Newsstand: Michigan gets new spot in way-too-early ranking
The Michigan Wolverines have a lot of work to do before knowing what sort of team it has in defense of its College Football Playoff National Championship. However, it might have a better squad than some may think despite a massive run of change since the season ended.
On3’s Jesse Simonton put out an updated way-too-early list of top teams in the country, where Michgian comes in at No. 8. Ahead of the Wolverines are Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss and Notre Dame.
Here’s what Simonton said about where Michigan stands:
The 2023 national champs have seen a ton of turnover since winning the title, losing Jim Harbaugh and nearly half of the rest of the staff to the NFL, plus more than 10 NFL departures including quarterback JJ McCarthy. Sherrone Moore was promoted to head coach, and he recently made an audacious hire in Dink Martindale as his defensive coordinator.
The Wolverines have survived a mass exodus of transfers, but it’s still a roster that ranks 128th nationally in returning production. Quarterback remains a major question mark entering the spring.
The Wolverines are in the midst of a transition at the top of the program with Jim Harbaugh leaving for the Los Angeles Chargers, replaced by former offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Sherrone Moore in the lead role. The team is still working on filling out its coaching staff before things get rolling for spring football, which is set to conclude on April 20 in Ann Arbor at the Big House.
Tweets of the day
Michigan quote of the day
Fate brought him back for his second stint. Word is Oklahoma A.D. Joe Castiglione, one of the most respected athletic directors in the country, was set to hire Magee last October when the “signgate” scandal blew up at Michigan. The Sooners’ athletic department needed to make sure he not been involved before proceeding — they did, and they came back to him recently with an offer.
Magee was prepared to take it and move his family to the Sooner State when Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore called him and asked him if he’d signed yet. He hadn’t. When Moore offered to make him his G.M., Magee jumped on it. He and Moore had been close in Ann Arbor, and now he’ll be one of the key players to help in his friend’s transition from offensive coordinator to head coach.
– TheWolverine.com’s Chris Balas on Sean Magee returning to Michigan football
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