Prepare for Michigan football 2023: Depth chart, 3 big questions, X-factor and more -

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — After a long offseason, it’s easy to forget that college football consists of more than schools switching conferences, negotiating media contracts, building their rosters, lobbying lawmakers and arguing about the rules.

The schools also play games against each other. Several times a year, in fact. As usual, the transition from offseason to game day can’t come soon enough at Michigan.

That’s partly because the Wolverines are ranked No. 2 and have, on paper, their best shot at a national championship since the program’s last one in 1997. It’s also because Michigan’s offseason has been, well, messy.

Offseason drama is nothing new here, but this time it’s bleeding into the season in unprecedented ways. Coach Jim Harbaugh will miss Saturday’s season opener against East Carolina and the following two nonconference games while serving a school-imposed suspension for his role in alleged recruiting violations. Offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore will be suspended for Saturday’s game as well.

With potential distractions lurking, Michigan’s challenge is to conjure the same single-minded focus that allowed the Wolverines to win the Big Ten and appear in the College Football Playoff in 2021 and 2022. If that happens, Michigan will have a chance to be the last team standing when the college football season ends Jan. 8 in Houston.

Here’s everything you need to know about Michigan heading into the season.

GO DEEPER

CFP expert picks: Our writers' 2023 national championship predictions

3 big questions

1. Can J.J. McCarthy go from good to great?

Harbaugh has described McCarthy as a “generational” player and equated him with quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. With such a high ceiling, McCarthy has room for significant growth in his second year as a starter.

McCarthy completed 39.3 percent of passes 20 yards or more downfield last season, which ranked 55th among qualifying FBS quarterbacks, according to TruMedia. Much of his success came early and late in the season, with a lull in the middle when Michigan’s downfield passing game went dormant.

McCarthy averaged 8.4 yards per attempt last season, which tied him with Michael Penix Jr., Drake Maye and two other quarterbacks for 24th among FBS starters. If he can connect on his deep throws at a slightly higher clip, he should join the top tier of college quarterbacks this season.

2. How beat up is Michigan’s secondary?

Aside from quarterback, the secondary is the position group least equipped to deal with injuries to its front-line players. Of course, the secondary is where Michigan appears to have the most injury issues coming out of camp.

Starting safeties Rod Moore and Makari Paige were limited by injuries in camp, Harbaugh said, as was cornerback Amorion Walker. Cornerback Will Johnson may not be 100 percent, either. None of those injuries is believed to be long term, but it’s a concern early in the season.

If there’s a silver lining, it’s the opportunity for players like Keon Sabb, Kody Jones, Myles Pollard and Zeke Berry to see the field right away. In the long run, that could create a stronger two-deep once the returning starters are back to full health.

3. Who’s the No. 3 wide receiver?

After Cornelius Johnson and Roman Wilson, nobody’s locked in a job in Michigan’s receiving corps. Tyler Morris has the inside track, but he and Peyton O’Leary have been slowed by injuries in preseason camp. Both could be available in Week 1, Harbaugh said, but if not, Michigan will need someone like Cristian Dixon, Darrius Clemons, Karmello English or Fredrick Moore to step up.

English, a freshman who wasn’t on campus for spring practice, was the highest-rated wide receiver prospect in Michigan’s 2023 recruiting class and has gotten steady buzz during camp. We’ll see if he can translate that to a meaningful role in Michigan’s offense.

Projected depth chart

Quarterback

Starter: J.J. McCarthy
Backup: Davis Warren or Jack Tuttle

Running back

Starters: Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards
Backup: Kalel Mullings

Wide receiver

Starters: Cornelius Johnson, Roman Wilson, Tyler Morris*
Backups: Darrius Clemons, Cristian Dixon, Peyton O’Leary*

Tight end

Starter: Colston Loveland
Backup: AJ Barner

Right guard

Starter: Zak Zinter
Backup: Raheem Anderson

Right tackle

Starter/Backup: Myles Hinton or Trente Jones

Edge

Starters: Jaylen Harrell, Derrick Moore
Backups: Braiden McGregor, Josaiah Stewart

Defensive line

Starters: Kris Jenkins, Mason Graham
Backups: Kenneth Grant, Rayshaun Benny, Cam Goode

Linebacker

Starters: Junior Colson, Michael Barrett
Backups: Ernest Hausmann, Jaydon Hood

Cornerback

Starters: Will Johnson*, Josh Wallace
Backups: Amorion Walker*, Ja’Den McBurrows

Safety

Starters: Rod Moore*, Makari Paige*
Backups: Keon Sabb, Quinten Johnson

Nickel

Starter: Mike Sainristil
Backup: Kody Jones

Specialists

Kicker: James Turner
Punter: Tommy Doman

*questionable with injury

X-factor

Running back Donovan Edwards has had some monster games in his career, but we’ve had very few opportunities to see what Michigan’s offense can do with Edwards and Blake Corum both at full strength. For this team to reach its greatest potential, Edwards needs to be more than a player who excels in spot duty. He needs to make opposing defenses account for him every single week, which should make Michigan’s offense more versatile and give Corum more space to operate.

Edwards is more than just a second running back. He can split out wide, line up in the slot, catch passes out of the backfield and even return punts. Edwards’ ability to stay healthy and Michigan’s ability to make the most of his talents will determine how dangerous this offense can be.

Key stat to track

Michigan averaged 3.07 points per drive last season, which ranked 11th in the FBS. Though Michigan’s touchdown percentage in the red zone left a bit to be desired, kicker Jake Moody was basically automatic on field goal attempts once Michigan crossed the 35-yard line.

James Turner, a transfer from Louisville, has been an accurate kicker in his career, but it’s reasonable to expect a small regression in the kicking game. Can Michigan make up for it by scoring a few more touchdowns in the red zone?

GO DEEPER

College Football Coaching Tiers: Where 116 coaches stand entering 2023

5 most important players

5. WR Roman Wilson

Wilson has had flashes of greatness, but injuries have limited him to 25 receptions in each of the past two seasons. Without Ronnie Bell, Michigan will need Wilson to take his performance from the Fiesta Bowl (5 receptions, 104 yards, 2 total TDs) and sustain it for a full season.

4. RB Blake Corum

Last year’s team MVP is fourth on the list because he’ll be sharing carries with Edwards, who could end up being the higher NFL Draft pick of the two. For this team, Corum is still the engine who makes the offense go.

3. DT Kris Jenkins

Jenkins is to Michigan’s defensive line what Zak Zinter and Trevor Keegan are to the offensive line. The difference is that Michigan’s offensive line could go 10 deep without a huge drop-off. The defensive line depth is solid, but Jenkins is in a class of his own.

2. DB Mike Sainristil

I debated Sainristil and Will Johnson in this spot and could make a case for either. Johnson came on strong at the end of last season and has as much pure talent as anyone on the roster. Sainristil is a fifth-year senior, a team captain and a linchpin of Michigan’s defense. I gave him the edge because of his versatility to play nickel or outside corner if needed.

1. QB J.J. McCarthy

No debate here. McCarthy is the player who can single-handedly elevate Michigan’s offense and make the Wolverines a national title contender. Given the uncertainty behind him, he’s also the player Michigan can least afford to lose.

Truth or myth: Michigan will be more balanced

Stylistically, this Michigan offense could look very similar to the past two years or noticeably different. It all comes down to how committed the Wolverines are to their goal of a 50-50 run-pass split.

“We want to be as balanced as possible with sets, with formations, how we do things, making everything look the same,” said Moore, the offensive coordinator. “We’re very conscious of that when we’re putting together the game plans.”

Michigan has built an identity as a team that can run the ball when everybody in the stadium knows what’s coming. The Wolverines want to maintain that while being a bit less predictable. They still will have games when they lean heavily on the run, but when teams are stacking the box, they want to be able to take full advantage.

The Wolverines averaged 219 passing yards per game last season, which was 83rd in the FBS. I predict a more balanced offense this season, but until Michigan proves otherwise, a 50-50 split seems more aspirational than realistic.

The final word

This season feels like the end of an era at Michigan. It’s the last year of divisional play, the last year of the 14-team Big Ten and the last season for a bunch of players who starred in two consecutive CFP runs. Is it the last season for Harbaugh, too? That question is never far from anyone’s mind at Michigan, but it feels especially salient this season.

At minimum, Michigan seems headed for another offseason marked by NFL speculation, contract negotiations and NCAA fallout. But for the next four months, all of that will take a backseat to the quest for a national championship.

I’ve already made my predictions. I’ve got Michigan winning the Big Ten, returning to the CFP and falling in the national title game, though I wouldn’t be surprised by anything from 10-2 to 15-0. What happens after that is anyone’s guess.

From the moment the clock hit zero on Michigan’s Fiesta Bowl loss to TCU, it felt as though the Wolverines were building toward an all-or-nothing season in 2023. After eight tumultuous months, that season is here at last. And it couldn’t come soon enough.

(Photo of J.J. McCarthy: Jaime Crawford / Getty Images)

ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57k3FpaWhhaXxzfJFsZmlwX2h%2BcLnInJ%2Bin5Gjeqe7zq2ZmqScYn9xfpJmm56opJ16pLTAq6tmqaWawLW1zqeqaA%3D%3D