Thoughts on the 2024 Michigan Wolverines
/I do not like armchair quarterbacks or dudes who sit in their homes and talk about how they would change the team they root for. They have these big ideas, think their idea is best and want to run the team. They have it all figured out and they think they're going to be the one who makes the change that fixes everything. I sit back, watch the teams I watch and root hard for them. I have ideas, but I'm not anywhere near the level that the coaches are involved with the teams, and I just vent these ideas to my dad or my kid. They don't seem to mind too much, and they are free to vent to me if they like.
I will always and forever be a Michigan football fan, and there is no way, in a million years, that I'd ever want to be the head football coach. The fans that I'm speaking of right now are the ones on the Michigan fan page who seem to think they have all the answers. They don't, but they sure like to go on social media after a game and speak their wild ideas into existence. I'm not one of those people. I just want to put that out into the world. And I truly have nothing of importance to complain about with the team. They are the defending champs. They have won the Big 10 three years in a row. They have returned to relevance. They have a good team. This season so far has been tough though. They lost a ton from last year's team. That team won a ton too. The head coach is gone. The defensive coordinator is gone. So is the strength coach, defensive back coach, d-line coach, tight ends coach, running back coach, linebacker coach and a bunch of their recruiting staff. They did retain some coaches, and to the armchair online fans, they hired the right guy as head coach. Sherrone Moore is the rightful head coach. Yes, he seems a bit overwhelmed and in over his head from time to time, but he needs a year or two before people start calling for his job. Along with the coaches, they had to replace their starting QB, running back, most of the o line, a lot of their secondary and a good portion of their linebacking corps. I want to say that Michigan is a team that reloads, not rebuilds. But maybe that was a little too much foresight on my end.
Looking at this team halfway through the season, they're a mess. I already mentioned how Moore is a bit overwhelmed, but so is Wink Martindale. He needs to adjust to coaching college kids. This is not the pros. The secondary has taken a step back as well. The defense is supposed to be the strongest unit on this team, but they are struggling, mostly in the secondary. They miss coverages and tackles far too much. The d-line is still pretty good, and the linebackers can make tackles. But, the secondary is really having a tough go, and the new linebackers are taking a little longer to run the defense than I hoped they would. I do have faith they can figure it out. The offense on the other hand, they are being super exposed. There is no imagination. There is nothing different from last season, which worked because of the talent, but this team is totally different. I feel like I can call every play. They like to run up the middle on first and second down. And if that doesn't work, they throw a five yard out on third and 10. When Davis Warren was in at QB, he would chuck it in the air and hope for the best. He threw a ton of picks. When Alex Orji took over, it was run, run, run and run some more. Opposing teams knew this, so they would stack the box. The o-line cannot block eight or nine guys every time. Michigan would go three and out consistently. This tired out the defense. They put Jack Tuttle in last week's game, and while he provided a tiny spark that worked for a bit, once Washington figured him out, he fumbled and threw a crushing pick. The freshman QB they have isn't ready, and I have no idea what happened to Jadyn Denegal. The offense needs to open the playbook. They need to try something else. They need to see what they have at QB and receiver and just go out there and wing it. If they continue with the motion and try to run up the gut, they will be lucky to win another game all year. I don't know better than the coaches. They are there for a reason. They understand the game better than I ever could. And I trust this staff. I was pounding the pavement for Moore to be the head coach after Harbaugh left for the NFL. I like that they gave Campbell the OC job. Martindale created the defense that Mike MacDonald and Jesse Minter ran while they were the DC's. This staff has what it takes to win at this level, and win big. But they have to get creative. They have to change things up. They have to take a chance. They are going to have to spend in NIL. And they need a viable QB, be it from the portal or from recruiting. You need someone that you can rely on at the most important position in football. They don't have that right now, and it will be a struggle until they figure this out.
Always and forever though, Go Blue.
Ty
Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.
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