Troy Bowles discusses expectations for Michigan Football LBs in 2026

Jon Jansen had senior linebacker Troy Bowles on his “In the Trenches” podcast this week. Here’s what Bowles had to say ahead of this weekend’s spring game.

On the competition at linebacker

Now that he’s a senior, Bowles is focused on being a leader and working with the other older players at the linebacker position to make sure everyone is on the same page. He wants to make sure there isn’t a decline in talent between the starters and the guys who are on the bench.

On his opportunity this season

Michigan lost some of its best players at the position after last season, meaning Bowles has a major opportunity to step up in 2026. Jansen asked him what his opportunity is this season, and Bowles said his goal is to start and lead the defense to a national championship.

On what he’s working on this spring

Bowles is working on improving on and off the field. He said his biggest focus is on improving his nutrition and working with the staff to make sure he’s ready to go for the season.

On his second year in Ann Arbor

Even with the coaching changes, Bowles is feeling more comfortable overall. Now that he’s one of the older guys on the team, he’s focusing on leading by example. He’s trying to pass down what he’s learned from older players in the past.

On advice he’d tell his younger self

Bowles said he’d tell his younger self to think about why the team is running certain plays and making sure he’s getting into the playbook. He explained it’s easy to hear something, like blitzing, and not understand why it needs to be done a certain way. If you take time to understand the why, Bowles says, “The game slows down a little bit.”

On balancing friendships and competition

Bowles says he’s making friends but to balance that with the competition, he says the group needs to be honest and work to be the best they can be.

On where the group is this spring

The linebacker position isn’t where they want to be, Bowles said, but they’re working on improving. One of the biggest learning curves has been making sure he understands the language the new coaching staff brings in.

On playing in Columbus

Bowle hasn’t really heard much from other players about what it’s like to play Ohio State on the road. For him, the focus will be on playing like it’s any other road game with the goal of coming out with a win.