Michigan's offense will look different Saturday night.

First-year offensive coordinator Jason Beck has installed a scheme built on pre-snap motion and run-pass options (RPOs), a system that forced Michigan's own defense to adjust throughout fall camp. The No. 16 Wolverines host Western Michigan at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, at Michigan Stadium. The game airs on NBC and streams on Peacock.

Beck, announced as the Sanford Robertson Offensive Coordinator on Jan. 2, arrived after consecutive seasons running top-five FBS offenses. At New Mexico in 2024, his unit averaged 253.6 rushing yards and 484.3 total yards per game. At Utah in 2025, those numbers held: 266.3 rushing yards and 482.9 total yards, according to Michigan Athletics game notes. Michigan finished 14th nationally in rushing last season at 210.2 yards per game.

The shift is already visible in practice. Beck's heavier use of motion and RPOs forces defenses to communicate more before the snap and punishes overcommitting after it, The Michigan Daily reported.

"Explosive, that's the first thing that comes to my mind whenever I think about our offense this year," sophomore wide receiver Andrew Marsh said Aug. 7. "Really just the ability to spread the ball around."

Marsh set Michigan's freshman receiving-yards record last season with 651 yards and four touchdowns on 45 catches. He led the offense with 15 plays of 20-plus yards, 14 of them through the air, per Michigan Athletics.

Defensive coordinator Jay Hill, whose own unit prides itself on disguising coverages and sending varied blitzes, said Wednesday, Sept. 2, that Beck's offense has pushed his players all camp. Hill called the tempo, physicality and constant misdirection something opponents had better be prepared for.

Senior offensive lineman Brady Norton said Tuesday, Sept. 1, that picking up Hill's blitz packages was difficult early in camp. Norton, who has 14 career starts, said the complexity took time but called the experience a blessing.

Sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood enters the opener after drawing praise from head coach Kyle Whittingham. Michigan's first-ever sophomore captain threw for 2,428 yards and 11 touchdowns as a freshman while adding six rushing scores on 4.5 yards per carry. Whittingham told the Detroit Free Press on Tuesday, Sept. 1, that Underwood is "markedly better" through fall camp than at any point in spring and that his command of the offense is "way further ahead."

At Utah in 2025, Beck's quarterback Devon Dampier led all Big 12 quarterbacks in rushing with 835 yards and 10 touchdowns, per ESPN. Quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer Jr., who followed Beck from New Mexico, said Tuesday he believes Michigan can push the ball downfield with Underwood's dual-threat ability and the talent at receiver and tight end.

Michigan enters the opener 8-0 all-time against Western Michigan. The Broncos went 10-4 last season and averaged more than 300 rushing yards per game in the second half of their schedule, according to Whittingham. Offensive tackle Andrew Babalola will miss the game due to injury, and defensive back Ace Hamilton is out long-term with a lower-leg injury, per ClickOnDetroit.

The Wolverine Walk begins at approximately 5:15 p.m. near the northeast entrance of Crisler Center. Michigan's next game is Sept. 12 at noon against Oklahoma.