Typically, the defending college football national champions are in everybody’s top 10, or even top 5, to begin the next season. But the Michigan Wolverines haven’t had a typical offseason.
Like most teams, they’ve lost some key players through the draft, graduation and transfers. But it is rare for a defending champ to have a coaching change. Jim Harbaugh left Ann Arbor for the LA Chargers in January. Michigan promoted offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore as Harbaugh’s successor.
That lack of continuity has ESPN’s Greg McElroy questioning the Wolverine’s chances in 2024. In fact, McElroy has Big Blue No. 11 in his preseason top 25 ranking.
🚨 @GregMcElroy‘s Preseason Top 25 🚨 pic.twitter.com/ZiFbTdQWJJ
— Always College Football (@AlwaysCFB) July 11, 2024
McElroy knows his take will upset a lot of Michigan fans, “A lot of people are going to lose their minds here. And I understand that.”
“I look at the team the last couple years. I’ve been high on Michigan,” he said in his latest “Always College Football” podcast. “I picked them to win the national championship. … Understandably, because of the continuity that had been created the last few years. There is no longer the same level of continuity.”
The former Alabama QB thinks Michigan’s defense will still be stout, but not to the level of last season, “Those guys should be in a good spot up front defensively. … They just don’t have as many pieces this year as they have the last couple years. I think there are some question marks. … Defensively, though, they should be rock solid.”
McElroy says the biggest issues are on offense. Specifically, at QB. “The problem is on offense … I think there are massive question marks at quarterback. Massive.”
Part of his hot take stems from how the Big Ten might change with the west coast newcomers like USC, Oregon and Washington. “Looking at the league and how it might change a little bit. … You might need to score some points to win games in the Big Ten. If you’re playing SC, you might have to play and score 35 points in order to win.”
The fact that the Wolverines don’t have a clear successor to national title winning QB J.J. McCarthy is a huge red flag for McElroy, “A five man quarterback battle in the spring doesn’t have me feeling too good. … Quarterback and offensive line are legit question marks for me, which is why, at this point, I have Michigan outside of the top 10 heading into the preseason season.”
Michigan opens the season against Fresno State before a huge non-conference tilt in Ann Arbor vs. Texas in Week 2.