan Mone

Defensive Tackle - By far the most loaded position group on the team is the interior of the D-line. Sophomore Ryan Glasgow and freshman Bryan Mone split time at the nose and both were big reasons the team was 15th in the nation against the rush. Sophomores Willie Henry and Chris Wormley each had six starts at the other tackle spot and both performed very well too. Henry was one of our best overall defenders through the first half of the season before suffering an arm injury. Wormley and Godin could both move over to play end if needed. Size will not be an issue as the entire group averages about 6'4" and 300 lbs. There is also enough depth to run three or four deep here too.
DT - Willie Henry (RJr) 6'2" 298 lbs, Chris Wormley (RJr) 6'4" 295 lbs, Mathew Godin (RJr) 6'6" 286, Maurice Hurst Jr (RSo) 6'2" 285 lbs.
NT - Ryan Glasgow (RJr) 6'4" 296 lbs, Bryan Mone (So) 6'4" 315, Ondre Pipkins (Sr) 6'3" 315 lbs, Brady Pallante (RFr) 6'1" 270 lbs

Linebacker - Yes, Jake Ryan exits Ann Arbor, but plenty of talent returns. Joe Bolden was the second leading tackler behind Ryan. Both he and Desmond Morgan will share the weak-side spot and provide veteran leadership. Seniors James Ross III and Royce Jenkins Stone will both also return on the other side after sharing the SAM position in Mattison's defense. Junior Ben Gedeon has been called "freak" by some teammates, due to his athletic ability. He and sophomore Mike McCray should both fill in at the middle and take over where Jake Ryan left off. It appears there will be at least a few other young guys available to provide a decent third-string as well. This should be one of the deepest groups in the Big Ten.
OLB - Joe Bolden (Sr) 6'3" 230 lbs, Desmond Morgan (5thSr) 6'1" 232 lbs, Nick Benda (RJr) 6'0" 220 lbs/Dan Liesman (RJr) 6'2" 229 lbs
MLB - Ben Gedeon (Jr) 6'3" 240 lbs, Mike McCray II (RSo) 6'4", 241 lbs, Noah Furbush (Fr) 6'4" 215 lbs.
OLB - James Ross III (Sr) 6'1" 225 lbs, Royce Jenkins-Stone (Sr) 6'2" 235 lbs, Allan Gant (RJr) 6'2" 223 lbs, Jared Wangler (Fr) 6'1" 220 lbs/Chase Winovich (Fr) 6'3" 220 lbs

RB Derrick Green

Running Back -  With a plethora of talent to choose from the new coaching staff will not be short on quality ball-carriers to power their respective offense. This will be one of the deepest backfields in the Big Ten as there are four or five guys that would be starters at many other schools. Green and Isaac were both considered five-star recruits in high school so keep your eyes on them. Johnson looked like the best back down the stretch in 2014, but he needs to recover from an ACL injury suffered against Ohio State before trying to compete for the starting job again.
RB - Derrick Green (Jr) 5'11" 220 lbs, De'Veon Smith (Jr) 5'11" 220 lbs, Drake Johnson (Jr) 6'0" 211 lbs, Ty Isaac (RSo) 5'11" 225 lbs, Justice Hayes (5thSr) 5'10" 194 lbs.

Cornerback - At times Jourdan Lewis looked like the best player on the team and he played admirably throughout the year. He will most-likely nail down one of the starting jobs before spring is through and could emerge as one of the best corners in the conference next fall. Blake Countess wasn't able to live up to the hype of the #2 jersey but he wasn't horrible either. Look for him to be just fine as a starter or at the nickel in his final season. Of course, everybody is waiting to see uber-athlete Jabrill Peppers in some real game action. He suffered a leg injury early in the season and received a redshirt so expect him to be out to prove himself in 2015. Keeping all three guys healthy will go a long way towards shutting down the perimeter and matching up with spread option teams. There might be just enough depth with Richardson and Stribling to help out if somebody goes down, but adding a couple recruits here this year is somewhat critical.
CB - Jourdan Lewis (Jr) 5'9" 179, Blake Countess (5thSr) 5'10" 185 lbs, Jabrill Peppers (RFr) 6'0" 205 lbs, Terry Richardson (RJr) 5'9" 170 lbs, Channing Stribling (Jr) 6'2" 180 lbs, AJ Person (RJr) 6'0" 193 lbs/Reon Dawson (RSo) 6'2" 178 lbs.

Safety -  Nobody really jumps out at either safety spot, but the group as a whole was another big reason the defense was so good. They helped out a lot against the run but gave up some big plays against lesser opponents in the passing game (see Rutgers). They should improve this offseason though. Everybody that started or played extensively in 2014 will be back to field a deep, well-seasoned group of sound tacklers. More turnovers would be nice but beggars can't be choosers here.
FS - Jarrod Wilson (Sr) 6'2" 200 lbs, Brandon Watson (RFr) 5'10" 188 lbs
SS - Delano Hill (RJR) 6'0" 205 lbs, Jeremy Clark ((RJr) 6'4" 205 lbs, Dymonte Thomas (Jr) 6'2" 195 lbs

TE Jake Butt

Tight End - Jake Butt might be the go-to guy in the receiving game now that Funchess is gone. A.J. Williams and Keith Heitzman will both return for another stint as blockers, although Heitzman flashed some ability in the open field when given the opportunity. Kahlid Hill also threw his weight around effectively early in the season and could contribute more if he can stay healthy. Having four guys with some starting experience is nice, but at this point there isn't much proven receiving threats in the arsenal at tight end. The 6'7" Bunting might eventually develop into that, but he might need to bulk up a bit more or learn to play wide-out in order to make a difference.
TE - Jake Butt (Jr) 6'5" 250 lbs, A.J. Williams (Sr) 6'4" 260 lbs, Keith Heitzman (5thSr) 6'3" 270 lbs, Kahlid Hill (6'3", 235 lbs), Michael Jocz (RJr) 6'4" 234 lbs, Ian Bunting (6'7", 230 lbs)

Defensive End - Taco Charlton and Mario Ojemudia will probably be the starters next fall. Ojemudia took over at right end late in the year and was one of the team's top pass-rushers. Both guys should be ready for increased roles this spring. Depth is unproven but Wormley and Godin can help out here if needed. Marshall was a four star prospect in high school and might be able to provide some depth on the weak-side. TE Keith Heitzman could even play end too if things got real desperate. Overall, UM has the makings of a decent group here for the next year or two, but some new recruits are definitely needed in order to boost depth and develop for the future.
RDE - Mario Ojemudia (Sr) 6'3" 251 lbs, Lawrence Marshall (RFr) 6'4" 241 lbs
LDE -  Taco Charlton (Jr) 6'6" 275 lbs, Wormley/Godin, Henry Poggi (RSo) 6'4" 270 lbs/Tom Strobel (RJr) 6'6" 265 lbs

Offensive Line - I am banking on the idea that this young group will begin to grow and gel together more with another off-season under their belts. There is no question the raw talent is there to have a formidable line, and they showed signs of developing as the season went on, but they still need more work. I am a firm believer that 2015 will be a breakout year along the line and don't be surprised if Michigan is one of the top rushing teams in the Big Ten.
LT - Mason Cole (So) 6'5" 295 lbs, Erik Magnussen (RJr) 6'6" 294 lbs/Dan Samuelson (RSo) 6'5" 293 lbs
LG - Graham Glasgow (5thSr) 6'6" 311 lbs, Erik Magnussen (RJr) 6'6" 294 lbs
C - Jack Miller (5thSr) 6'4" 300 lbs, Patrick Kugler (RSo) 6'5" 299 lbs, Blake Bars (RJr) 6'6" 294 lbs
RG - Kyle Kalis (RJr) 6'5" 305 lbs, David Dawson (RSo) 6'4" 296 lbs, Chris Fox (RSo) 6'6" 309 lbs
RT - Ben Braden (RJr) 6'6" 322 lbs, Logan Tuley-Tillman (RSo) 6'7" 290 lbs, Juwann Bushell-Beatty (RFr) 6'6" 320 lbs,

FB Joe Kerridge

Fullback - Senior Joe Kerridge, a former walk-on, should be the starter. He is a gritty throw-back player that is adept at blocking and can occasionally catch the ball out of the backfield as well. Houma and Shallman both have a little game experience and provide decent depth at a position whose future is in doubt with the program if the new coach brings a spread offense.
FB -  Joe Kerridge (5thSr) 6'0" 244 lbs, Sione Houma (Sr) 6'0" 242 lbs, Wyatt Shallman (RSo) 6'3" 239 lbs

Wide Receiver - The team is in better position here than it might seem to some fans, but with Devin Funchess heading to the NFL some young guys will have to step up. Darboh looks like he could be a number one receiver after hauling in 36 passes in his first full healthy season with the team, but only time will tell us if he is up to the challenge of being "the guy". Chesson, Dever, Canteen, Norfleet, and Jones all have some game experience, but none have shown any true game-breaking ability yet. Ways and Harris could both help in providing some solutions at the position as well. I have a good feeling that this group will surprise a lot people in 2015. Overall, there is enough raw talent and experience to field a solid two-deep rotation.
WR - Amara Darboh (RJr) 6'2" 212 lbs, Jehu Chesson (RJr) 6'3" 197 lbs, Freddy Canteen (So) 6'1" 176 lbs, Dennis Norfleet (Sr) 5'7" 170 lbs, Bo Dever (RJr) 6'2" 199 lbs, DaMario Jones (Jr) 6'2" 196 lbs, Juron Dukes (RSo) 6'4" 197 lbs, Maurice Ways (RFr) 6'4" 195 lbs, Drake Harris (RFr) 6'4" 176 lbs, Jonathan Keizer (5th Sr) 6'5" 219 lbs/Jack Wangler (RSo) 6'1" 196 lbs

Quarterback -  The most important position on the team was the weakest link in 2014, as fifth-year senior Devin Gardner laid an egg all season long and backup Shane Morris looked even worse when given a chance. Yes, some of it was on the poor play along the line and lots of dropped balls by receivers, but Michigan's play at QB was just downright atrocious. There will obviously be some competition for the job now that Gardner is finally gone. We are all hoping for some addition by subtraction here and we can only hope that Morris puts it all together to become the guy that everyone envisioned when he was a highly-touted recruit. If not, we might be pinning our hopes on a freshman next season. Maybe Braxton Miller will graduate early and transfer over for his fifth season? Yeah right! At least expect some heavy recruitment going on at this position in the near future. However, the Wolverines do have a couple four-star guys already committed for 2015 and 2016, so they might be in good position already. A lot will also depend on the new system brought in with the new coach.
QB - Shane Morris (Jr) 6'3" 204 lbs, Wilton Speight (RFr) 6'6" 235 lbs, Russell Bellomy (RSr) 6'3" 200 lbs, Brian Cleary (RJr) 6'3" 212 lbs/Alex Swieca (5thSr) 6'1" 210 lbs