The year 2025 is a season that the Michigan Wolverines fans are going to remember for a long time. Not for the good reasons, of course! They lost their head coach, Jim Harbaugh. That came as the first blow. After Sherrone Moore took over the reins, things just got tougher. Last season, they ran as the defending champions of the National Championship title. But forget bringing home the Natty this time as well. Moore’s boys even failed to make it to the playoffs. While the 2025 season is yet to lift the curtains, will they be able to gain back their lost pride this time? A national analyst shared a firm stance. Meanwhile, Moore’s biggest chase has been to land the No.1 quarterback recruit if the 2025 class, Bryce Underwood. Turns out that someone is going to give him a tough competition and already holds $450K NIL value.
In Ann Arbor, Harbaugh had spread his charm. Why wouldn’t he? After all, he ended the 27-year-old drought since the last time Michigan won the national championship was in 1997. Just when the Wolverines fans were eagerly waiting to witness more of Harbaugh’s magic, the head coach left the program. So, it was obvious that the ceiling was too high for Moore. Despite an impressive performance to finish the season, Michigan spent much of 2024 struggling mightily on the offensive side. You name the issues, the Wolverines caught it. Struggling with passing attack? Check. Lack of creativity with play calling? Check. And all these summing up had an impact on the rankings.
Aug 31, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore looks on from the sideline in the first half against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Moore’s squad ranked 130th in total offense, 129th in passing offense, and 113th in scoring among all 133 FBS teams. It will be easier to realize how they had a free fall if we take into account their 2023 stats. They ranked 14th nationally in total offense. So, Michigan fans must already be scared, sensing an impending doom. To add to their worries, Moore lost key players who were part of the 2024 Natty-winning team to the 2025 NFL Draft. To name a few, defensive tackle Mason Graham, tight end Colston Loveland, along with a bunch of other players. For it’s not the time to get morose. On the April 26th episode of the On3 podcast, host J.D. PicKell came with a moral boost. “Jim Harbaugh era also included Sherrone Moore and what he did on the recruiting show.”
He continued, “The Jim Harbaugh era also now included Sean McGee for a period of time. Sean McGee is a guy who’s now back at Michigan as your general manager.” They have lost three jewels who got drafted in the top 15. Graham went to Cleveland as No.5 pick, Loveland landed with the Chicago Bears at No.9 and Kenneth Grant went to Miami Dolphins at No.13. But PicKell sounded confident, “A part of that developmental apparatus in place and the coaching staff in place makes me feel like this is just kind of the start for Michigan.” Last year, no Michigan fan was happy with how things went for Moore’s program. Amidst all the gloom, they still defeated powerhouses like Alabama and Ohio State.
Turns out that PicKell is convinced about how things are cooking in Moore’s squad, and it’s going to be a tasty concoction. As the analyst noted, “I think it’s about to really go in a completely different stratosphere for Michigan because the raw ingredients you got, like I just mentioned, they weren’t five-star ingredients. All in the future they are going to be five-star ingredients.” But how is it going to possible? With the financial backing that Moore and co. already blessed with. We have seen that during Underwood’s recruiting chase. And that’s the reason why Moore’s quarterback must worry a little.
Sherrone Moore’s new quarterback insurance policy
The college football fans, by now, must be aware of the Underwood recruiting chase, of which Moore became the winner. The turning point in the race came down to the factor who got the fatter fortune reserve. Underwood was initially committed to Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers. That’s when Moore brought his biggest weapon to turn things in Michigan’s favor. A fat $10.5 million offer on Underwood’s table. But, point to be noted, it would not have been possible with Moore himself fighting for it.
The collective that helped get the deal done for Underwood was the Champions Circle. Who funded this megadeal? It was none other than billionaire Larry Ellison, the software and media tycoon who co-founded Oracle. But right now, it’s time for Underwood to get some jitters. Michigan has found its quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class, Newberry Park (Calif.) High quarterback Brady Smigiel. It was a fight between the duo, three-star signal-caller Nathan Bernhard and Smigiel. But Moore pushed for Smigiel and earned his verbal pledge.
At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, Smigiel is ranked as the No. 9 quarterback and No. 92 overall recruit nationally. So, it’s obvious that his NIL valuation is pretty heavy. Having 3,521 yards and 49 touchdowns with just three interceptions as a junior last season, Brady Smigiel holds an NIL valuation of $450K. Now, it’s possible that Sherrone Moore might not want something that happened to Brian Kelly to happen to himself. In that case, he might try to hold on to Smigiel to dish out fatter cheques. That’s when Bryce Underwood’s smooth ride started to look a little shaky.
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