Michigan Football: 5 ways Sherrone Moore put the Wolverines back on championship path

Michigan head football coach Sherrone Moore has put together an impressive offseason, making moves that should put the Wolverines back on the path to a championship.

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Although it's hard to look at an 8-5 season as a "success," there's no question that Sherrone Moore's first year as head coach of the Michigan Wolverines has been impressive. Struggling for much of the season to become bowl eligible, the Wolverines could have easily come apart and folded under the pressure of following up the national championship season in 2023. But as the year progressed, Michigan locked in and finished strong.

With back-to-back wins over No. 2 Ohio State and No. 11 Alabama, the Wolverines proved that they championship culture is still alive and well in Ann Arbor. And while culture and mentality is important, you also need the right pieces in place when it comes to your roster and coaching staff - and Moore ensured he got them.

Here are the five biggest moves that Sherrone Moore made to help put the Wolverines back on the championship path in 2025:

1. Signed Top 10 recruiting class, including No. 1 overall prospect Bryce Underwood

Michigan freshman QB Bryce Underwood / Michigan Football

Sherrone Moore absolutely knocked it out of the park with his first recruiting class as head coach of the Michigan Wolverines. With five-star additions like Bryce Underwood, Andrew Babalola, Ty Haywood, and Nate Marshall, Moore's ability to recruit at an elite level is clearly evident.

---

2. Signed Top 10 transfer portal class

Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Although recruiting is still critically important, the reality is that teams can now fill in their roster with pieces capable of delivering championships via the transfer portal. Over the last two seasons, five of the eight QBs participating in the College Football Playoff Semifinals were products of the transfer portal.

The Michigan football program is no different, adding significant portal pieces over the last several years that have played critical roles in Michigan's success. Guys like Olu Oluwatimi, Drake Nugent, Ernest Hausmann, and Josaiah Stewart have all played a major role in Ann Arbor after transferring in from other programs.

Heading into 2025, Moore kept that tradition going with the addition of 13 guys out of the transfer portal, with notable additions like QB Mikey Keene (Fresno State), RB Justice Haynes (Alabama), WR Donaven McCulley (Indiana), DL Tre Williams (Clemson), and LB Troy Bowles (Georgia).

When it comes to Keene, Moore addressed one of the biggest deficiencies from the 2024 season. Keene is entering his fifth year of college and has accounted for over 8,000 yards and 65 touchdowns through the air during his career. Although most of the attention is turned to five-star freshman Bryce Underwood, it wouldn't be all that surprising to see Moore roll with the veteran QB transfer in 2025.

---

3. Hired new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey from North Carolina

Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

In addition to the QB issues, Michigan also struggled with former offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell calling the shots in Ann Arbor. The Michigan offense finished the 2024 season as one of the worst in the country, ranked 129th out of 133 teams. With such a poor performance, Moore had no choice but to go out and find an experienced OC who could help elevate the offense and utilize all of the tremendous talent that remains in Ann Arbor.

Chip Lindsey brings 27 years of collegiate coaching experience to Michigan, with a track record of leading offenses that have averaged 30 points or more in nine of his last 12 seasons. Lindsey indicated that he still intends to have a balanced attack offensively at Michigan, but there's no question we'll see far more production through the air in 2025 and beyond.

---

4. Retained defensive coordinator Wink Martindale

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Things got off to a bit of a rocky start with Wink Martindale and the Michigan defense in 2024. The Wolverines featured three first-round projected picks on the defensive side of the ball, yet they struggled mightily against the pass and on third down. But as the season progressed, you could see that the defense was starting to find its groove in Martindale's scheme.

By the time the Wolverines made the trip to Columbus for the annual matchup with Ohio State, Michigan was rolling defensively. The Wolverines held the Buckeyes to just 10 points in a stunning 13-10 win, solidifying Martindale as a guy who could get the job done. That defensive momentum continued into the bowl game against Alabama, where the Wolverines held the Tide to just 13 points.

Martindale, a guy who spent nearly 20 years in the NFL as a coordinator, interviewed for multiple openings in the league during the offseason. But in the end, Moore was able to retain his DC and keep Martindale in Ann Arbor for at least another season.

---

5. Didn't lose a significant contributor to transfer portal

Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

In today's era of college football, there's always a risk of losing players to the transfer portal. In fact, Michigan lost 24 players to the portal following the 2024 season. And while that seems like a lot of guys to lose, the reality is that the guys who left were buried on the depth chart and looking for an opportunity to get playing time elsewhere.

Outside of those who declared for the NFL Draft, Michigan retained all of its key contributors following the 2024 season - including veterans like Rayshaun Benny, TJ Guy, and Derrick Moore. The ability to hang on to those key contributors is a major reason why Michigan is expected to be right back in the championship hunt in 2025.

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -

More Michigan News:

Ranking Michigan football position groups pre-spring ball

Predicting every game of the Big Ten Tournament following the bracket reveal

Michigan football predicted to miss out on Rivals 5-star QB to Big Ten foe

For additional coverage of University of Michigan athletics:

• Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @WingedHelmetMedia
• Follow us on Facebook: @TheWingedHelmet
• Follow us on Twitter: @TWH_chris | @TrentKnoop | @JerredJohnson7