Michigan football spring game 2024: What to watch for

Michigan returns to the football field this weekend in the 2024 spring game. Here's what you should watch for.

Wolverines quarterback Alex Orji runs with the ball during a college football game. / Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan returns to the Big House at a remarkable moment in its history: fresh off winning its first national championship this century, but also undergoing major turnover both at head coach and across its roster.

Now, Sherrone Moore replaces Jim Harbaugh with plenty to do on his checklist moving into a historic 2024 season full of conference realignment and an expanded playoff. Here is how, and what, you should watch as the Michigan spring football game kicks off.

Michigan football spring game 2024 schedule

When: Sat., April 20
Time: 12 p.m. Eastern
TV: Fox network

Offensive line rebuild

The unit that won two straight Joe Moore awards is gone, and now Michigan faces a structural rebuild up front, as all five starters are out of the picture. Myles Hinton, who saw five games at mostly left tackle a year ago, returns, but otherwise the unit is sorely lacking in experience.

New offensive line coach Grant Newsome has plenty of work to do in his debut at the position and Saturday's spring game will give him a chance to try just about any combination.

Andrew Gentry started mostly on special teams, but logged snaps at both tackle spots and guard. Greg Crippen, a senior and three-time letterman, has played 15 total games at center. Jeff Persi has special teams experience at tackle and guard.

Related: Michigan Football Schedule 2024

Wide receiver

Another area of need after the departure of Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson to the NFL Draft, the Wolverines need to get a close look at every possible option.

Semaj Morgan has shown promise in the return game, but may not have the size to emerge as a downfield threat. Tyler Morris has over 200 career yards and, though he lacks experience, he is Michigan's veteran at the position.

Defense

Like its roster, Michigan's coaching staff is undergoing major change, especially defensively, as new coordinator Wink Martindale steps in, aided by three assistants who all coached somewhere else last season. UM fielded college football's best defense a year ago, and while the unit loses plenty of production, the return of cornerback Will Johnson and linemen Kenneth Grant and Will Graham are key.

Watch for the competition in the corner opposite Johnson. DJ Waller comes into his sophomore season with 11 games in the secondary and on special teams a year ago. Ja'Den McBurrows, who played 11 games in the secondary and snagged an interception last season, and Jyaire Hill, a two-way player in high school with speed and good hands, are in contention this spring.

Quarterback

J.J. McCarthy is out, leaving Moore with a huge decision to make at the most important position. Alex Orji and Jadyn Davis stick out as options, but the former, while known as a promising dual threat, is yet to throw that many important passes; and the latter is just a freshman, albeit one with huge potential. Veteran Jack Tuttle is in the mix, but is he ready to inherit the QB1 role?

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