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Michigan’s football defense gets a sensational claim from Joel Klatt that will ignite fans

The Michigan football team won the national title last season, but it will be difficult for them to replicate their success next season. The Wolverines have lost a big part of their team to the NFL, and not just from a player perspective. Obviously, head coach Jim Harbaugh is gone. Sherrone Moore is Michigan’s new head coach, but much of that staff has also left for the NFL. The Wolverines will also look completely different from a coaching perspective. The part of the game that will have the most familiar faces is their defense.

Michigan Football had the best defense in college football last season, and they could have the best defense in college football again this year. Their defensive line is solid and they return a lot of production from last year, and they also have Will Johnson in the secondary, who is a projected first-round pick for next season. The defense will be the strength of this team.

Fox analyst Joel Klatt is very familiar with the Wolverines, as he calls many of their games on Big Noon Kickoff. Klatt recently ranked his top teams for next season on his podcast, and he ranked Michigan at No. 8. The defense is a big reason for that.

“Number eight, Michigan. The defense goes be incredibly good again,” Joel Klatt said further The Joel Klatt Show. “They’re so good up front, they’re the best defensive tackle in America. Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, they have good players on the outside. Will Johnson is probably the best corner in the country, maybe. That defense will be solid, there’s no doubt about that.”

Michigan Wolverines defensive lineman Mason Graham (55) tackles Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jase McClellan (2) in the third quarter in the semifinals of the 2024 Rose Bowl college football playoffs at Rose Bowl.
© Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan football does have some questions about the offense

The Michigan football offense will be interesting to watch next year. JJ McCarthy and Blake Corum have chosen the path to success over the past two seasons, but by next year they will both be gone. Can Donovan Edwards produce like Corum did? Who will be their starting quarterback? There are question marks, but there is talent.

“They got Donovan Edwards back in the running,” Joel Klatt continued. “They have to figure out what’s going on at quarterback, but let’s not forget, and I’ve said this many times when talking about Michigan after their spring game, it doesn’t feel all that different. Everything is the same, and yet everyone is different.”

One thing that will be difficult for Michigan is their schedule. The Big Ten is adding some strong teams from the Pac-12, and the Wolverines have to play three of them this season, plus a non-conference battle with Texas and their usual season-ending matchup against Ohio State. Glove.

“That schedule, I’ve mentioned it a few times, is not doing them any favors, there’s no question about it,” Klatt added. “They have Texas in week two, we’ll be there, Big Noon Saturday, Big Noon Kickoff will be live in Ann Arbor for that game. Texas week two, USC week four, then they have to travel in a national championship rematch and face Washington in October. They have Oregon in the Big House in November, and then they face Ohio State to close out the year.

That schedule is certainly a big reason why it will be difficult for Michigan football to replicate the success of 2023, but that defense should be good enough to keep them in every game.