The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 35 1. Will the Wolverines get good enough quarterback play to contend in the Big Ten? This could easily be questions 1, 2, and 3 given its impor- tance to the offense. J.J. McCarthy was one of the best Michi- gan has seen at the position, even if he didn't throw as much as he would have in other offenses. He sacrificed numbers to win, and he became a top 10 NFL Draft choice because of it. But teams knew McCarthy could throw, and he did it when needed (see: 21-of-27 for 287 yards and 4 TDs at Michigan State last year). U-M does not have that level of talent and experience this year, nor did the Wolverines add a QB from the portal. The starter will need to emerge from an unproven group that includes junior Alex Orji, senior Davis Warren, graduate Jack Tuttle and freshman Jadyn Davis. 2. Can the offense "smash" like head coach Sherrone Moore wants to? Michigan didn't run the ball quite as well last year as the previous two, even behind an experienced and talented line. Part of that was the way opposing defenses chose to play them. Starting early in the season, many opponents brought safeties into the box to make the Wolverines throw. Expect even more of that with an inexperienced quarter- back behind center this year. There's a lot of talent on this offensive line, but they haven't played together. Will they be able to move people off the ball as needed to run it well? 3. Is there enough firepower at receiver? The Wolverines have had a solid, but not spectacular, group of wideouts the last few years, led by Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson. Wilson, especially, will be missed — he came up with huge plays in the postseason and in the Ohio State win, and there's no obvious replacement. We like junior Tyler Morris, and sophomore Semaj Morgan is a nice slot option. Sophomore Fredrick Moore has potential. Beyond that, though, there are a lot of question marks and not much depth. 4. How will the secondary fare in Rod Moore's absence? Moore is a very instinctual safety, and his loss (knee injury this spring) is substantial. He was the secondary's quarterback, a leader on the field and a big-play guy. There are good players behind him, and the coaches brought in help from the portal, but he's a tough one to replace. In addition, U-M will need someone to step up again at the "other corner" opposite Will Johnson like Josh Wallace did last year. 5. Will special teams continue to be a strength? The Michigan coaches made a huge move in landing Arkansas State kicker Dominic Zvada from the portal, and they still have punter and kickoff specialist Tommy Doman. He's a triple-threat in that he also serves as the holder on placekicks. Jay Harbaugh was an elite special teams coach before heading to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL, and first- year coach J.B. Brown has some big shoes to fill in an area in which U-M really needs to be good while the offense jells. Top Five True Freshman Candidates To Play Michigan's 26-man group of incoming freshmen was listed No. 15 in the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average compiled from the four major recruiting services, and there are some potential early contributors in the group. The coaches did well in the transfer portal again, but the first-years from the prep ranks will get their shots, too. Here's our list of most likely to see the field in 2024: 1. Running back JORDAN MARSHALL Marshall is an outstanding runner with great instincts who could be too good to sit. He rushed for 1,554 yards and 17 touchdowns at Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller a year ago and has everything you're looking for in a Big Ten back. 2. Defensive end Dominic Nichols Already big enough to contribute at 6-5, 251, the Maryland native enters at a position of need. The Wolverines could use another edge or two to emerge, and the frosh has the potential. In the spring, head coach Sherrone Moore said, "He is going to be a star, he just doesn't know it yet." 3. Defensive end Devon Baxter Like Nichols, Baxter is going to have an opportunity situationally to make an early impact. He's 6-foot-6 and gaining good weight, stacking muscle on his frame and is an explosive athlete. He has "special" length and the most upside in this class according to The Wolverine recruiting analyst EJ Holland. 4. Linebacker Cole Sullivan A 6-3, 215-pound early enrollee, Sullivan turned heads with an impressive spring game performance in which he notched a tackle for loss in the fourth quarter and also ran over a veteran offensive guard on another play, knocking him on his rear end. Sullivan is fearless and aggressive, and he will have an opportunity to contribute at linebacker given how thin the Wolverines appear to be at the position. 5. Wide receiver I'Marion Stewart The Chicago-area talent needs to add some strength, but the 5-foot-11 standout will get an op- portunity given Michigan's lack of depth at his position. He caught 38 passes for 909 yards with 9 touchdowns last year at Chicago Kenwood Academy and is very good at making people miss after the catch. Last season, junior quarterback Alex Orji averaged 5.7 yards per carry (15 rushes for 86 yards) and had one rushing touchdown, but he did not attempt a single pass. PHOTO BY DOMINICK SOKOTOFF Top Five Question Marks PHOTO BY ZACH LIBBY