Michigan Football: Sherrone Moore's to-do list in the 2024 season
Michigan has been able to adapt well enough in the new college football landscape, doing enough on the recruiting and NIL front to stay in contention and win the national championship.
But with Jim Harbaugh, some key staffers, and a pile of elite players heading out the door, new football coach Sherrone Moore inherits a program both at its height but also facing a very uncertain future.
What are the most important items on Moore's checklist as he takes the top job heading into the 2024 season and beyond?
1. Recruiting
Michigan hasn't exactly stumbled on the trail during the Harbaugh years, ranking inside the top 25 nationally every cycle, inside the top-15 six times, and inside the top-10 five times.
The allure of Harbaugh — a veteran commodity who produced NFL talent and coached in a Super Bowl — is gone, leaving a sizable hole, and while Moore doesn't boast those credentials, he isn't exactly a liability, either.
In fact, Moore has led many of Michigan's recent recruiting gains, including quarterback J.J. McCarthy, safety Daxton Hill, and back Donovan Edwards, and most recently ranked as the No. 21 recruiter nationally by 247Sports. So he has some credible success to lean on when making the pitch for Michigan to recruits.
2. Transfer portal
Looking at Alabama proves that a head coaching change can result in an exodus of critical talent if a program isn't aggressive. So far, Michigan has avoided that outcome, but players have 30 days to make their final decision.
Who can't Michigan do without right now? Edwards ran for 497 yards and five touchdowns and figures to be RB1 as a senior to help balance things out amid the change at quarterback. Tight end Colston Loveland had over 600 yards and scored once last year and figures to be Michigan's top returning receiver.
Defensively, cornerback Will Johnson is a vital piece in pass coverage, and linemen Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Derrick Moore, and Josaiah Stewart are foundational pieces who can generate negative plays, pressure the quarterback, and produce sacks.
3. Assistants
Harbaugh already took three major pieces of Michigan's coaching staff with him — defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh, and strength/conditioning coach Ben Herbert.
Moore has plenty of pieces to move around, especially as he figures to abandon offensive play-calling duties going forward, in addition to his OL coach position, the latter expected to go to tight ends coach Grant Newsome.
Defensive line coach Mike Elston, defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale, quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell, running backs coach Mike Hart, and wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy are in the mix to get promotions to offensive or defensive coordinator, although there is already some speculation Hart may leave the program.
4. Find a new QB
As expected, star quarterback J.J. McCarthy is heading to the NFL after a statement season, and the race to replace him appears to be wide open.
Alex Orji comes into his third season with the program after rushing for 86 yards last season, and he could enter spring practice as the favorite to get the job.
But the Wolverines also have incoming 2024 recruit Jadyn Davis, the consensus No. 8 quarterback prospect in the country who hit 73 percent of his throws in his most recent varsity season and boasts some mobility in the pocket.
5. Revamp the OL
Michigan's offensive line won the Joe Moore Award as the nation's best for two straight seasons — thanks to Moore's leadership — and was tremendous again during the national championship run, but now all five of those starters are out of the picture.
That leaves offensive line as one of Michigan's more crucial concerns on the roster heading into the 2024 season. One notable addition is Northwestern transfer Josh Preibe at guard and tackle Myles Hinton is expected to return after starting five games this past season.
In addition to finding a new quarterback, Michigan also needs to find the right combination to protect him in the pocket in 2024.
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