Michigan wraps up another bye week with pressure mounting to avoid a losing season. Here are our winners and losers so far as the season nears an end:
The Michigan Wolverines are nearing the end of their season with just two games left on the schedule. After winning a national championship and returning some pretty good players, this season has been underwhelming, to say the least. The Wolverines host Northwestern on Saturday, then head to Columbus for The Game.
Through 10 games, we’ve seen some positives from this team but also plenty of areas to critique. The players continue to show fight and heart, especially over the last few weeks. The Wolverines still need another win if they want to make a bowl game.
Here are our winners and losers through the first 10 games of the Sherrone Moore era.
Winner: Defensive line
Michigan’s defense is not the dominant unit we’ve come to expect over the past three seasons. Still, Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, and somewhat surprisingly Rayshaun Benny have some of the best Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades on defense. Graham has five sacks, nine hits, and 18 hurries through 10 games. Grant hasn’t had as much success getting to the quarterback, but continues to help slow opposing teams’ run game down. Benny continues working through injuries, but still grades out as one of the top defensive players on PFF.
Loser: Sherrone Moore
It’s tough to imagine the pressure Sherrone Moore is under in his first year as head coach. He was left to assemble a staff relatively late after the Jim Harbaugh departure, keep as many returning players from entering the transfer portal, and recruit new guys to play for him. He’s passed some tests with flying colors, particularly on the NIL front, but coaching decisions in-game, personnel decisions each game, and staff hires have fallen flat. Even if he’s trying to delegate and let his coaches make their own mistakes, the responsibility lies with the head coach.
Winner: Josaiah Stewart
Talk about a player who’s making the most of this season. Josaiah Stewart leads the team defensively with a PFF grade of 92.0. He’s picked up six sacks, seven hits, and 16 hurries through 10 games and while he hasn’t been as dominant statistically the past few weeks, he continues to impact opposing offenses. He’s one of the returning players living up to preseason expectations. While the entire edge unit has looked good this season, Stewart is moving up NFL Draft boards because of his performance each week.
Loser: Running backs
Michigan’s run game has taken a step back over the past few weeks. While Kalel Mullings almost single-handedly won the USC game for the Wolverines, Donovan Edwards was crucial in getting points on the board against Washington. The coaching staff still refuses to get these dynamic players on the field together. It’s not helping out either player. Donovan Edwards has earned playing time through his vocal leadership and play-making ability, and Kalel Mullings showed week after week that he should be the go-to back for short-yardage situations.
Winner: Colston Loveland
Colston Loveland is a competitor. He’s got 53 catches this season for 560 yards and four touchdowns. It doesn’t matter which quarterback is in the game, they’re looking for Loveland. For a team that isn’t getting much production out of its wide receivers, he’s a threat in the passing game. Opposing teams have to account for Loveland in their defensive game plan and even when they do, he’s shown he can make a play.
Loser: Will Johnson
Throughout the season, Will Johnson has worked through injury after injury. In the age of NIL, this has led to speculation about the seriousness of his injuries and whether he’s just waiting on the NFL Draft, and that’s a shame. Johnson stayed at Michigan despite losing his entire defensive coaching staff when Harbaugh went to the NFL. He’s still made some big-time plays on the field this season, and he’s lost out on getting to make a difference this season.
Who are your winners and losers after Michigan’s first ten games? Let us know in the comments!