After winning the 2023 National Championship, all eyes are on the Michigan Wolverines to see what they do in 2024. But Michigan enters the season without 18 of last year’s starters, leaving plenty of question marks.
As the Wolverines look to find similar success this year, there are several important questions that need to be answered regarding each offensive position.
QB: Who is QB1?
Entering 2024, Michigan has plenty of candidates to fill J.J. McCarthy’s vacancy between Alex Orji, Jack Tuttle, Davis Warren, Jayden Denegal and Jadyn Davis. But that only makes the question of who lands the starting job more perplexing.
Orji seems like the leading candidate given his athleticism. While his mobility is a strong upside, his passing is a definite downside. Michigan thrived even without throwing the ball last season, but a further drop in Michigan’s passing game could be trouble this season. While Orji’s feet are an alluring asset, his passing struggles could hold him back.
Another player could very well get the start, though. Tuttle brings experience; Warren has continued developing in an underdog role; Denegal received praise for his improvement in 2023. Until Michigan takes the field in August, the question of QB1 may remain unanswered.
RB: Can Donovan Edwards bounce back from last season?
With Blake Corum’s departure to the NFL, Donovan Edwards is the obvious RB1. But Edwards’ exact role and whether he can bounce back remains to be seen.
In 2022 as a sophom*ore, Edwards averaged 90.1 yards per game while adding seven touchdowns. But he struggled last fall, accumulating just 33.1 yards per game. Now with a revised mental approach, Edwards has a prime opportunity to bounce back.
Edwards will undoubtedly get the ball a lot, but how he’s exactly used in his new role remains to be seen. With less depth in the receiver room, he could continue to see plenty of targets. With a new outlook, the 2024 iteration of Edwards may take the jump many people expected he’d take last season.
WR: Does Michigan have enough to fill Cornelius Johnson and Roman Wilson’s void?
Last season, Cornelius Johnson and Roman Wilson had 604 and 789 receiving yards, respectively. In comparison, the rest of the wide receivers combined for 483 yards. With 74 percent of its receiving yards gone, Michigan has plenty of work to do in order to fill that void.
Semaj Morgan and Tyler Morris are clear choices, and while they both are primed to make a jump, they likely won’t replicate the production last year’s starters had. The Wolverines need depth beyond those two, and it remains to be seen whether they’ll have that.
Michigan added Youngstown State transfer CJ Charleston to try and help. Charleston’s 503 yards off 33 receptions last season signify the impact he can have at Michigan. Still, the depth at the position is lacking, and the Wolverines could struggle to fill it.
TE: Will Colston Loveland continue living up to the hype?
Colston Loveland is coming off an impressive sophom*ore campaign, to say the least. The 6-foot-5, 245-pounder had 649 yards and four touchdowns.
Entering his junior season, the expectations are only rising. Slotting in as one of the nation’s elite tight ends, Loveland’s impact should be significant. And given the lack of experience and depth in the receiver room, that’s critical for the Wolverines.
Last season, Loveland stepped up when the spotlight shined brightest. His best performance came against Ohio State, where he led Michigan with five catches for 88 yards. In 2024, the spotlight will be on him each time he’s on the field. The only question left is whether he can surpass the high level he played at last year.
OL: Can Michigan retool its offensive line?
Michigan lost six offensive linemen to the NFL this offseason, leaving the room pretty bare. While there are definitely candidates to fill the vacancies, there aren’t many proven options.
Myles Hinton has the potential to step up big time, but he’s also faced setbacks through injuries. Andrew Gentry and Jeff Persi could fill in at right tackle, but Gentry played just three games there last year while Persi has zero experience on the right side of the line. Greg Crippen seems like the leading choice at center, but he has hardly played — just 184 snaps — through three years in Ann Arbor.
While the players here have potential, they still need to prove they can play to the high level expected at Michigan under Sherrone Moore.
