At long last, the day has arrived: Michigan football, the defending national champion, kicks off its 2024 season against Fresno State (7:30 p.m., NBC). As the Wolverines take on the Bulldogs, it’s a different feeling than last season’s opener. Whereas there were few questions headed into 2023 — U-M returned a host of upperclassmen for “unfinished business,” then steamrolled its way to a 15-0 season and its first title in a quarter-century — this season brings a different outlook.
On the field, 18 major contributors from Team 144 are gone. It’s now up to Team 145 to cement its own legacy in a new era, under a new head coach and three new coordinators, with 10 new starters on offense, six on defense and an entirely new defensive coaching staff.
Free Press sports writers Tony Garcia and Rainer Sabin, co-hosts of the podcast “Hail Yes,” look ahead to the 2024 campaign and break down what we can expect.
MICHIGAN VS. FRESNO STATE: Michigan football scouting report, prediction for 2024 season opener
Quarterback questions
Garcia: It’s hard to know where to begin with this Michigan team. Most discussions around this year begin at quarterback, where U-M will roll out either Alex Orji or Davis Warren — presumably the starter was told on Thursday and the rest of the team sometime shortly after that. The quarterback will dictate a lot of what this offense looks like, but either way, new head coach Sherrone Moore and offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell have expressed faith in Orji and Warren, as did offensive line coach Grant Newsome, who said Wednesday he feels “like we could win a national championship” with either guy under center.
The real key though, with either option, is finding a QB capable of sustaining drives and protecting the football. The Wolverines still have perhaps the best defense in the country, so the offense doesn’t need to be “the greatest show on turf.” It simply needs to show functionality through the air and on the ground. The run game — U-M’s bread and butter the past three seasons — doesn’t need to be perfect, just competent.
Without question, the offense is what I’ll be keeping an eye on. That includes the chemistry between the quarterback and wide receivers, the cohesion along the line, the holes (or lack thereof) created for the running backs and the general flow of the unit.
Sabin: Obviously, the biggest questions reside on offense. There, the Wolverines are replacing 10 of 11 starters from the 2023 national championship team, including the entire offensive line that was the driving force throughout Michigan’s recent golden age. Newsome said that only three of the five spots are settled at the moment — left tackle with Myles Hinton and the two guard spots, with Josh Priebe on the left and Giovanni El-Hadi on the right.
I think the offensive line rebuild will factor into the quarterback decision. Because of his mobility and ability to get to the perimeter of the defense, Orji could help with pass protection issues and also clear running lanes between the tackles for Donovan Edwards. I think that will be particularly advantageous, especially in the early part of the season as this new blocking front congeals and develops chemistry.
Wink’s weapons
Garcia: On defense, there are knowns and unknowns in seemingly equal proportions. Among the familiar, preseason All-Americans Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant return as the best defensive tackle duo in America. The Wolverines also sport All-American cornerback Will Johnson on the outside.
The defensive line looks to be U-M’s strength of this team: Graham and Grant are both projected first-round NFL draft picks, and edges Josaiah Stewart and Derrick Moore could be picked next spring as well. But there are questions about the depth behind them. Rayshaun Benny continues to work his way back from his foot injury sustained in January’s Rose Bowl; TJ Guy and Enow Etta are said to have taken the next step but still need to prove it.
One new arrival to watch: Maryland transfer linebacker Jaishawn Barham, who has been the darling of camp. As running back Kalel Mullings said: “If you don’t come correct with him, you’ll end up on your ass.”
Behind Johnson, Michigan also has a deep secondary that added talent in the offseason even while losing captain Mike Sainristil. The Wolverines, however, will lean on 2023 contributors such as Zeke Berry, Jyaire Hill, and Quinten Johnson to start 2024.
Combine it all with a new defensive coordinator, Wink Martindale, who is coming off nearly two decades in the NFL. Martindale was the progenitor of the Baltimore Ravens scheme — adapted over the past three seasons in Ann Arbor by previous coordinators Mike Macdonald and Jesse Minter — that’s built on simulated pressures. How do the Wolverines adapt to his version of the scheme they’re familiar with?
Sabin: It will be interesting to see how Martindale pulls the levers. He was known for bringing a lot of pressure and relying heavily on man coverage in the NFL. But he insists he’s not a Don Brown clone. Sure, he is not afraid to send extra defenders on blitzes. But he also throws a ton of looks at quarterbacks — from front to back, showing more disguises and using a greater variety of simulated pressures than Brown, the coordinator replaced by Macdonald.
The question is whether Martindale will try to do too much. I believe he lost a critical piece when safety Rod Moore tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in the spring. Moore has a high football IQ, and Martindale likened him to former All-Pro Eric Weddle, a linchpin in the Ravens’ defense when Martindale was there. The Wolverines have talked about running a “positionless” scheme. And Berry recently said there are a lot of “moving parts” and “you’ve got a lot of people rotating.”
Can Michigan stay organized without Moore in the fold? Can the Wolverines make the right adjustments on the fly without consulting the sideline? And if the offense can’t sustain drives, can Michigan’s defense maintain its stamina so Martindale can consistently send players on the attack? Don’t forget: Last season, the Wolverines defended the fewest plays per game, among Power Five teams, because of the offense’s ability to control the ball.
Sherrone’s system
Garcia: It certainly all works together, which brings me to the man now in charge, Moore. Not only does he have to make the crucial decision at quarterback, but he’s now the one setting the tone. He certainly proved worthy when he served as head coach during Jim Harbaugh’s suspensions last season, but he was only a fill-in on gameday. Harbaugh still was in charge of implementing the plan and its installation the rest of the week. By Saturday, it was simply Moore calling the shots, some which were predetermined. Now, it’s all on him.
Even as a new season begins, there remains a looming stench from the scandals of years past. U-M has settled with the NCAA on its first investigation into recruiting improprieties, but just last weekend it received a Notice of Allegations concerning the investigation of the program’s alleged sign-stealing scheme. That NOA reportedly said the Wolverines featured “a culture of non-compliance”.
Moore has insisted he’s not bothered by what anybody outside of Schembechler Hall thinks; although the Wolverines did an impressive job of ignoring outside noise a season ago, he has to lead the charge there once again this year.
Sabin: Yes, he’s got a big job in front of him while he faces plenty of scrutiny. The expectations remain high, but the path forward appears much tougher, with the NCAA cloud hanging over the program and a much tougher schedule to navigate.
The opener against Fresno State isn’t exactly a layup, considering that the Bulldogs won nine games and were ranked at one point last season. Then there is Texas in Week 2. After that, Michigan faces USC, Washington, Oregon and Ohio State. Three of those opponents — the Buckeyes, Ducks and Longhorns — open the season within the top four in both polls. Michigan doesn’t get to ease into its season as it did the past couple of years.
The repeated tests against quality competition could have a cumulative effect on performance by the time Michigan enters the final stretch, especially if the defensive snap counts become inflated. The challenges Moore faces seem tougher than the ones Harbaugh confronted. But the 38-year-old rookie head coach insists he’s ready to tackle them. We’ll find out soon enough.
Required reading
CAN WOLVERINES REPEAT IN BIG TEN?: Michigan football 2024 season game-by-game predictions
DEPTH CHART PROJECTIONS: Who’ll start at QB for season opener vs. Fresno State?
A CAPTAIN AND A COACH: Why Rod Moore, who might miss all of 2024, was voted Michigan football captain
THE SCENARIOS: Making the case for and against Michigan football returning to College Football Playoff
COACHES’ CONFIDENCE: Sherrone Moore, Michigan football staff not afraid to puff out chests before title defense
Tony Garcia is the Michigan Wolverines beat writer for the Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X @RealTonyGarcia. He’s a co-host on “Hail Yes!” your go-to Wolverines podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify). Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him @RainerSabin.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football: What to expect from 2024 Wolverines
