Sherrone Moore’s first season as Michigan’s head coach was a rollercoaster ride, filled with challenges, setbacks, and moments of triumph. Taking over from Jim Harbaugh after Michigan’s national championship-winning season in 2023, Moore had the daunting task of maintaining the Wolverines’ high standards while navigating a transition period. His performance in 2024 left fans with mixed feelings, but there are reasons for both optimism and caution as Michigan moves forward.
Michigan finished the 2024 season with an **8-5 record**, including a **5-4 mark in Big Ten play** [A](https://www.si.com/college/michigan/football/michigan-football-sherrone-moore-reflects-on-up-and-down-year-1-as-head-coach-recruiting-bryce-underwood?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY29udmVyc2F0aW9uSWQiOiJrUjdFanJEVGlQY2Nhd0pTaWFuY1QiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tTb3VyY2UiOiJjaXRhdGlvbkxpbmsiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tEZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cuc2kuY29tXC9jb2xsZWdlXC9taWNoaWdhblwvZm9vdGJhbGxcL21pY2hpZ2FuLWZvb3RiYWxsLXNoZXJyb25lLW1vb3JlLXJlZmxlY3RzLW9uLXVwLWFuZC1kb3duLXllYXItMS1hcy1oZWFkLWNvYWNoLXJlY3J1aXRpbmctYnJ5Y2UtdW5kZXJ3b29kIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX21lc3NhZ2VJZCI6IlZrczV2MmI5YmpjYkNDYlJ5Sk1XVCJ9&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1). The Wolverines struggled early, losing four of five games at one point, but they rebounded impressively with wins over Northwestern, Ohio State, and Alabama to close out the season [A](https://www.si.com/college/michigan/football/michigan-football-sherrone-moore-reflects-on-up-and-down-year-1-as-head-coach-recruiting-bryce-underwood?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tTb3VyY2UiOiJjaXRhdGlvbkxpbmsiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY29udmVyc2F0aW9uSWQiOiJrUjdFanJEVGlQY2Nhd0pTaWFuY1QiLCJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiVmtzNXYyYjliamNiQ0NiUnlKTVdUIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvd3d3LnNpLmNvbVwvY29sbGVnZVwvbWljaGlnYW5cL2Zvb3RiYWxsXC9taWNoaWdhbi1mb290YmFsbC1zaGVycm9uZS1tb29yZS1yZWZsZWN0cy1vbi11cC1hbmQtZG93bi15ZWFyLTEtYXMtaGVhZC1jb2FjaC1yZWNydWl0aW5nLWJyeWNlLXVuZGVyd29vZCJ9&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1). The victory over Alabama in the **ReliaQuest Bowl** was particularly significant, as it showcased Moore’s ability to rally his team and finish strong [A](https://www.si.com/college/michigan/football/michigan-football-sherrone-moore-reflects-on-up-and-down-year-1-as-head-coach-recruiting-bryce-underwood?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiVmtzNXYyYjliamNiQ0NiUnlKTVdUIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvd3d3LnNpLmNvbVwvY29sbGVnZVwvbWljaGlnYW5cL2Zvb3RiYWxsXC9taWNoaWdhbi1mb290YmFsbC1zaGVycm9uZS1tb29yZS1yZWZsZWN0cy1vbi11cC1hbmQtZG93bi15ZWFyLTEtYXMtaGVhZC1jb2FjaC1yZWNydWl0aW5nLWJyeWNlLXVuZGVyd29vZCIsImV2ZW50SW5mb19jb252ZXJzYXRpb25JZCI6ImtSN0VqckRUaVBjY2F3SlNpYW5jVCIsImV2ZW50SW5mb19jbGlja1NvdXJjZSI6ImNpdGF0aW9uTGluayJ9&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1).
One of the biggest challenges Moore faced was the loss of key players from the 2023 championship team. Michigan had to replace stars like **JJ McCarthy, Blake Corum, and Mike Sainristil**, which led to inconsistencies, especially at quarterback [B](https://athlonsports.com/college/michigan-wolverines/sherrone-moore-receives-grade-michigan-2024-college-football-season?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tTb3VyY2UiOiJjaXRhdGlvbkxpbmsiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tEZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9hdGhsb25zcG9ydHMuY29tXC9jb2xsZWdlXC9taWNoaWdhbi13b2x2ZXJpbmVzXC9zaGVycm9uZS1tb29yZS1yZWNlaXZlcy1ncmFkZS1taWNoaWdhbi0yMDI0LWNvbGxlZ2UtZm9vdGJhbGwtc2Vhc29uIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX21lc3NhZ2VJZCI6IlZrczV2MmI5YmpjYkNDYlJ5Sk1XVCIsImV2ZW50SW5mb19jb252ZXJzYXRpb25JZCI6ImtSN0VqckRUaVBjY2F3SlNpYW5jVCJ9&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1). The Wolverines cycled through multiple quarterbacks, including **Alex Orji, Davis Warren, and Jack Tuttle**, none of whom provided the stability Michigan needed [B](https://athlonsports.com/college/michigan-wolverines/sherrone-moore-receives-grade-michigan-2024-college-football-season?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tTb3VyY2UiOiJjaXRhdGlvbkxpbmsiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY29udmVyc2F0aW9uSWQiOiJrUjdFanJEVGlQY2Nhd0pTaWFuY1QiLCJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiVmtzNXYyYjliamNiQ0NiUnlKTVdUIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvYXRobG9uc3BvcnRzLmNvbVwvY29sbGVnZVwvbWljaGlnYW4td29sdmVyaW5lc1wvc2hlcnJvbmUtbW9vcmUtcmVjZWl2ZXMtZ3JhZGUtbWljaGlnYW4tMjAyNC1jb2xsZWdlLWZvb3RiYWxsLXNlYXNvbiJ9&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1). Despite these struggles, Moore managed to keep the team competitive, and his ability to adapt to roster changes will be crucial moving forward.
Recruiting has been a bright spot for Moore. Michigan secured a commitment from **Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the 2025 class**, flipping him from LSU [B](https://athlonsports.com/college/michigan-wolverines/sherrone-moore-receives-grade-michigan-2024-college-football-season?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY29udmVyc2F0aW9uSWQiOiJrUjdFanJEVGlQY2Nhd0pTaWFuY1QiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tEZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9hdGhsb25zcG9ydHMuY29tXC9jb2xsZWdlXC9taWNoaWdhbi13b2x2ZXJpbmVzXC9zaGVycm9uZS1tb29yZS1yZWNlaXZlcy1ncmFkZS1taWNoaWdhbi0yMDI0LWNvbGxlZ2UtZm9vdGJhbGwtc2Vhc29uIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX21lc3NhZ2VJZCI6IlZrczV2MmI5YmpjYkNDYlJ5Sk1XVCIsImV2ZW50SW5mb19jbGlja1NvdXJjZSI6ImNpdGF0aW9uTGluayJ9&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1). This move signals that Moore is capable of attracting top talent, which will be essential for Michigan’s future success. Additionally, the Wolverines have promising pieces in their offensive backfield, including **Jordan Marshall, Benjamin Hall, and Alabama transfer Justice Haynes** [A](https://www.si.com/college/michigan/football/michigan-football-sherrone-moore-reflects-on-up-and-down-year-1-as-head-coach-recruiting-bryce-underwood?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiVmtzNXYyYjliamNiQ0NiUnlKTVdUIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrU291cmNlIjoiY2l0YXRpb25MaW5rIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvd3d3LnNpLmNvbVwvY29sbGVnZVwvbWljaGlnYW5cL2Zvb3RiYWxsXC9taWNoaWdhbi1mb290YmFsbC1zaGVycm9uZS1tb29yZS1yZWZsZWN0cy1vbi11cC1hbmQtZG93bi15ZWFyLTEtYXMtaGVhZC1jb2FjaC1yZWNydWl0aW5nLWJyeWNlLXVuZGVyd29vZCIsImV2ZW50SW5mb19jb252ZXJzYXRpb25JZCI6ImtSN0VqckRUaVBjY2F3SlNpYW5jVCJ9&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1).
Moore’s coaching style emphasizes resilience and learning from setbacks. He described Michigan’s struggles in 2024 as “lessons” rather than losses, highlighting his focus on growth and improvement [A](https://www.si.com/college/michigan/football/michigan-football-sherrone-moore-reflects-on-up-and-down-year-1-as-head-coach-recruiting-bryce-underwood?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiVmtzNXYyYjliamNiQ0NiUnlKTVdUIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NvbnZlcnNhdGlvbklkIjoia1I3RWpyRFRpUGNjYXdKU2lhbmNUIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvd3d3LnNpLmNvbVwvY29sbGVnZVwvbWljaGlnYW5cL2Zvb3RiYWxsXC9taWNoaWdhbi1mb290YmFsbC1zaGVycm9uZS1tb29yZS1yZWZsZWN0cy1vbi11cC1hbmQtZG93bi15ZWFyLTEtYXMtaGVhZC1jb2FjaC1yZWNydWl0aW5nLWJyeWNlLXVuZGVyd29vZCIsImV2ZW50SW5mb19jbGlja1NvdXJjZSI6ImNpdGF0aW9uTGluayJ9&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1). His ability to motivate players and maintain a positive outlook is a valuable trait, but he will need to translate that mindset into consistent on-field success.
ESPN’s **Adam Rittenberg graded Moore’s first season as a B-**, acknowledging the difficulties he faced but also praising his ability to finish strong [B](https://athlonsports.com/college/michigan-wolverines/sherrone-moore-receives-grade-michigan-2024-college-football-season?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tEZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9hdGhsb25zcG9ydHMuY29tXC9jb2xsZWdlXC9taWNoaWdhbi13b2x2ZXJpbmVzXC9zaGVycm9uZS1tb29yZS1yZWNlaXZlcy1ncmFkZS1taWNoaWdhbi0yMDI0LWNvbGxlZ2UtZm9vdGJhbGwtc2Vhc29uIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NvbnZlcnNhdGlvbklkIjoia1I3RWpyRFRpUGNjYXdKU2lhbmNUIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX21lc3NhZ2VJZCI6IlZrczV2MmI5YmpjYkNDYlJ5Sk1XVCIsImV2ZW50SW5mb19jbGlja1NvdXJjZSI6ImNpdGF0aW9uTGluayJ9&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1). However, the midseason struggles and lack of offensive consistency raise concerns about his ability to sustain success over a full season.
Overall, confidence in Moore. The win over Ohio State, where Michigan was a three-touchdown underdog, was a defining moment that demonstrated Moore’s ability to prepare his team for big games [B](https://athlonsports.com/college/michigan-wolverines/sherrone-moore-receives-grade-michigan-2024-college-football-season?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiVmtzNXYyYjliamNiQ0NiUnlKTVdUIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrU291cmNlIjoiY2l0YXRpb25MaW5rIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvYXRobG9uc3BvcnRzLmNvbVwvY29sbGVnZVwvbWljaGlnYW4td29sdmVyaW5lc1wvc2hlcnJvbmUtbW9vcmUtcmVjZWl2ZXMtZ3JhZGUtbWljaGlnYW4tMjAyNC1jb2xsZWdlLWZvb3RiYWxsLXNlYXNvbiIsImV2ZW50SW5mb19jb252ZXJzYXRpb25JZCI6ImtSN0VqckRUaVBjY2F3SlNpYW5jVCJ9&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1) as Michigan’s head coach is cautiously optimistic. He has shown resilience, strong recruiting ability, and the capacity to rally his team in tough moments. However, he must address the inconsistencies that plagued Michigan in 2024 and prove that he can lead the Wolverines back to championship contention. The 2025 season will be a crucial test for Moore, and Michigan fans will be watching closely to see if he can elevate the program to the next level.
