Pete Thamel reveals serious risks Michigan faces if Sherrone Moore isn't its next head coach

All signs are pointing to Sherrone Moore replacing Jim Harabaugh as the next head coach at Michigan. ESPN’s Pete Thamel believes that the right move for the Wolverines is likely to do just that.

Thamel joined Paul Finebaum on Thursday and shared that Michigan would be taking a risk by not promoting Moore.

Thamel detailed one major risk in particular.

“We’re at the part in the academic calendar… where they’re back to school, and classes, I believe, started there this week. So it’s a little bit trickier,” Thamel said. “But there would certainly be some risks on Michigan’s part if they did not pick Sherrone Moore to lose some significant contributors to the NCAA transfer portal.”

The transfer portal window is technically closed at the moment, but Michigan players can enter for a period of time after Harbaugh left to take over as the head coach of the Chargers.

Several Michigan players would be highly coveted in the portal, but there are likely to be less departures if Sherrone Moore is promoted to replace Harbaugh. Moore went 4-0 as Michigan’s acting head coach this past season.

“It’s an interesting dichotomy talent wise right now at Michigan. … But I think probably what’s most interesting is that they have four guys who, right off jump street, will be projected as first-round or top 50 guys in the [2025] NFL draft. Two defensive tackles –  [Kenneth] Grant and [Mason] Graham. Will Johnson is likely the best corner in the country returning next season. And Colston Loveland projects as the top tight end in the country next year,” Thamel said.

“So after that, there are a few other good players, including Donovan Edwards, the tailback who tore it up in the title game. There’s a drop, just because there aren’t guys who played a ton of snaps after them. But those high-end guys are what Michigan is really wanting to protect. And they would be at the most risk to leave, just because there obviously aren’t a lot of elite defensive tackles roaming the earth, and the other guys are pretty rare at skill positions. So there would certainly be a market for them.”

Jim Harbaugh was just announced as the new head coach of the Chargers on Wednesday and, by state law, the job must be posted for a week. However, after that, Thamel expects Sherrone Moore to end up as the head coach at Michigan, for several reasons.

“Warde Manuel said it in his statement, he expects to act quickly and try to keep the staff together and team together,” Thamel said. “So all signs point that way, and it’ll be an interesting with Michigan pushing forward.”