Michigan captain Marlin Klein: ‘The standard here is championships, and that’s not what 8-5 was’

Michigan Wolverines footballwas 5-5 before rattling off three-straight victories — over Northwestern, Ohio State and Alabama — to finish 8-5 in the 2024 season. And while getting a confetti shower and receiving a trophy after beating the Crimson Tide in the ReliaQuest Bowl were nice, U-M was by no means satisfied. That feeling has driven them all offseason, and they’re ready to prove themselves in 2025, beginning with the Aug. 30 opener against New Mexico.

“8-5 and Michigan don’t go together,” Michigan senior tight end Marlin Klein, a team captain, said. “The standard here at Michigan is championships, and that’s not what 8-5 was. Bowl games and all that stuff was fun, but we should’ve been playing in the playoffs and competing for a national championship and Big Ten championship — and those are what our goals are this year.”

The Wolverines haven’t dwelled on last season, but it’s been a motivating factor deeply seeded in their minds.

“We’re a team that doesn’t really talk too much,” Klein pointed out. “We just get to work and put our head down and grind. It’s something that’s in the back of everybody’s mind, and it should be every single workout, every single practice.

“The pain that we were feeling going 8-5 was horrible, and I don’t want to experience that ever again. If there’s somebody on this team that’s fine with that, you shouldn’t be on our team.”

Michigan opens the year against New Mexico, before taking on Oklahoma in Norman Sept. 6. The Big Ten schedule appears manageable, with U-M avoiding four of the five other ranked teams in the AP poll.

“We don’t really look ahead too much,” Klein said of the schedule. “We’re gonna focus each week on whoever we play, and right now we’re focused on New Mexico and Oklahoma in the first couple games. But yeah, we’re just super excited for next Saturday, to finally put it out there and show you guys what we can do.”

Marlin Klein beyond proud to be a Michigan captain

The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Klein — a Cologne, Germany, native who prepped in North Carolina — didn’t break out until the 2024 season, when he started six of 13 games and hauled in 11 catches for 108 yards. He logged the most tight end snaps on the team, after playing mostly on special teams in 2023 and redshirting as a freshman in 2022.

“Playing a lot more starting last year, people kinda gained respect for me and what I did the past few years, sitting behind guys, not really doing much on the field,” Klein said.

“Just a lot of respect was built up by my teammates, especially now during the whole transfer, NIL era, sticking around at Michigan because I knew there was a plan and it was God’s plan.”

Klein had the option to leave through the transfer portal but didn’t.

“I’m here, and I love it here,” the Michigan tight end said. “I never really wanted to transfer or anything. It’s just tough, especially if other schools are talking about you like ‘you’re gonna play here and stuff.’

“That’s why you see so many people transfer. But one of the reasons I stayed here at Michigan is I knew what this place could do for me, and it changed my life for the better, forever.”

Klein was named one of six captains, and he’s beyond proud of the honor.

“Not surprised,” Klein said when asked if he was caught off guard by being voted a captain by his teammates. “It’s something that when I came here in 2022 was on my list that I wanted to do. It really just came with confidence. I’m so grateful, and definitely the biggest honor of my life, being voted captain at the University of Michigan by my teammates.”