As the Michigan faithful return to the Big House on Saturday night, there will be one big change at the front of the stadium: a banner declaring Michigan the reigning national champions. Last year’s team delivered on every promise they made, achieved every goal they had, and beat every team they played. Michigan players, like JJ McCarthy and Blake Corum, were forever enshrined in college football history, while Head Coach Jim Harbaugh finally reached the mountaintop with his alma mater. It was one of the greatest seasons in Michigan’s storied history.
But that was last year.
On Saturday night, Fresno State will be coming to Ann Arbor to face a team that looks very different from last year’s. Thirteen players from that team were selected in the NFL Draft, and Harbaugh became the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. Since Harbaugh left, Michigan has been helmed by Sherrone Moore, who rose up through the ranks over the last six years. This may be his first season as the head coach, but Moore already has legions of people who believe in him, including his predecessor.
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Before leaving for the NFL, Harbaugh wanted a clause in his Michigan contract that would declare Moore the “head coach in waiting.” When Harbaugh was suspended for the final three games of the ’23 regular season, it was Moore who took over on the sideline. He ran the ball 32 times in a row to beat a top-10 Penn State, secured Michigan’s 1000th win and beat No. 2-ranked Ohio State at home to secure a spot in the Big Ten Championship. Even though Moore was able to lead the team flawlessly last season, this year’s team features lots of turnover. Thirty-six percent of last year’s total production is returning – only six of the 134 FBS teams returned less. Last year, Michigan never was ranked below No. 3 in the country. This year, they begin ninth.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Wolverines will look almost completely different. After two years of McCarthy starting at quarterback, the team doesn’t have a clear-cut starter. When asked on Monday about the QB situation, Coach Moore announced that redshirt sophomore Alex Orji is competing against redshirt junior Davis Warren for the starting job. Orji is known particularly for his running ability, while Warren appears to be the more reliable downfield option. Moore alluded to the possibility of running a two-quarterback system, but ultimately said no decision has been made.
Whoever the quarterback is, they will have quite an offense with which to work. Tight end Colston Loveland enters his junior year regarded as one of the best at his position. He was selected as a preseason All-American by numerous publications and will likely be the most reliable receiving option this year. In the backfield, senior Donovan Edwards returns to take over as RB1. Despite taking a step back from his prolific sophomore season, last year he was a crucial piece in one of the strongest rushing attacks in the country. This season, he will be the clear top running option behind a revamped offensive line.
Even though all six offensive linemen who played significant minutes last season went to the NFL, this year’s line will look to continue the trench dominance of the last three years. Graduate transfer Josh Priebe will be the most experienced lineman after earning All-Big Ten honors at Northwestern last year. Other positions, such as center and right tackle, are still in the midst of intense position battles. On Monday, Moore mentioned redshirt juniors Dominick Guidice and Greg Crippen as the two leaders in the center battle, while redshirt sophomore Andrew Gentry is competing with redshirt freshman Evan Link to start at right tackle. Regardless of who ends up starting, the offensive line will exemplify Coach Moore’s motto: Smash.
When Moore came up with that motto in 2021, he was only in his second game as the offensive line coach. Three seasons later, he is instilling that mentality in the entire team as head coach.
Smash.
Smash.
Smash.
The motto exemplifies not just Moore’s philosophy, but Michigan football overall. Strength and toughness are imperative and every person on the team knows it. When talking after his introductory press conference to Alejandro Zúñiga of The Michigan Insider, Moore described “smash” as “a violent mindset” involving “running through a wall for not only each other but for your teammates, for yourself, for everybody that’s ever played at Michigan.” This motto has already become part of the program’s fabric. You can see it everywhere, from the players and coaches to the official student section T-shirt for this year. “Smash” may have started as a saying for the offensive line, but this season, it will be inseparable from Michigan football.
This includes the defensive side of the ball, now led by coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale. Like the two defensive coordinators before him, Martindale has NFL experience, his with the Baltimore Ravens, coached by Harbaugh’s brother, John. Over the last few years, both Michigan and Baltimore have used a similar defensive scheme that utilizes disguised coverages to throw off opposing quarterbacks. This year, Martindale will likely continue to run an advanced, NFL-caliber scheme that uses disguise coverages. At the NFL level, Martindale showed a particular talent for simulating pressure by stacking players at the line of scrimmage.
This season, the presence of defensive tackle Mason Graham will give Martindale the ability to get heavy pressure on opposing QBs, blitz or not. Graham was a second team All-American last year and will serve as the core of a strong defensive line for Michigan this year. The other returning All-American is cornerback Will Johnson. The rising junior won Defensive MVP in the national championship game and is currently projected to be a high first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Pro Football Focus ranks Michigan’s defensive line and secondary both as top-five units in the country, with Graham and Johnson being major reasons why. The Wolverine linebacker unit may not have any names as big as those two but is still an incredibly strong position. Junior Ernest Hausmann was a significant contributor to last year’s championship team and will look to take on an even larger role this year. He will play alongside Jaishawn Barham, a junior top-100 transfer from Maryland. With a strong mix of returning players and transfers, Michigan’s defense is sure to be among the top units in the nation.
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For now, this is all potential. Saturday night, after an offseason of championship glory, Michigan will once again be 0-0. A hungry Fresno State team that was ranked during last season will be seeking an upset under the lights. A brutal schedule filled with high-ranked opponents and new Big Ten foes looms. Players and coaches know the reality of what happens on the field is all that matters.
Michigan may be the reigning national champions, but they will once again need to silence doubters. And that will need to start with a primetime win to set the tone for this new era of Michigan football. If Moore’s experience and Michigan’s dominance in the trenches have showed the world anything, it’s that Team 145 will have one goal for the season opener:
Smash.
Smash.
Smash.
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When: Saturday, Aug. 31
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Where: Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Time: 7:30 p.m. ET (Pregame coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET)
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Watch: Peacock
About the Author:
Ryan Thomas is a senior at the University of Michigan currently studying Film and Psychology. He writes and works on Wolv Sports Center, a series covering a variety of Michigan sports.
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