Sherrone Moore and Michigan might be playing chess while the rest play checkers.

The Michigan Wolverines are heading into the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama with a mix of pride and uncertainty, fresh off a bittersweet 2024 campaign. Not used to be underdogs on the field, but well, that’s life. Still, their plans for domination are already unfolding. This isn’t just about winning against Day’s Ohio State for the fourth time anymore; it’s about building something far greater. A dynasty that rises from the ashes of a “disappointing” 7-5 season back to their championship standards.

Former Titans, Taylor Lewan and Will Compton hosts of “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast didn’t hold back when discussing Michigan’s current situation and the bigger picture Sherrone Moore and band are creating. Also, an ex-Wolverines tackle, Lewan said, “It seems like they’re focused on 2025.” Interesting move, especially for a team heading into a bowl game against another failed-to-qualify giant, Kalen DeBoer and Bama (9-3), but it highlights the big-picture thinking under their first-year head coach. After losing 18 players to the NFL Draft following their natty win last year, Michigan was always going to face an uphill battle. He added, “I think the huge focus is really on let’s get the players in so we can make a big run and actual run at a possible playoff spot a Big 10 Championship next year.” Emphasizing the Wolverines’ proactive efforts to reload through the transfer portal and recruiting trail.

Look, the 2024 season is well and gone now, sure ending it with a Bowl would be the best possible outcome in terms of entering the next season. Who could’ve made it into the playoffs fourth time running? But as the ‘Boys’ said, looking at the Jalen Milroe-led Alabama, “I think they’ll probably handle business here.” Their glaring weakness in 2024 was under the center. Quarterback uncertainty plagued the Wolverines all season, finishing 128th in passing offense, contributing to their inability to replicate the magic of 2023.

Therefore, adding veteran Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene besides 5-Star recruit Bryce Underwood with a massive NIL package in the fold to “kind of get back to what we were doing a couple years ago”, as the former maize and blue alum put it. For Moore, quarterbacking is no longer a question mark. A move that might sound familiar to people around Boulder.

The Wolverines’ end-of-season pivot to next year hasn’t gone unnoticed, and it’s not sitting well with everyone. The former Wolverines joked as he picked against his team, “I don’t think a lot of Michigan fans like it, but I’ll take Michigan plus 11 though because that’s where my heart lies.” But Moore’s strategy is calculated beyond this game. Instead of patching holes with duct tape, he’s laying the groundwork for something sustainable. Working day and night in the transfer portal, this might be the reason why USA Today assigned a grade ‘B’ to the coach, which is not bad. Sure, a win against Alabama would be a nice cherry on top, but the real prize is the long game.

He might have to do that without a few of his Wolverines, but does that faze the HC?

Sherrone Moore plays the bigger man for his Wolverines

“I’ll support them in any way”, Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore stepped up to the mic on Tuesday evening in Ann Arbor, ready to field questions about his team’s upcoming bowl game and, of course, the elephant in the room: who’s actually suiting up for the Wolverines? With at least four of his players projected as first-round picks in next year’s NFL Draft, the focus naturally turned to their participation in the big game.

Moore, ever the players’ coach, was nothing but supportive. “Look, I’ve got so much love for these guys,” he shared. “Some of them have given three, four years of their lives to this program, and that’s a big deal. I’ll back them 100% in whatever decision they make—for themselves, for their families. Of course, I’d love to see them out there on the field, but their futures matter, too.”

The coach emphasized that it’s about more than football—it’s about relationships and the respect he has for their journeys. “Anything they need, I’m here for them,” he added. They could be lacking the same juice when these two met on Jan. 1, 2024 in the Rose Bowl. Doesn’t matter, this season was a learning experience, but the foundation he’s laying could make Michigan’s next championship run inevitable.