Michigan football is getting a lot of buzz as a national title contender this offseason, but here are three reasons why the Wolverines can actually win it all.
There is more excitement surrounding the 2023 Michigan football team than any other I can remember in my nearly 30 years as a fan.
When Wolverines won the national championship in 1997, nobody expected it. Michigan football didn’t even start that season ranked in the top 10.
This time around, many pundits are expecting Michigan football to challenge Georgia for the national title. The Bulldogs are the two-time defending national champs, while Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson, and the usual suspects should all be pretty good.
However, most of them have new starting quarterbacks. Michigan football doesn’t. The Wolverines also return a ton of experience. At positions where Michigan had question marks, the Wolverines added transfers.
Is the roster good enough? Is the schedule manageable? Here are three reasons why Michigan football can actually win the national championship in 2023, not just contend for it.
J.J. McCarthy
There are plenty of reasons to feel good about this Michigan football team and we’ll get to those, yet McCarthy is the best reason why this team can exceed expectations.
We have seen with Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow, and DeShaun Watson what having a truly elite quarterback can do. The powers that be are going to have good quarterbacks, but McCarthy might be the best of the bunch this season.
McCarthy can make all the throws. He’s accurate. Takes care of the ball and can move. I’d like to see him used as a runner near the goal line more. He ran when needed against Ohio State.
That’s something the Wolverines need to let him do more, especially in the red zone — it’s just hard to stop and he’s a dynamic athlete.
McCarthy was really good last season and now, with a season of starting experience under his belt, he’s going to be ruthlessly efficient. That’s my expectation.
I also think he’ll eclipse 3,000 total yards and 30 touchdowns. The numbers might not be eye-popping, but the play will be elite and that’s one reason why Michigan football will have a shot to win the natty in 2023.
The defense will be better
We broke it down here recently, but Michigan football fans shouldn’t be surprised if the defense winds up being better next season.
Yes, the Wolverines lost some really talented players. However, a bunch of studs remain and that’s not an understatement. There’s early NFL draft talent on all three levels of the defense.
Kris Jenkins can be a first-round pick. Kenneth Grant, Mason Graham, and Rayshaun Benny are also stellar inside. Derrick Moore is going to be a star on the edge. Braiden McGregor and Jaylen Harrell are due to take a leap and Josaiah Stewart is going to be a terror.
Junior Colson is a potential first-round pick in my opinion. Will Johnson will be a top-10 pick. Mike Sainristil is one of the best nickel backs in the country, and there’s enough corner depth opposite Johnson to get the job done.
Add in an elite safety tandem, more experience like Michael Barrett, plus the fact that Jesse Minter is back for a second season coordinating the defense — it’s going to be scary good.
It might even be the best defense in college football.
Hard to spot a weakness
You need elite players to win national championships and Michigan football has them — at all the key positions.
If you are talking about quarterback, running back, offensive line, defensive line, cornerback, and safety, Michigan football is loaded. The Wolverines don’t have elite wideouts but Darrius Clemons as well as Tyler Morris could change that conversation.
Colston Loveland is also going to be dynamic at tight end. He’s a mismatch nightmare. So is Edwards and if he’s 100 percent, he will be a much bigger factor in the passing game.
Michigan football has a proven pass rush and I think college football’s best cornerback (Johnson). Maybe one of the best nickels in college football too in Sainristil.
The offensive line is as good as any in the country, the running back room is the best, at least the top two, and there is legitimate depth everywhere. There is leadership too, an abundance of it.
Sure, Michigan has some question marks at kicker, punter, and in the return game. Injuries can also derail things pretty quickly. Thinking back to last season, it would have been a different result if Blake Corum was healthy against TCU.
The schedule is also doable. The road trips to Penn State, Michigan State, and Minnesota won’t be easy. But the Ohio State game is at home and if the Wolverines win that game, it’s hard to see them not playing for the Big Ten title.
Winning a third consecutive Big Ten championship is the first step. That would be an incredible achievement in itself. However, there’s no doubt, in my mind at least, this team can win it all.