Fresh off a National Championship win, Michigan football will be entering the new season with many changes, the most notable of which is seen in the head coaching position. In place of Jim Harbaugh, who decided to depart for the Los Angeles Chargers, the school decided to hire Sherrone Moore — the Wolverines' 2023 offensive coordinator, offensive line coach, and interim HC for a short while. While Moore is clearly accustomed to Michigan's current system and playbook, an unnamed Big Ten coach thinks that the team won't perform as well as they did last season.
“This is going to be a massive transition even though they kept on the interim (Moore) from last year. They'll take a step back,” the anonoymous coach said, per the Spun's Daniel Bates. “But maybe not as far as you think.”
An article written by Bates reveals comments from three unnamed Big Ten coaches, who all gave their opinions on how Michigan would likely fare this 2024. The quote above was from one of them. While at first, it may seem like a slight toward Moore, it might be more of a reference to the roster changes happening in Ann Arbor, which the other two anonymous coaches touched on.
After all, looking at the amount of player turnover happening within the team, it's hard to blame that certain coach for having such a forecast. Just look at the totals. 18 players from the 2023 championship roster were invited to the NFL combine, and by the conclusion of the draft, a total of 13 were selected.
Michigan football's 2023 stars turn pro
From the offense, JJ McCarthy headlined Michigan's draft picks, going 10th overall to the Minnesota Vikings. In the third round, Blake Corum — who was named offensive MVP in the National Championship — was taken by the Los Angeles Rams. Additionally, wideout Roman Wilson and interior offensive lineman Zack Zinter were also third rounders. The others who got selected were AJ Barner (TE), Trevor Keegan (OL) LaDarius Henderson (OL) and Cornelius Johnson (WR).
On the other side of the ball, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and cornerback Mike Sainristil — the team's top defensive back — were picked in the second round. Junior Colson, who led the Wolverines in tackles, followed in the third. Michael Barrett (LB) and Jaylen Harrell (EDGE) were also called up to the pros.
Moving forward
With all that being said, Michigan football will indeed be fielding an entirely new-look lineup this year. Holdovers such as Mason Graham, Will Johnson and Kenneth Grant will spearhead the defense while tight end Colston Loveland and running back Donovan Edwards are expected to take over on offense alongside whoever the quarterback will be.
Along with the anonymous coach, many analysts don't project the team to perform like last year's. But who knows? Besides the main holdovers, maybe some of the incoming transferees and younger players might just defy expectations and step up big. As they say, never underestimate the heart of a champion.
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