Podcast: Fox Sports' Michael Cohen on Michigan's national championship, expectations for first year under Sherrone Moore
On this episode of TheWolverine.com podcast, Clayton Sayfie is joined by Fox Sports’ Michael Cohen to discuss Michigan Wolverines football‘s run to the 2023 national championship, expectations for the first year under head coach Sherrone Moore and more.
Watch this episode in the video player above or on our YouTube channel. Listen in the embed below or search ‘The Wolverine’ wherever you get your podcasts.
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Cohen was asked about his unique perspective on Michigan football. He covered the Wolverines as a beat writer for the Detroit Free Press in 2021 and the first half of 2022, before taking a job as a college football writer for Fox Sports. He saw the Wolverines take college football by storm last postseason, capping off what was a three-year climb of pushing to new heights each season.
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“I did not think that they would necessarily get all the way to winning the national title,” Cohen said of looking back on Michigan’s run beginning in 2021. “They certainly exceeded my expecations in 2021. In 2022, I thought they were really good, but I didn’t think that they would be good enough — and ultimately that proved to be the case, falling a game, game and a half short of winning a national title.
“And then in 2023, they exceeded my expectations again, because I was still skeptical that they would be able to get over the hump. But what really impressed me, and what partially led to Sherrone Moore I think getting the head coaching job, was just how good they were in the trenches against the likes of teams from the SEC and teams that they have to contend with where it quote unquote just means more and all these things you hear in college football. I was just so impressed with the player development that Michigan had, especially in the trenches, and the way they dominated at the line of scrimmage en route to winning the national championship.
“So it was a fascinating time to be in Ann Arbor and be around that team, and like I said, they certainly exceeded my expectations and I did not expect them to win the national championship. I have no problem admitting that. They thoroughly, thoroughly deserved it with how well they played last season. That was easily — I don’t want to say easily — that was definitely the best team in the country by the end of the season. I don’t think there were any doubts about it.”
