As Michigan learned during its 2024 football season, being the “reigning champs” only gets you so far. In the wake of winning the National Championship in 2023, the Wolverines failed to generate anything close to similar success in 2024.
The struggles were a byproduct of going all in for a title the year prior. Before the 2023 season, Michigan used its NIL resources to bring back several veteran players like Blake Corum, Zak Zinter, Kris Jenkins and others. It all worked out with a national title, but being much younger and inexperienced in 2024 was the price paid.