Michigan may finally have a reason to thank its old rival. The Buckeyes are the only team that’s managed to make Washington’s Desmond Williams Jr. look human, and Michigan’s Wink Martindale would be smart to take notes for their next match-up. Stopping Williams is no small task. For every defensive coordinator who’s faced him this year, the Washington quarterback has been a nightmare in motion.

On October 17, on the Joel Klatt Show, FOX analyst Joel Klatt sounded the alarm for Michigan’s defense, warning Wink Martindale about what’s coming their way. “Now, how will Michigan decide to spy or defend Dean Williams remains to be seen.” Klatt wondered. “This guy can fly, man. He’s a bit like Kyler Murray light, really quick, short-area burst, throws well when he’s got protection, and he’s surrounded by legit playmakers.”

And the comparison to Murray makes complete sense. At the same stage of Murray’s campaign, he had thrown for 1,764 yards, rushed for 377, and completed 71.1% of his passes, nearly identical efficiency (Williams notched 1,628 yards through six games). Williams has already joined elite company and is being compared to football greats. He is one of just two players in college football history to throw for 400 yards and rush for 140 in the same game. The other? Lamar Jackson. And with a 74.1% completion rate and highlight reels full of broken tackles, Williams has vaulted himself into the Heisman conversation. Won’t be an exaggeration to say that Williams has defensive coordinator Wink Martindale sleeping with one eye open.

“They can obviously watch Ohio State, who did an excellent job against Demond Williams in Washington with their defense. But let’s face it, Michigan’s defense does not resemble Ohio State’s defense.” Klatt warned. “They don’t have the length and speed in their linebacker core that Ohio State does. So, the structure of this defense may have to change just a little bit to account for the quarterback.”

It was the only game where Williams failed to terrorize the defense; he was sacked six times and finished with minus-22 rushing yards. Running back Jonah Coleman and receiver Denzel Boston did their best to keep Washington’s offense moving, but the Buckeyes’ defense is known as top-ranked for a reason. Yet even under siege, he didn’t fold, completing 18 of 22 passes against all odds.

He also pointed to Michigan’s breakdowns last week against USC. A lot of missed tackles, poor containment, and fading physicality. “We saw Michigan’s defense get taken advantage of,” Klatt noted, “but the run game in general, with King Miller doing all the damage there. So, how they defend Deont Williams is going to be important.” Last week, Michigan’s defense allowed over six yards per carry, which led to a loss. The Trojans got at least 29 yards on their initial eight drives and ended with 489 yards.

“I’m talking about like very foundational things. They did not do that against USC. They need to get back to that if they want to beat Washington this week at home.” In the six games played, the Wolverines missed 56 tackles, and the coach even admitted that they need to work on their fundamentals before their game against Washington. If the Wolverines don’t fix the defensive loopholes, playoff contention might be a far-fetched dream at this point.

Pressure on Bryce Underwood Forces OC to Make Changes

One of the key reasons for Michigan’s journey so far is the impressive performance of the true freshman QB Bryce Underwood. After Justice Haynes was sidelined due to injury, the freshman led the team to a 4-2 record. He passed for a total of 1,210 yards this season with three 200+ yard games, with 5 TDs and 2 interceptions. His passing game, along with WR Andrew Marsh, worked out well, especially against USC. However, offensive coordinator Chip Landsey, looks for a change in the offense.

“I think sometimes the coverage dictates where the ball goes.. I think that’s probably the biggest thing. I think Marlin Klein had a good first game.” Lindsey said. “We’re getting Hogan Hansen back, too, so now we’re splitting some reps… hopefully, as the season goes on, those guys will become more involved.”

Marlin Klein and Higan Hansen made their impact earlier this season. Klein started the season with 93 yards and a score. Hogan Hansen then gave a breakout performance in week 3. However, both had injuries and were sidelined. Both returning to the field could help the offense make some big plays. At least this time, Michigan won’t have to face the storm on the road. All eyes will be on Ann Arbor when Washington visits Michigan Stadium on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at noon ET, where the Wolverines will lean on their home crowd to pivot things in their favor.