The Michigan Wolverines are coming off of a national championship, but they lost their head coach in Jim Harbaugh and multiple key pieces—such as quarterback J.J. McCarthy—afterward.
As a result, it may not exactly be smooth sailing for Michigan in 2024, and it may even be tough for the Wolverines to regain their footing in the wake of Harbaugh’s departure.
An anonymous Big Ten coach recently provided a rather sobering take on Michigan, saying that it will take some time before things get back to status quo in Ann Arbor.
“The trick for [new head coach] Sherrone [Moore] is to keep the momentum of a national championship culture through all the roster turnover,” the coach said, via Trent Knoop of Sports Illustrated. “I think you’ll see a lot of familiar Harbaugh practices and ideas this first season, because they’ve got to rebuild before they can put a new signature on the program.”
Can Michigan recover after losing Jim Harbaugh?
Michigan certainly has a rich history, but prior to Harbaugh’s arrival in 2015, the Wolverines were mired in a rather miserable slump.
From 2008 through 2014, the Wolverines posted just four winning seasons, with two of them coming by the skin of their teeth at 7-6. They also went 1-3 in bowl games during that span.
Throughout Harbaugh’s nine-year run, however, Michigan never posted a losing campaign (save for the pandemic-shortened 2020 season when it went 2-4) and logged double-digit victories six times.
In Harbaugh’s final season with the school in 2023, the Wolverines went a perfect 15-0.
Moore definitely has some large shoes to fill at the Big House heading into the 2024 campaign, but if history is any indication, Michigan will be just fine.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
Local Ann Arbor, MI
Most Popular
Comments / 0