Michigan Football 2024 Preview Offense: How Fast Can The Wolverines Rebuild?

Michigan Football Preview 2024: Offense

2024 Michigan Football Preview
Michigan Preview | Defense
Win Total, Predictions, Season Keys
CFN 2024 Preview: All 134 Teams

- Kirk Campbell goes from being the team’s quarterbacks coach to the offensive coordinator, and he’s not about to change up what helped lead the way to all this success over the last three seasons.

The Michigan offense that tuned it over just eight times, and was so efficient, and so brutally effective all worked because of one key thing: the offensive line under Sherrone Moore.

There was a moment at the end of the lost 2020 season when it all seemed to kick in. Michigan was losing to Penn State and was about to be 2-4, but the O line suddenly looked tougher, more physical, and had an odd “enough is enough” type of energy in the second half.

Over the next three years, the Wolverines dominated game after game. This success helped take the pressure off of everyone else, the defense did its part, and the formula was fantastic.

The high point came last year against Penn State when Michigan put the 24-15 win away without throwing a pass in the second half. (Actually, a flag was thrown on a JJ McCarthy pass, but that doesn’t make the point quite as cool.)

The offensive line is starting over, but the talent is still there with a few understudies about to become the main characters.

Greg Crippen should be a major factor taking over the center job, Myles Hinton started at tackle almost half of last year and should step in on the left side, and this year’s new portal puzzle piece - Michigan has done a wonderful job at finding that one guy to make it all work - is Josh Priebe from Northwestern for one of the guard gigs.

- The running game will keep on rolling. Blake Corum was special. He ran for 1,245 yards and 27 touchdowns, and now he’ll spend his summer being drafted as everyone’s fantasy football “sleeper” with the LA Rams.

Donovan Edwards only averaged 4.2 yards per carry, but he has plenty of tread on the tires, can catch, and now comes the production. The backups are fine - Kalel Mullings is a 6-2, 239-pound blaster who averaged over six yards per carry.

- JJ McCarthy worked perfectly in the system. What did Michigan need? Hit the third down throws, don’t make mistakes, come up large in big moments. He connected on 72% of his passes, threw just four picks, and his performance in the clutch against Alabama was everything. Now he’s a Minnesota Viking.

Alex Orji is a 6-2, 236-pound all-around playmaker who ran well when he got his chances, but he didn’t throw a pass last season. He won’t be as efficient as McCarthy was, but the skills are there, the running game will take the pressure off, and the receiving corps will once again be terrific.

If Colston Loveland isn’t the best tight end in the country, he’ll be close. He was second on the teams with 649 yards and four scores on 45 catches. The wide receivers might be new to the starting jobs, but they’re all very, very talented.

Semaj Morgan caught 22 passes last season and can move. Fredrick Moore should be dangerous on the outside, and Tyler Morris is a quick, dangerous option who needs the ball more. The depth, though, is a bit of a concern - the starters are just getting up to speed in their new roles.

2024 Michigan Football Preview
Michigan Preview | Defense
Win Total, Predictions, Season Keys
CFN 2024 Preview: All 134 Teams