INDIANAPOLIS — Usually, when a team makes a playoff run — let alone making it three straight years and winning the national championship as Michigan football has done — that team becomes the new hotness. Even without the College Football Playoff, Texas was thought to be ‘back’ before it actually was back, for instance.
But the Wolverines haven’t gotten that benefit, flying under the radar in each of the past three years. And again, they’re not the favorite in their own conference, despite the recent past.
That distinction, again, goes to Ohio State, and perhaps Oregon. But CBS Sports’ premier color analyst, Gary Danielson, thinks that the maize and blue are in a good spot in Sherrone Moore’s first year to still potentially make yet another run, this time in an expanded playoff.
WolverinesWire was at Big Ten media days and asked Danielson if he thinks Michigan can’t repeat, and he noted that the Wolverines have a lot going for them, and while others are being elevated in the eyes of the media, they have the same question marks as the maize and blue.
“Here’s the interesting thing about the Big Ten. the biggest question marks from the big teams — right now it’s the big five. Iowa because of the schedule, and Penn State, Oregon, Ohio State and Michigan. All five of them, the biggest question mark they have — all five — is quarterback,” Danielson said. “Drew Allar didn’t really come through for Penn State last year, transfer quarterback at Ohio State where the only measurement is win a national championship. Alex Orji at Michigan taking over a No. 1 draft pick. But I really think the way the team was built and having a coach that was already there — because they brought in transfers to fill in spots — it’s not like they haven’t been recruiting linemen that aren’t ready to play that had to wait another year.
“So I think the team’s going to look about the same, but the same question marks are going to be at quarterback. J.J. McCarthy — yeah, two years ago, was like is he the guy that can do it? But briefly, he stood up after the TCU game and said, ‘We’re coming back here to win it.’ And he did. That’s what they need now. Is it realistic this year? We’ll see. I mean, it’s not like they’re not going to be loaded at offensive line. They’ve been loaded at offensive line since 1969. They’re gonna have good offensive lineman. They’ve got great tight ends, great running back, receiver takes care of itself. Defense will be loaded. The quarterback position is the key — but it is on all football teams.”
Of course, Michigan’s schedule is much tougher. It has the aforementioned Texas in Week 2, USC in Week 4, and Oregon and Ohio State in the month of November.
Even though Danielson mentioned Orji as the quarterback, don’t write off Jack Tuttle. Given the rubric that Sherrone Moore gave for choosing a QB, the seventh-year, former four-star could also take the helm. With a high floor, Tuttle could have more of a game manager role like Cade McNamara in 2021 which did propel the Wolverines to a win over the Buckeyes and a College Football Playoff berth.