3 Things To Watch: Michigan football vs. Fresno State

Here's where our focus will be in the Wolverines' season-opener against the Bulldogs...

The Michigan Wolverines offensive line, including Zak Zinter (65), Olusegun Oluwatimi (55), Giovanni El-Hadi (58) and Ryan Hayes (76), and tight ends Matthew Hibner (88) and Joel Honigford, get set against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Michigan Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022. Michill 111922 Kd 2348 / Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

The college football offseason is finally over, and the reigning national champion Michigan Wolverines are set to begin a new campaign with "Team 145" this fall. Michigan opens the 2024 season with Group of Five opponent Fresno State out of the Mountain West Conference.

There are plenty of questions to answer and depth chart spot to fill after all the turnover from Michigan's roster this offseason, but a few things stand out among the rest. Here are three things to watch in the Wolverines' season-opener against the Bulldogs.

1.) Michigan's downfield passing game

All eyes are going to be on both Alex Orji and Davis Warren in this game, assuming both guys get an opportunity to play. However, the thing I'll be specifically focusing on is those quarterbacks' proficiency in the intermediate and downfield passing game. There's a good chance offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell will call several bubble screens or quick throws to help get his QB comfortable and in rhythm, but somewhere along the way the Wolverines will face a 3rd-and-6 or longer. How effective will Orji and/or Warren be in those situations? Are they on time? Are they on target? How well do they read what the defense is presenting them? All those things are much more important that just a quarterback's final stat line.

2.) Michigan's depth along the defensive line

This Wolverines starting defensive line is going to be nasty in 2024, with Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant clogging up the middle while Josaiah Stewart and Derrick Moore coming flying across the edge. While I'm excited to see how those four guys perform, the more intriguing question is how good Michigan's depth is behind that quartet. According to defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, Graham has been work through some bumps and bruises through fall camp, and redshirt junior DT Rayshaun Benny is still working his way back up to game speed following his injury in the Rose Bowl. That puts some pressure on young guys like Enow Etta to grow up quickly and be ready to contribute in the interior. On the edge, we expect redshirt junior T.J. Guy to play an increased role and be a steady part of the rotation at defensive end, but who else is going to get snaps behind Stewart and Moore?

3.) Can Michigan just reload at offensive line again?

This may be the most important question of the season for the Wolverines. You can certainly argue the quarterback ranks higher, but I think most of us expect Michigan to not be as special at that position as they were the last two seasons with J.J. McCarthy. The Wolverines need to be tough, physical and dominant at offensive line in order have any shot at success this fall. Fall camp intel has been very positive in that regard, but whenever a program is replacing its top six O-lineman from a prior year, it merits some concern. I like what the Wolverines have in left tackle Myles Hinton, left gaurd Josh Priebe and right guard Gio El-Hadi. There are a couple more questions on who will get the start at center and right tackle but, for now, head coach Sherrone Moore has earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the offensive line.

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