Realigned Michigan Wolverines Delivered Impressive Ending to 2024 Campaign
On each of the five occasions Michigan failed to surpass their opponents on the scoreboard this season, Sherrone Moore opted to regard these setbacks as valuable learning experiences rather than getting absorbed in the loss tally. In his words post-ReliaQuest Bowl victory over Alabama, "We discussed lessons, not losses."
Unfortunate as it was, these losses occurred as often as victories in the first ten games under Moore's guidance during his inaugural season as a college head coach. At 5-5 following a 20-15 defeat at Indiana, the Wolverines enjoyed a much-needed bye before their final two regular-season encounters.
"We drilled down and reaffirmed our commitment to improving on areas that required attention," said Moore, who previously served as Jim Harbaugh's co-offensive coordinator and sole offensive coordinator for three seasons prior to assuming leadership of the team. "It was essentially the fundamentals, paying meticulous attention to minor details and executing them flawlessly."
Following the bye, Michigan outperformed visiting Northwestern, 50-6, accompanying an unexpected 13-10 victory against the second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, causing waves amid the college football community. This unprecedented success trickled down to their Triumph at the ReliaQuest Bowl against the 11th-ranked Alabama Crimsons Tide, 19-13.
"We reassessed, revisited our game-plan, and I am incredibly proud of my staff and players," Moore shared after dismantling the Tide, whom Michigan had defeated in a CFP semi-final the year prior before clinching the national title against Kalen DeBoer's Washington Huskies.
The victory over Alabama was achieved despite the absence of some key contributors, inclusive of the team's leading rushers, Kalel Mullings (948 yards) and Donovan Edwards (589), as well as top receiver and tight-end Colston Loveland (56 receptions). In addition, the defensive team suffered from the lack of several critical personnel members. More on that below.
Defense Drove the Comeback
Unsurprisingly, it was the defense that spearheaded Michigan's end-of-season renaissance. Testimony to this was Michigan limiting Indiana (20), albeit in a loss, Ohio State (10), and Alabama (13) to 43 points in total. These three teams were averaging 113 points collectively, a figure that was slightly adjusted due to Wink Martindale's defensive efforts. Even in their triumph over Northwestern, the Wolverines restricted the Wildcats to a field goal. Over their last four outings, Michigan conceded a mere 46 points.
"Our defense played exceptionally well in the closing stages," said Moore, praising a unit that ranked fourth nationally against the run (91 yards) and 12th in total defense (307 yards). "A huge round of applause for coach Wink."
Michigan kept Alabama to 260 yards, with a season-low 68 of these being rushing yards. The stellar performance of defensive end Derrick Moore (two sacks, fumble recovery) and cornerback Aamir Hall (season-high nine tackles) ensured that the defense maintained its momentum, even with key personnel opting out, such as All-Star DB Will Johnson, who sustained a toe injury midway through the season. Additionally, Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant were also unavailable. Other notable absenteees included edge-rusher Josiah Stewart, who amassed 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss.
The offense, on the other hand, continues to struggle with executing forward passes. Davis Warren, Alex Orji, and Jack Tuttle combined for a pass efficiency rating that ranked 128 out of 134 FBS teams. Their passing statistics, which left Chip Lindsey with a $4.5 million, three-year contract to revamp the offensive unit, would make Pop Warner restless in his grave.
Their pitiful passing statistics are better demonstrated by the success they achieved when completing passes during the season. They collectively averaged 8.8 yards per completed pass, the nation's lowest figure. Worthy of mention is the fact that, prior to sustaining a knee injury that ended his day, Warren completed 9 out of 12 passes, scoring a touchdown and, most crucially, without turning the ball over against Alabama. Orji took over the rest of the game.
The aforementioned passing statistics explain why Chip Lindsey was given $4.5 million for a three-year term to take control of the offense from Kirk Campbell. Lindsey had previously served as Mack Brown's assistant at North Carolina following a three-year stint as head coach at Troy.
Looking Ahead
The quarterback position is expected to see significant changes for the 2025 season.
"We aim to be explosive on offense, and that's an area we need to focus on in the offseason, particularly in the passing game," said Moore, preparing to move on from Warren (uncertain status in 2025), Orji (portal), and Tuttle (career over).
Impending reinforcements are on the horizon for a team that managed to secure victories despite persistent challenges in mastering the forward pass. Moore remains optimistic about the trajectory his program has taken over the recent weeks.
"We are excited about our recruiting efforts, bringing in talented young players, and nurturing our existing talent to ensure Michigan realizes its full potential," he concluded.
Inbound to Ann Arbor via the transfer portal is quarterback Mikey Keene, formerly of UCF where he spent two seasons, one under Lindsey's guidance. Keene then shifted to Fresno State, tossing 42 touchdown passes across two stints, with 18 of them scored this particular year. Michigan's quarterbacks managed to throw 12 touchdown passes in 13 games this year, making Navy's 15 touchdown passes a tad more substantial.
Keene could potentially fill a competent and seasoned role for a single year, paving the way for top recruit Bryce Underwood's emergence. There's no cast-iron guarantee in player progression, however. Other significant figures in the quarterback room include Jaydn Davis, a highly-rated QB from the 2024 class.
The running game might undergo a revamp of sorts, shape-shifting in some regard. The Wolverines got an MVP showing in the bowl game from Jordan Marshall. Prior to this, Marshall had just eight carries in the regular season (for 20 yards). Yet, when the need arose against Alabama, he racked up 100 yards from 23 carries, all turnover-free. So, a potential cornerstone for the near future made its arrival rather emphatically on New Year's Eve.
"This sets up quite nicely for the coming year," Marshall opined, referring to the bowl victory. "Alabama was expected to make the playoffs, blah, blah, but we showed everyone that we're a team to be reckoned with and will be next year."
- During the review of their performance after the ReliaQuest Bowl victory, Sherrone Moore praised his staff and players, highlighting the significant contributions of defensive coordinator Wink Martindale and players like Derrick Moore and Aamir Hall.
- Michigan's 2025 recruiting efforts are expected to bring in talented young players, with one of the anticipated additions being quarterback Mikey Keene, who has experience under Chip Lindsey's guidance.
- Bryce Underwood, a top recruit, is also expected to join the Michigan team and potentially emerge as a key figure in the quarterback position, following in the footsteps of players like Jordan Marshall, who displayed exceptional performance in the bowl game against Alabama.
- The Michigan defense remained a strong point throughout the season, with key contributions from players like Derrick Moore, Aamir Hall, and even in the absence of several critical personnel members.
- Sherrone Moore's approach to the team's losses in the early part of the season was to regard them as valuable learning experiences, focusing on improvement rather than dwelling on the defeats, an approach that proved successful in their later games and bowl victory.
