2024 Michigan Football will have a different kind of chip on its shoulder
The 2023 Michigan Wolverines came into the season last year as one of the heavy favorites to win it all. After two devastating playoff losses, Michigan football was on a mission to finish the business that was started two years prior.
Most college football fans believed it would be Michigan or Georgia lifting up the national championship trophy at the end of the season. The chip resting on the team's shoulder came from knowing they were one of the best teams in the country the last two seasons but not being able to finish the job.
Every single team that stepped on the field with Michigan football last year was the underdog and the Wolverines imposed their will 15 straight times on their way to the national championship. Everyone thought they were the best, Michigan knew they were the best and it turned out to be true in the end.
The 2024 version of the Wolverines are being painted with a much different brush. A mass exodus of elite talent, the departure of a head coach, defensive coordinator, strength coach, special teams coach and defensive line coach is cause for concern to a lot of people.
However, that is only the view if we are looking at the glass half empty. The defense is bringing back five guys on the defensive line who all played key roles and four guys in the secondary who played key roles. Jaishawn Barnham and Ernest Hausman lead a linebacking core that will be one of the best in the Big Ten. Safe to say the defense is going to be one of the best units in the conference next year.
The Michigan offense will have to replace JJ McCarthy, five offensive linemen, Roman Wilson, Cornelius Johnson, AJ Barner, and Blake Corum. However, the glass half full means Michigan football also has Donovan Edwards, Colston Loveland, Max Bredeson, Tyler Morris, and Semaj Morgan coming back along with newcomers ready to make an impact. The offense is going to look a little different because of players and Kirk Campbell now calling plays but the skill and scheme are still there for them to be an elite unit.
feed
It is not often a defending national champion comes into the following season with a chip on their shoulder because they are being doubted. However, it seems more and more that's going to be the case for the Wolverines next year. I could not think of a better motivational tactic for a team that is already loaded with talent than to be doubted by the entire country. I am really excited to see this Wolverine team fight all year to prove the doubters (which there will be many) wrong. A new year, a new team but the mission will remain the same... win the whole dang thing.