Early Big Ten football power rankings reveal: Can Michigan reload in 2024?

The Michigan Wolverines experienced a lot of turnover from last season. They hope to reload and lead to another conference title.

It’s never too early for a “way too early” Big Ten power ranking! Things will change. Players will hurt the portal, players will transfer in, and injuries will happen but for the most part, we have a pretty good understanding of rosters after National Signing Day and so much transfer portal movement. 

In each part of this series, we will unveil where each of the 18 teams in the new look conference begin. We started at No. 1 with the revamped Ohio State Buckeyes. Then, the Oregon Ducks come in at the second spot. Now coming in at No. 3 is the defending National Champion Michigan Wolverines.

How could the team that went undefeated and won the National Championship come in the third spot in their conference? The easy answer: program turnover in modern college football. 

Obviously, the question marks start right at the top with former head coach Jim Harbaugh leaving the program to take the same position with the Los Angeles Chargers. The program tried to keep a level of familiarity when they promoted offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore to the new position. That was done partly because they are high on Moore, but also to try and achieve some level of stability. 

Unfortunately, the defensive staff was mostly depleted with defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, defensive line coach Mike Elston, defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale, and graduate assistant Dylan Roney all heading to Harbaugh’s new staff. That means there will be a major overhaul on that side of the football. 

The 2023 Wolverine team was also very experienced. They have an NFL Scouting Combine record of 18 players participating at the end of the month, illustrating how many key players were lost. Luckily the team was able to retain several future high draft picks with running back Donovan Edwards, tight end Colston Loveland, cornerback Will Johnson, and defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant. Those players will be counted upon heavily to soften the blow of so much roster turnover. 

There’s an element of a team being “the champs until proven otherwise” but there are plenty of questions to answer. 

Full Big Ten Rankings

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  2. Oregon Ducks
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Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson solidified senior rise in Mobile

Roman Wilson set himself apart during the Senior Bowl process.

Heading into the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl, former Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson was viewed as a sleeper who needed a ton more draft hype. Wilson had modest production while at Michigan, saving his best for last as part of the Wolverine’s national championship run in 2023.

The diminutive pass catcher led the squad with 789 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns on just 48 receptions, impressive numbers considering how fixating on the run game Michigan is offensively. 

During the first day, Wilson weighed in and it wasn’t a big surprise that he was on the smaller side. At 5’10 ½” and 186 pounds, he isn’t going to look like a dominant passing game weapon on the hoof. Then the pads got on and Wilson morphed into arguably the top wide receiver on either side in Mobile. Wilson played so well over the first two days, that he opted to shut it down and not practice the final couple of days or participate in the game. 

Throughout the week, Wilson was mentioned by pretty much every major media outlet as a big winner. The director of the Senior Bowl, Jim Nagy, even put a lofty Tyler Lockett comparison on Wilson during the week. The reason for that is his rare combination of vertical speed, competitiveness, and ability to track the ball down the field. 

Wilson wasn’t an unknown player to NFL scouts coming into the season. There were a ton of early day-three grades out there even before he had his breakout season for Michigan. Leaving the event, it’s hard to believe that Wilson won’t hear his name called in the first two rounds of the 2024 NFL draft come April according to multiple scouts on site. 

The last big hurdle for his evaluation is complete at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, where Wilson is expected to test exceptionally well. Running in the 4.3s in the forty-yard dash is a number that has been thrown out there a ton. If he does, Wilson would have cemented what he started at the Senior Bowl: becoming a near-lock top 50 selection.

Sherrone Moore wasn’t just the best choice for Michigan, he was the only choice

Sherrone Moore was the only choice for Michigan.

Things have been moving quickly for the Michigan Wolverines the last few days. On Wednesday, it was announced that Jim Harbaugh was leaving the program to accept the head coaching position with the Los Angeles Chargers. Just two days later, it was made official that former Wolverine offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Sherrone Moore would take over as head coach for the team moving forward. 

In those 48 hours, after Harbaugh was gone, there was a lot of speculation over which direction the program would go. Coach Moore’s name was thrown out there quickly and would be considered the heavy front-runner.

Of course, there was some pushback to that ideology, specifically because he had no prior head coaching experience (besides for multiple games this season in place of a suspended Harbaugh).

Moore is also only 37 years old, which is young for a coach who is the CEO of one of the most historical programs in college football. 

In theory, a program could garner interest from a long list of head coaching candidates with more impressive resumes, a longer list of accolades, and far more overall experience. When you take a step back, however, Moore was the correct choice. You could argue he was the only choice. 

Yes, there is an inherent risk with Coach Moore. Nobody has any idea how good of a coach he will be, or if he will be any good at all. That doesn’t change the fact, however, that he knows the formula. Moore knows what it takes to lead the Wolverines to their first national championship since 1997, a year when they had to technically share the title with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. This was also the first time Michigan had beaten Ohio State for three straight seasons since their stretch from 1995-1997. 

Experience matters and no outside head coach Michigan could have brought in had that particular distinction on their resume. The familiarity Moore brings to the team is also massive, which should help keep the roster intact. There’s no wondering what the exodus would have looked like if a new staff was brought in. Now you have all but solidified that a strong core of running back Donovan Edwards, tight end Colston Loveland, cornerback Will Johnson, and defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant all return. 

Perhaps the most important part of promoting Moore is that you keep the team’s identity intact as well. The Wolverines had a talented squad but what made them so good was the demeanor and attitude they played with. They routinely beat more talented teams down the stretch because they were physically imposing. They were relentless.

Maybe a new coach could sustain that edge but the odds are against them. Coach Moore absolutely can, because he was a part of it being instilled in their team. If the Wolverine loses that, then they lose this window. There is nothing to sustain. 

It’s not that Moore was the best candidate or that he is guaranteed to keep the program rolling. It is a bit of a gamble to a degree, but in the end, Coach Moore is what Michigan football needs: consistency, relentlessness, an edge.

Michigan football officially promotes Sherrone Moore to head coach

The next chapter at TTUN has begun.

What we thought was going to happen up north did indeed: The Michigan football program announced the promotion of Sherrone Moore to head coach on Friday.

The news comes on the heels of Jim Harbaugh leaving the program to head back to the NFL with the L.A. Chargers all while a couple of NCAA investigations loom over the program. Moore, who filled in admirably for Harbaugh during the last of his two three-game suspensions, was thought to be the popular choice and leader for the job since the Harbaugh news broke. He also was the acting head coach vs. Bowling Green early in the season and brings a 4-0 record to the table.

Still, Moore is a first-time head coach after being on the Michigan staff since 2018 as an assistant. He was the team’s offensive coordinator last season, but before that had co-offensive coordinator duties and was the tight ends coach when he first stepped on campus in Ann Arbor.

To say that Moore will have his work cut out for him would be an understatement. Michigan loses a ton of four and five year guys, including its starting quarterback. The Wolverines still figure to have talent to plug in places, but it either way, the clock will be ticking after three very successful seasons at TTUN.

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Michigan offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore is the frontrunner to replace Harbaugh

Reports point to Michigan hiring within as offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore is frontrunner to replace former head coach Jim Harbaugh.

The news struck Wednesday evening of what Michigan fans feared most: Jim Harbaugh accepted the head coaching job of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Harbaugh, who brought the Wolverines their first national championship since 1997, will be returning to the NFL and joining his brother as a head coach in the AFC. Harbaugh had been with the Wolverines since 2015, leading them to an overall record of 86-25 in that time.

The exit of the beloved coach leaves a void that will be hard to fill, but it appears the Wolverines might already have a plan. Michigan is focusing on offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore as Harbaugh’s successor, according to Chris Low of ESPN. Low stated that Moore is expected to be offered the job “barring an unexpected development.”

Moore has been with the Wolverines since 2018. He was the tight end coach until 2020 when he was promoted to co-offensive coordinator. Before the start of the 2023 season, Moore was named the sole offensive coordinator for the eventual national champions. He also stood in as acting head coach during Harbaugh’s four-game suspension this season.

Seeing Harbaugh leave the program after winning the College Football Playoff National Championship will be a tough pill to swallow for many of the Michigan faithful. However, on the bright side, Wolverines fans might not have to learn a new name, as Sherrone Moore is already well-loved in Ann Arbor.

Ohio State’s year-by-year results vs. Jim Harbaugh and Michigan

A game-by-game look at all of the Ohio State matchups and results with Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan teams. #GoBucks

After flirting with the NFL during previous offseasons, Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh is officially leaving the Wolverine program for another shot at the NFL, this time with the Los Angeles Chargers.

It’s been an up-and-down narrative for Harbaugh as the quote-unquote savior of the program, with many attempting to run him out of Ann Arbor early on. However, the end was one that — at least “Michigan men” — we’re very approving of, pending NCAA investigations aside.

Michigan sure had it’s issues trying to get over the hump against its archrival, Ohio State, but once the program did get going under Harbaugh, it won three straight and capped it with a College Football Playoff national championship.

We decided to reflect and look at each year Harbaugh went toe-to-toe with the scarlet and gray. Here’s a look at each matchup with his Michigan teams, the results and a short synopsis of it played out.

Ohio State social media reacts to Jim Harbaugh leaving Michigan for the NFL

Social media in Ohio State corners of the world was quick to react to the Jim Harbaugh news. #GoBucks

In case you missed it, news dropped on Wednesday that Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh is moving on from the program after nine years and taking the open Los Angeles Chargers head coaching position.

Harbaugh completed the turnaround from the brunt of many jokes to the top of the mountain by beating archrival Ohio State three straight years, hanging up three straight Big Ten banners and winning the national championship this season.

Reaction to the news was swift on social media, and as Michigan’s biggest rival, Ohio State fans and media members got in on the act, as you would expect.

Here are some of the best social media reactions from Harbaugh heading back to the NFL with a scarlet and gray slant.

Jim Harbaugh reportedly leaving Michigan for NFL

How do you feel Buckeye Nation? #GoBucks

After flirting with the NFL during recent offseasons, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is finally hanging it up with the Wolverines and moving on to test his skills at the highest level again.

According to a report from Adam Schefter of ESPN, Harbaugh is set to accept an offer from the Los Angeles Chargers, ending his run in Ann Arbor after nine years.

It was a rough beginning and middle for Harbaugh, but his last three years at Michigan resulted in three straight wins over archrival Ohio State, three consecutive Big Ten championships and three College Football Playoff appearances in a row. The last of which ended with a national title this season.

Harbaugh finishes his Michigan tenure with an overall record of 86-25, but his legacy will be one of polarization, especially with potential NCAA penalties hanging over the program from allegedly contact with recruits during a dead period and the sign-stealing saga that is still being investigated. He was suspended for three games at two different points this season stemming from both.

Harbaugh is no stranger to the NFL. He coached the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-2014, leading the team to three straight NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl at the end of the 2012-2013 season.

His departure will no doubt leave the Michigan program in a lurch. The Wolverines lose a wealth of experience and talent on the coaching staff. And we’ve seen other programs — namely Alabama — see numerous player defections after a head coach leaves. The watch will be on for the next 30 days to see what happens with the roster in Ann Arbor.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.

Breaking: Jim Harbaugh named head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers

Jim Harbaugh is NFL-bound after being lured away from Michigan.

After weeks of speculation, the Michigan Wolverines will now join the wild coaching carousel of the 2024 offseason. It was reported that head coach Jim Harbaugh will be returning to the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Harbaugh last coached in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers, where he led them to the Super Bowl but failed to secure the Lombardi Trophy against his brother John Harbaugh in Super Bowl XLVII.

As a head coach in the NFL, Harbaugh has a combined record of 44-19-1 with an NFC Championship in 2012. In each of the first three seasons in San Francisco, Harbaugh led the 49ers to an NFC Championship game berth. He left the NFL following the 2014 season in which they finished 8-8.

Adam Schefter reported the news on Wednesday. After flirting with the NFL in almost every offseason, the Chargers finally won the Jim Harbaugh sweepstakes.

Harbaugh is coming off a CFP National Championship, in which the Wolverines were a perfect 15-0. Over the last three seasons, Michigan made the CFP Playoffs in each season and finally got over the hump in the 2023 season with victories over the Alabama Crimson Tide and Washington Huskies to give UM its first title since 1997.

Now Michigan will begin its search for the next head coach of the Wolverines. Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Sherrone Moore is the likely candidate to replace Harbaugh as the new head coach. Moore served as the interim head coach in the wins over Ohio State and Bowling Green.

Recently, Bruce Feldman listed Brian Kelly as a potential candidate as the next head coach at Michigan. Kelly last coached in the state of Michigan with the Central Michigan Chippewas from 2004 to 2006. He was also at Grand Valley State in Allendale, Michigan, from 1987 until 2003.

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh interviews for Falcons opening

Atlanta Falcons announced that the organization interviewed Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh for the team’s head coaching vacancy.

Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh is fresh off of his first National Championship with the Wolverines, but he does not appear to be taking the time to celebrate it.

On Jan. 16, the Atlanta Falcons announced that the organization completed an interview with Harbaugh amongst other potential candidates for their head coaching vacancy. This comes only eight days after Michigan defeated Washington 34-13 in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Harbaugh has been with the Wolverines since 2015, leading them to an overall record of 86-25 in his tenure. Many believed that Harbaugh would be a Wolverine until he retired, but the recent interview begs the question of whether Jim is ready to return to the NFL. Before accepting the Michigan job, Harbaugh was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, where he was bested by his brother John in the 2013 Super Bowl against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Wolverines are still riding high off their first National Championship since 1997, but losing their beloved coach could put a damper on the celebrations. As noted, Michigan might not have to worry, for the Falcons have interviewed multiple potential candidates. However, the void that the loss of Harbaugh would create would not go unnoticed in Ann Arbor.