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Jackson analyzes the Michigan Wolverines and Alabama Crimson Tide in 2024 college football. Will Sherrone Moore or Kalen DeBoer have more success following the departures of Jim Harbaugh and Nick Saban?
Two heavyweight coaches left the college football world this offseason, leaving a significant hole in two of the premier programs in the nation. Nick Saban decided to hang it up and retire, while Jim Harbaugh took the Los Angeles Chargers' head-coaching job to return to the NFL.
Needless to say, Michigan and Alabama are in for major changes just one year after both teams qualified for the College Football Playoff. In 2024, 12 teams will make the CFP, meaning there will be more room for error for new head coaches Kalen DeBoer and Sherrone Moore.
In this article, we'll dive into both head coaches' resumes at this point in their respective careers. We'll also predict which team will win more games during the 2024-25 season. Let's dive in!
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Sherrone Moore Career Review
Moore started his career as a graduate assistant at the University of Louisville in 2009. He then spent time as Louisville's tight ends coach, Central Michigan's tight ends coach, and Central Michigan's recruiting coordinator over the next eight seasons. Just under 10 years into his coaching career, Jim Harbaugh brought him on staff as the Michigan tight ends coach in 2018.
He was promoted to co-offensive coordinator in 2021, then sole offensive coordinator in 2023. Michigan went 15-0 in 2023, including a victory over arch-rival Ohio State with Moore acting as the interim head coach during a Harbaugh suspension. Under Moore's direction, the Wolverines scored 39.5 points per game.
The Michigan players campaigned for Moore to be promoted to head coach following Harbaugh's departure, and that's exactly what happened. At just 38 years old, he is set to lead one of the great programs in college football history.
What a great day!#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/RU00zujBpa
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) January 27, 2024
Kalen DeBoer Career Review
DeBoer got his first head-coaching opportunity at the University of Sioux Falls of NAIA Division II Football in 2005. In five seasons at the helm, he posted a 67-3 record, including four National Championship Game appearances and three victories. He spent the 2010-2019 seasons as an offensive coordinator at four stops: Southern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Fresno State, and Indiana.
After 10 seasons as a coordinator, he got his first head-coaching gig at the FBS level at Fresno State, where he compiled a 12-6 record in two seasons. Washington hired him in 2022, and he had the program in the National Championship in just his second season. The Huskies went 25-3 in his tenure and ranked among the top two passing offenses in both seasons.
DeBoer's 104-12 overall record is outstanding, and Alabama clearly took notice. He was reportedly the program's first choice to replace the greatest college football coach of all time.
Kalen DeBoer became a Head Coach for the first time FOUR YEARS AGO.
He was hired at Fresno State.
He did so well, he was then hired at Washington.
Then, he did SO WELL, he was hired at ALABAMA.
In 4 years, DeBoer went from a no name that was Indiana’s OC, to HC at Alabama. pic.twitter.com/UIulsOtxmX
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) January 12, 2024
Will Michigan or Alabama Win More Games in 2024?
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Alabama and Michigan are projected to win 9.5 games. Both teams are losing key players from last year to the 2024 NFL Draft, and Alabama has been hit hard by the transfer portal. The Crimson Tide still have quarterback Jalen Milroe, but will be without wideouts Jermaine Burton (NFL Draft) and Isaiah Bond (transferred to Texas). Michigan will have to replace its leading passer (J.J. McCarthy), rusher (Blake Corum), and receiver (Roman Wilson) in 2024.
Ultimately, it's tough to know what to expect for both squads. Alabama has tough matchups, including home bouts against Georgia and Missouri and games at Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and LSU. Michigan has to play Texas, Oregon, Washington, USC, and Ohio State.
Alabama has over 20 players who have transferred or are currently in the transfer portal and will have a much different coaching staff and culture, so Michigan is likely the better team in 2024. Moore will keep the culture similar to what it was under Harbaugh, while there will be a lot more growing pains under DeBoer in Tuscaloosa.
