In recent memory, no national champion has faced as many doubts heading into spring practice as Michigan does in its inaugural season under Sherrone Moore
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In the two months after defeating Washington in the College Football Playoff championship game, the Wolverines have experienced a great deal of upheaval. After Nebraska’s Tom Osborne, who retired after the Cornhuskers and Michigan shared the 1997 national championship, Jim Harbaugh became the only coach to leave an undefeated national championship team. Moore’s promotion guaranteed some stability, though not as much as Michigan could have hoped for. It feels more like a fresh start this spring rather than a continuation, with so many new faces and positions available.
With spring practice quickly approaching, the post-Harbaugh era is ready to get serious. When rehearsals start next week, you should stick to these five storylines.
Who will win the quarterback position?
Certain quarterback competitions exist purely for symbolic purposes. This isn’t the case at Michigan, where there is a genuine open competition to succeed J.J. McCarthy.
All the qualities Michigan could want in a journeyman quarterback, Jack Tuttle was given a seventh year of eligibility. He was in the same high school recruiting class as Trevor Lawrence, Brock Purdy, and Michael Penix Jr. One of the team’s greatest athletes, Alex Orji’s running prowess has drawn parallels to Alabama’s Jalen Milroe. With a fantastic stature of 6 feet 5 and 235 pounds, Jayden Denegal is more of a pocket passer. And there’s Jadyn Davis, who might end up being Michigan’s quarterback of the future and one of the most polished players in the 2024 recruiting class.
If the Wolverines aren’t confident they can add another quarterback, Michigan will have the chance to do so during the April transfer portal window.
How much of a shift is there on defense?
Mike Macdonald and Jesse Minter’s successful strategies can be applied by Michigan thanks to the hiring of Wink Martindale as defensive coordinator. Though he operates his own variation of the Ravens scheme, Martindale is a member of the same coaching family, so it’s unclear how much Michigan’s defense will alter under his leadership.
Considering Martindale’s NFL history, more man coverage and blitzing would be expected. Will Johnson, one of the best cover corners in college football, and Quinten Johnson, who chose to return for a sixth year, are Michigan’s three experienced safety. At defensive tackle, Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant are All-America contenders, and Michigan has promising
How quickly can Michigan rebuild its offensive line?
This unit has been the foundation of Michigan’s success, and it’s getting a complete overhaul this spring. Zak Zinter, Trevor Keegan, Drake Nugent, LaDarius Henderson, Karsen Barnhart and Trente Jones are all gone to the NFL, meaning the Wolverines will have five new starters under first-year offensive line coach Grant Newsome.
Myles Hinton earned 16 starts at Stanford last season, starting five games at tackle despite not being a regular starter. Move Josh Priebe, a 29-game starter at Northwestern, should assist Michigan in replacing two guards who have started many years in a row. Beyond that, Michigan will be counting on guys to assume more significant roles, including Andrew Gentry, Greg Crippen, Raheem Anderson, and Giovanni El-Hadi.
The depth of Michigan’s offensive line created a backlog of young athletes for the Wolverines to choose from. This is the moment when that chance begins.
When you run back, what happens?
Now is Donovan Edwards’ opportunity to emerge as the team’s top running back. Given that Mike Hart’s contract expired at the end of the season without a new agreement being announced, it looks like he will have a new position coach.
Moore’s coaching staff will have their final question answered if that stance is made clear. The job description is straightforward: Assist Edwards in turning his extraordinary talent into reliable output. In the national championship game, Edwards gained 104 yards on six carries, including 41 and 46-yard touchdown runs. He gained 393 yards on 113 carries throughout the remainder of the season, averaging 3.5 yards per try.
The workhorse Blake Corum meant Michigan didn’t need Edwards to produce five yards per rush.
How does spring practice affect the April portal window?
Michigan avoided portal chaos in the month after Harbaugh’s departure, losing safety Keon Sabb to Alabama but retaining the rest of its expected contributors. Transferring in April is easier than transferring mid-semester, and for any players who might be on the fence, the spring window looms as an opportunity to reassess.
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