Almost no players have left the Michigan football team through the transfer portal, and the new head coach is off to a great start.
Sherrone Moore, the head coach of Michigan football, has had many challenges, but Wolverines supporters should be feeling pretty good about their new coach now that the transfer portal window that opened following Jim Harbaugh’s departure has closed.
A 30-day window for player transfers opened up after Harbaugh left for the NFL. Michigan football did lose a few players, most notably Keon Sabb, a valuable reserve who was probably going to start the previous season.
Aside from Sabb’s departure for Alabama, the Wolverines retained all of their major return players, which is remarkable given that Moore had to appoint a whole new staff to oversee defense.
The takeaway is that supporters and other teams should be wary about underestimating Michigan football. I am aware of Ohio State’s really difficult offseason. Additionally, the Buckeyes have failed to win a Big Ten championship for three years running, yet in 2021, 2022, or 2023, talent was not a problem.
Ohio State has access to top talent. Is it able to grow it? The Wolverines have only added a few starters through the transfer portal, but keeping projected first-round choices like Will Johnson, Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, and Colston Loveland was just as crucial—if not more so—than Michigan football.
Even if those Michigan football players were excellent this season, they ought to be even better in 2024. Furthermore, the Wolverines will continue to employ the same plan even with a new defensive coordinator.
The offensive line for Michigan will significantly deteriorate. The Wolverines have few question marks, with the exception of the quarterback. The running backs are on par with Ohio State’s. Although Ohio State has better wide receivers than them, Tyler Morris proved his mettle in the Rose Bowl, and Loveland is the greatest tight end returning to collegiate football.
Because of this, the Wolverines are ranked sixth in the country by FanDuel. Given Moore’s ability to manage his team, I’m curious to see what kind of impact he can have as a head coach when it comes to recruiting.
Moore has always been a top recruiter, and he has proven that over the last 30 days by maintaining his team’s unity in the face of some significant coaching losses—something that doesn’t happen very often.
In summary, Sherrone and Michigan football have so far succeeded in their aim.
