Von Lozon is the Site Manager for Maize n Brew, where he has covered Michigan football, basketball, recruiting and more since 2016.
Over the last couple years, I started doing something I probably should have done a little bit sooner in my early adult life -- mortgaging for the future.
Buying a home, making improvements on said home, building up my savings/retirement as much as possible, and many more "adulting" activities have become short-term priorities to accommodate my long-term outlook.
Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I am proud of the fact I recognized that before it was too late. It's crucial to prepare for your future, and it's never too early to do so. Regardless of what you want out of life and what your goals are, if you don't plan well enough in advance, you may never attain what you are striving for.
After an embarrassing, unacceptable loss at Illinois on Saturday in which the Wolverines turned the ball over three times -- nearly four, only to be saved by a defensive penalty -- Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore should be at the point in his early tenure where he begins looking ahead towards brighter days.
The cupboards were left pretty bare for the 38-year-old first-year head ball coach, but not bare enough to where this team should be as bad as it is. Cornerback Will Johnson, defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, and tight end Colston Loveland are all being projected as first-round talents in next spring's NFL Draft. We have also seen players like Kalel Mullings, Josaiah Stewart, Derrick Moore and others emerge as legitimate talents on this team. There is zero reason this team should be 4-3 overall, with all three of the losses coming in embarrassing fashion.
Bottom line -- a plan should have been in place for the Wolverines to accommodate the mass exodus of talent from last year. Most notably, a quarterback should have been plucked out of the transfer portal before Michigan won the national title in 2023. Georgia picked up former top-100 prospect Jaden Rashada in the portal this past offseason even though Carson Beck stuck around for his senior year. Oregon did the same thing this offseason by getting former five-star and Detroit native Dante Moore to transfer to Eugene, despite Dillon Gabriel being the program's starting quarterback this year.
The Wolverines failed to mortgage their future at the most important position in all of sports, and we are seeing the negative affects this year as we spin 'round and 'round the dreaded quarterback carousel.
Moore may be in a hole, but it's not one he can't get out of. He needs to start making some difficult decisions and begin looking ahead to next season and beyond. Here is what he should do moving forward...
Just as I learned the importance of preparing for what lies ahead, so too must coach Moore and the Michigan football program. The journey to a stable future is fraught with obstacles, but it is through these challenges when answers can be found. By looking inward and forging a clear path ahead where everyone is on the same page, Moore can transform this season's trials into the foundation for triumph in 2025 and beyond.