This past season was not the type of season Michigan fans or the team wanted.
After losing quarterback J.J. McCarthy to the NFL, successors in Alex Orji and Davis Warren were not good enough. The Wolverines finished with a record of 8-5, including a ReliaQuest Bowl win over the Alabama Crimson Tide.
What Silver Lining Emerged from Michigan’s Disappointing 2024 Season?
However, even after a winning record and winning a bowl game, it was still a failed season since Michigan failed to make the College Football Playoffs.
That said, one silver lining from the 2024 season was the fact that the Wolverines were able to beat their biggest rivals.
Two out of their eight wins from this past season came against Michigan State and Ohio State. The win over the Buckeyes was even more impressive, considering it was on the road and came against the No. 2-ranked team in the country at the time.
This becomes more impressive when you take into account that Michigan had lost 13 players from the prior year to the NFL. Seven out of the 13 were drafted, with five of those on the defensive end.
Michigan’s identity this past season was its defense, and the Wolverines lost three of their best players on that unit to the 2025 NFL Draft in cornerback Will Johnson and defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant. Attempting to replace them will be difficult.
Why Is There Still Optimism for Michigan’s 2025 Season?
Yes, losing key defensive players is definitely daunting. It would be easy for casual fans to conclude that Michigan’s 2025 season is already doomed. However, Isaiah Hole, who, as the publisher of USA Today’s Wolverine Wire, follows the team closely, believes the team’s depth is better than many realize.
For example, in Michigan’s bowl victory over Alabama, all offensive starters, except for the ones who transferred, suited up in that game. Yet, it’s worth noting that the majority of the starters on both sides of the ball at Michigan opted out, and the Wolverines still won.
Most of the defensive players who started and played in that game are back for the 2025 season. That same defense forced three first-half turnovers from eventual 2025 third-round draft pick Jalen Milroe.
Defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny was the third defensive tackle on that Michigan team and some say he’s the second-best returning defensive tackle in the country. The Wolverines also added two defensive tackle transfers in Tre Williams from Clemson and former five-star recruit Damon Payne from Alabama.
Michigan still has abundant defensive-line depth and its top two linebackers. Additionally, the Wolverines have their full 2024 defensive coaching staff returning, which is the first time that has happened in seven years, per Hole. He believes that heading into this season, it is certainly fair to say Michigan arguably has the best defensive front seven in all of college football.
The one big loss is talented cornerback Will Johnson, who missed half of the 2024 season due to injury. Hole mentions that the Michigan defense’s one true weakness is the lack of a true lockdown cornerback.
Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale even conceded his unit probably doesn’t have much first-round-worthy talent for the 2026 NFL Draft, but tons of Day 2 talent from top to bottom on the defensive end.
Can Bryce Underwood and an Easier Schedule Elevate Michigan in 2025?
With all of those additions and great talent on the defensive end, the Wolverines now have their solution at the quarterback position. They landed the No. 1 overall recruit in the country, Bryce Underwood, to play quarterback for them next year and beyond.
In addition, they most likely have an easier schedule compared to the season prior. During the 2024 season, they played three teams that made the College Football Playoffs (Ohio State, Oregon, and Texas).
Even after failing to make the playoffs, Michigan still has a lot of momentum to build off of. The Wolverines ended the season on a three-game winning streak, including against the eventual National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes and a bowl win against a top program in Alabama.
