Major Changes Are Coming For Michigan Football Recruiting

When Jim Harbaugh was suspended for six games in 2023, none other than the Wolverines’ new head coach — Sherrone Moore — stepped up in his place for four of the six games. Now, as the leader of Michigan’s program, it appears that Moore is implementing some major changes to the Michigan football recruiting department heading into the 2024 season.

Sherrone Moore taking a new appraoch to Michigan football recruiting

Jim Harbaugh was never a top recruiter, not even in the Big Ten; that much was always clear. Even after winning Big Ten titles, appearing in the College Football Playoff, beating Ohio State, and more, Harbaugh still finished third in the conference in the final recruiting rankings. While his classes were not always loaded on paper, players like JJ McCarthy, Blake Corum, and others proved how valuable it is to build a team instead of recruiting the most stars.

That said, if Michigan football wants to consistently win National Championships, it’s going to start with Sherrone Moore being a great recruiter — look at all previous CFP dynasties (Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, etc.) as proof. If you want to be the best, you need the best players, and it’s clear that Michigan’s new head coach knows that.

Moore pointing to emphasis on recruiting, NIL efforts

After being made head coach of the Wolverines’ football program over the weekend, Sherrone Moore explained how he wants to take things to the next level when it comes to football recruiting and NIL movement.

“Yeah, (the recruiting landscape has) changed, it’s changed tremendously, but we’re gonna be extremely aggressive with it,” Sherrone Moore explained. “(I’m) going to attack it just like I attacked — when I was primary recruiter, attack like we’re attacking the scheme. Gonna do it the same way, the same attitude — relentlessly. So we make sure that we have we keep our great players here and we bring in great players to this program.

“… You can watch the programs around the country that have sustainability and continued success; their head coaches are attacking recruiting at a high level,” Moore said. “(Jim Harbaugh) did that, but I want to take it to another level. I want to attack it every single day. (I want to be) recruiting, talking to kids, making sure that we have the resources that we need here on campus from a NIL standpoint, from a football standpoint, and players who get here. But the players gotta be a great fit. They gotta be a great fit, but we’re gonna attack.”

A new dynasty is being built in Ann Arbor

Sherrone Moore was entrusted as the Wolverines’ acting head coach four times in 2023, delivering a perfect 4-0 record including a 24-15 victory in Happy Valley over No. 10 Penn State and a 30-24 victory over No. 2 Ohio State in Ann Arbor. While the 2024 season is full of unknowns for the Maize and Blue, it’s clear that Michigan football made the right call as head coach.

In fact, all signs point to a new dynasty being built under Sherrone Moore, especially if he can upgrade Michigan’s recruiting and NIL departments as he intends to do.