Michigan football has completed spring practice and now goes into summer with several guys vying for starting jobs. Today’s column focuses on players who need to step up, some observations about this year’s group and a prediction.

3. A healthy and effective Mazi Smith and huge steps up from Donovan Jeter and Chris Hinton. We’re no star gazers, but these defensive linemen had big-time offers for a reason. There are two four-stars and a five-star here, and in the three-man base they’re playing, the nose in particular is extremely important.

We’ve heard for a few years now that Smith shows flashes; he just needs to be better conditioned and more consistent. That’s important now more than ever. Jeter and Hinton have more to give than they’ve shown, and they need to this year. They also need to stay healthy given the lack of depth here (and for those who missed it, the Wolverines are looking for help in the transfer portal, the latest being Illinois State's John Ridgeway).

U-M’s linebackers are undersized, and they’ll have trouble this year if they’re not kept ‘clean.’

2. A decided schematic advantage. We all know that as the phrase Charlie Weis used and was excoriated for by his rivals, back when he was Notre Dame’s head coach. It’s clear, though, that Michigan has been lacking in this department given head coach Jim Harbaugh’s record as an underdog in Ann Arbor.