With spring ball fully underway, a whole host of Wolverines were made available to the media this week. Mason Graham (DT), Makari Paige (DB), Donovan Edwards (RB), Kenneth Grant (DT), Colston Loveland (TE), and Will Johnson (CB) all took to the podium to discuss a wide range of topics heading into the 2024 season.
Here are some of the key takeaways:
Transfer Portal
Rumors have been swirling during the off-season that Michigan could potentially lose several significant contributors to the portal during the spring, including guys like Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant. Both Graham and Grant were asked about that possibility this week, and both made it clear that they are happy where they’re at in Ann Arbor. That doesn’t mean that rival “collectives” won’t continue to make a play for some of Michigan’s top contributors, but it feels like a safe bet that all of the players listed above will be wearing the winged helmet in 2024.
Staff Turnover
There’s no doubt that the remaining players felt the sting of losing essentially all of the defensive staff, along with their head coach. That being said, the players we spoke with seem very upbeat about the hires that Sherrone Moore has made just two months into his head coaching tenure. Players describe new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale as a guy who’s laid back and enjoyable to be around, noting that he’s often playing music whenever he’s in the building. Donovan Edwards also mentioned that new running backs coach Tony Alford is someone that he has an existing relationship with, starting when Alford was trying to recruit him during his time with Ohio State.
Of course, the true test for this coaching staff will come in the fall – and the W-L record will be the best indicator of just how good this coaching group really is. In the meantime, it looks like Sherrone Moore did a hell of a job in filling out his staff.
The Culture
One thing that has become apparent this week is that the veteran guys are aware of their responsibility to carry on the championship culture that’s been built over the previous three seasons. Donovan Edwards referenced guys like former EDGE Aidan Hutchinson and LB Josh Ross as guys who started the process, and he knows he’s a key figure in making sure that work continues during his senior year. Even after losing 18 guys to this year’s NFL Draft (and a good portion of the staff to LA), the remaining players say it’s still business as usual in Schembechler Hall. “We haven’t skipped a beat,” said Edwards.
Leadership
Speaking of Donovan Edwards, nearly every coach we spoke with over the last two weeks has mentioned Edwards as a guy who has really stepped into a leadership role. During his media availability on Monday, he spoke about the adversity he’s gone through, the importance of maintaining the culture that has been built, and how he deals with any outside criticism. Based on his answers below, it’s not hard to see why younger guys are looking to him as a leader.
Up-and-Coming Talent
In order for Michigan to be successful in 2024, the Wolverines will need several younger guys to step up in a major way. Defensively, the names we’re hearing repeatedly this spring are Jyaire Hill (DB), DJ Waller Jr., and Enow Etta. On the offensive side of the ball, sophomore wide receivers Semaj Morgan and Fredrick Moore are two guys who are mentioned frequently.
