CC: Who stays and who goes?

Submitted by SFBayAreaBlue on January 25th, 2024 at 1:52 AM

Okay, so I'm not plugged in, and was wondering if we could get a condensed rundown of who we expect to leave and who we expect to stay.  Here's what I've heard so far, please correct me and update. I'm guessing it all depends on whether or not Sherrone is hired as HC, but as that seems the most likely move, let's just assume that and go from there.  I'm guessing since the school year has started at most places, we won't see much Portal action at least until after spring practice.

Staying:

Donovan Edwards, most of the defense.

Sherrone Moore, Clinkscale, Mike Hart (does he get OC title?), Ron Bellamy,

Going:

JJ, Barner, a couple O-line that still had covid years.

Jaybaugh, Minter? (I think we need to at least test the theory of how much money could keep him here)

Other Minter (was just a temporary guy).

Not Sure:

Ben Herbert (Feldman says he's going, so that means he's staying, right?)

Pa-pa Harbaugh.  Is he moving to So-cal, or is he keeping the AA houses?  Will Jim come back home after he gets his Lombardi? (and Warde has moved on to a farm up north?)

ralphgoblue

January 25th, 2024 at 1:57 AM ^

Like 24 players already left.  But the defense is still loaded and the Offense will be fine    We lost the entire starting OL but some guys on the depth chart were battling to be the starters.             I don’t see players leaving after Harbaugh , because they basically knew it was 50/50 if he was staying or going.. and they would e left already.    

uferfan

January 25th, 2024 at 7:00 AM ^

I wouldn’t use Iowa as a benchmark. They played 3 good teams and 11 buckets of drool. The three games that mattered (Penn State, Michigan and Tennessee), they were outscored 92-0.

Michigan’s schedule next year is terrifying. They’ll be ok, but it’s not the greatest time to lose a bunch of coaches on top of all of the seniors and grads that ran out of time.

Blau

January 25th, 2024 at 1:32 PM ^

Edwards & Mullings is a good start but they’ll no longer have Corum, a veteran OL, or JJ to bail them out if nothing works. Not saying they’ll struggle but Moore will need to be a lot more creative than he’s had to be.

I also see that a lot of people are high on the defense for returning so many starters but if/when Minter leaves, let’s hope his schemes have rubbed off enough to continue to perform at a high level. No sense in changing much up on that side of the ball IMO.

Midukman

January 25th, 2024 at 6:07 AM ^

The poaching of players is gonna be a real thing for a month or so. Minter will probably be gone, so promoting Clinkscale will be paramount. The offense is already a project so keeping the D intact will be huge. I’m sure OSU is already cashing in their penny jars trying to figure out how to entice guys like Grant and Graham. Of course the arrogant buckeyes believe no one who plays for Michigan could start there. Bama and Texas are different stories. 

Mr Miggle

January 25th, 2024 at 8:21 AM ^

The academic calendar is going to help Michigan retain players in the immediate wake of the coaching change. It's just going to be too late to enroll at a lot of schools. The portal opens up again in the Spring and that will be a critical time. It will also be Michigan's best chance to add players for next season.

tspoon

January 25th, 2024 at 9:14 AM ^

Yes it is, and if we think UGa and Texas and others aren't calling Colston Loveland and Will Johnson and our DTs with bazonkers NIL offers, then shame on us for being unprepared.

 

"Colston, our two-time Mackey Award winner just went pro.  We're the consensus #1 team in the country.  We have a dynamite 5* QB coming back in his second year starting and we love to throw it around, especially to the TE.  All we're missing is you as the star in our system. 

Remind us, how many times do you think Alex Orji will hit you each game while you're the focal point of every defensive coordinator's passing D gameplan?

Oh, and here's a million dollars."

MichiganiaMan

January 25th, 2024 at 7:07 AM ^

There are two excellent staff posts that cover the roster piece. I encourage you to read both.

Coaches are a toss up. Just hope we get a total schematic revamp for the passing game.

jdemille9

January 25th, 2024 at 8:26 AM ^

Total revamp? That seems like a really bad idea. Especially with the QB's we have on the roster right now. 

Maybe some tweaks will be added but they will not completely re-invent the offense. We've had a lot of success (40-3 and a national championship) with the current philosophies on offense and defense, why would we make wholesale changes now?

MRunner73

January 25th, 2024 at 7:36 AM ^

Herbert got a 5 year contract extension as reported on the M-Zone yesterday.

While the Harbaugh/NFL drama is over, the fallout on the Michigan roster and coaching staff will go on. The rest of January will be very interesting here in Ann Arbor.

1VaBlue1

January 25th, 2024 at 7:52 AM ^

If Sherrone is named today, or tomorrow at the latest, everyone stays.  Hart will get the OC tag and Kirk Campbell will be the passing game coord as well as QB coach.  Defensively, almost no chance Minter stays, but I don't know if Clink or Elston get/want the elevation to DC.  Nonetheless, the defense will be stacked with returning experience - so long as we keep the Raven's Amoeba base, it'll be championship quality.

Offensively, with more Campbell input, I think we'll see a more diverse passing scheme that makes better use of talents like Donovan Edwards and Semaj Morgan.  I don't think the OL will drop off because Moore will help Grant Newsome when/where he needs it.  The QB and WR rooms are light, but the WR's will be okay.  Big question - the only question, actually - are the QB's.  Can't start Davis as a true freshman, but he'll get packages and 'real' playing time in each game, like JJ did.  Who wins the starting position out of camp - Orji, Warren, or Denegal?

jdemille9

January 25th, 2024 at 8:10 AM ^

It will be very interesting to see how the offensive philosophy changes, if at all. I'd imagine the foundation that Harbaugh built stays mostly intact but Moore and Co. add their own tweaks - I hope, as you do, that they find a way to get Donovan Edwards more involved in the passing game but given the uncertainty at QB who knows.

My money would be on Orji getting the nod. Not sure if it was Brian/Seth or Alex, but one of them mentioned we haven't seen any of the QB's pass much and Orji is an elite running talent at QB and the others are not. This feels like it gives him an edge, at least in the beginning. I think they could put together a power-spread similar to the JT Barrett offense of yesteryear and utilize Orji, Edwards and Mullings in the run game enough to give him some simple passing reads. Doubt we're a championship winning offense but I think coupled with our D (assuming no or only small drop off) we should be a playoff team again.

Amazinblu

January 25th, 2024 at 8:27 AM ^

It will be a few days - or perhaps a week - before any head coach is named.   This is a bit speculative and a bit "informed" on my part.

I heard something regarding the policies that (the state of) Michigan has for public employees - and, it appear the head coach of Michigan football would fall into that category.

SO - what's the issue.  Any "job posting" needs to be open / available for one week prior to a decision being made.   IF this "one week" requirement is in place - then - we'll all just have to sit tight - see who is contacted / applies / and offered the position.

Again - this is what I HEARD, I dont' know if it is a requirement, or not.