ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Which pair of Michigan football players who share a jersey number will unite to be the most valuable this season? This year’s roster, with the new rule in place, has 45 duos who will wear the same jersey number. Some of the Michigan jersey number duos contain players who will contribute on different sides of the ball. 1: Both players must wear a jersey number for the entire season for their stats to qualify in favor of said jersey number. Other eligible duosHere are all the other jersey number duos listed on the 2020 Michigan football roster, as of Oct. 16.

Michigan has often been ranked among the top five or 10 teams in the country, and that’s thanks to strong defensive performances. Kwity Paye #19 of the Michigan Wolverines tries to sack Peyton Ramsey #12 of the Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. According to Harbaugh, they’ve only gotten better this offseason, and if Michigan can get some help from the defensive tackles, it’ll make their jobs even easier. READ: Defensive line is X-factor for Michigan against quarterback-loaded scheduleWith a less experienced secondary -- particularly at cornerback -- Hutchinson and Paye will be more important than ever. Defensive tacklesStarters: Carlo Kemp and Chris HintonConfidence: 100% and 95%Kemp will be one of the starters at defensive tackle -- that’s a slam dunk.

Unfortunately, the defensive line wasn’t a strength for Michigan a year ago. Even though the schedule is shorter this season, Michigan won’t avoid the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten. Look no further than the 2019 recruiting class to find the X-factors for this defensive line. Beyond Hinton and Smith, the rest of the defensive line depth is hard to project. Beyond Hutchinson and Paye, the defensive line could very well be a weakness for Michigan, and that would be a crippling blow to a young defense.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The Michigan football team is set to kick off the season Saturday at home against Middle Tennessee State. TE: Sean McKeonMichigan has a handful of young, exciting options at tight end, such as redshirt freshman Mustapha Muhammad and true freshman Erick All. LG: Ben BredesonA team captain for the second year in a row and a fourth-year starter, Michigan couldn't ask for a more reliable left guard than Ben Bredeson. DE: Kwity PayeKwity Paye forced his way onto the field as a true freshman and emerged as one of the team's best playmakers in the backfield last year. DT: Carlo KempThe interior defensive line is considered a potential weakness for Michigan, but Carlo Kemp is a safe, reliable veteran to lead the group.

Shea Patterson calls out to his teammates while playing Maryland on Oct. 6, 2018, at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Shea Patterson has been mostly quiet throughout the offseason, but the noise surrounding Michigan's starting quarterback continues to amplify. Help us congratulate our Team Captains for the 2019 season! Bredeson was one of four team captains last season, along with Karan Higdon, Tyree Kinnel and Devin Bush. Shea Patterson throws a pass against Maryland on Oct. 6, 2018, at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh leaves the field after a 42-21 win over Maryland on Oct. 6, 2018, at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. Carlo Kemp celebrates a win over Michigan State at Spartan Stadium on Oct. 20, 2018 in East Lansing. Josh Ross tackles Avery Davis of Notre Dame at Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 1, 2018, in South Bend, Indiana. Redshirt freshmenMichigan's 2018 recruiting class was ranked outside the top 20 in the nation, but there were a handful of four-star recruits who could step into bigger roles this season. 5 player from the state of Michigan in 2017 and has appeared in 17 games his first two seasons.