Michigan's 2023 Championship Team 144 Had An Enormous NFL Player And Coaching Purge

This post originally appeared on Reddit by user u/kthomleigh34 here on 9/14/24.

I thought now would be a good time to call attention to this, and clarify it, in lieu of recent Michigan criticisms. Some people have claimed that Michigan only lost 13 players because of the 2024 NFL draft, and that Michigan should look better, but the truth of the matter is that no other defending champion in NCAA football history has ever lost more players and coaching staff than Michigan lost between 2023 and 2024, ever.

Regarding players, Michigan had a total of 19 players (not 13) from the undefeated Team 144 that were signed to NFL rosters after the 2023 Championship season ended. Michigan also lost 13 coaches and personnel to the NFL; Jim Harbaugh, Jesse Minter and Steve Clinkscale being the most critical. For those that may not know, Clinkscale was regarded as Michigan's top recruiter. Following a perfect season, Michigan is the first defending champion to lose its head coach to the NFL. Post World War II and pre-Harbaugh, only Johnny Majors (Pitt to Tennessee, 1976) and Howard Schnellenberger (Miami to the USFL, 1983) left for other opportunities instead of defending their titles the following year.

Team 144 was not only rich with talent and staff, but No. 1 in net yards per play, No. 1 in total defense, No. 1 in scoring defense, No. 1 in turnover margin, and even No. 1 in penalties. Team 144, its players and its coaches, was not your typical NCAA football champion. It was a legendary college football team, and only the 4th team in the history of college football to go 15-0.

I know some of us have had concerns about coaching, recruiting and NIL, but the talent loss has been so great, I don't think any program could've replaced this in one offseason. And to that end, no program in NCAA football history has ever had to. Just something to keep in mind as we make our way through the season, and opposing fans try to point to other "reasons" as to why we are where we are. We also need to appreciate and celebrate that we were lucky enough to have had this, and what it will take for Sherrone Moore and his staff to build this up again. Good luck to Team 145 and Go Blue!

OFFENSE

QB - J.J. McCarthy (MIN)
RB - Blake Corum (LAR)
WR - Roman Wilson (PIT)
WR - Cornelius Johnson (LAC)
TE - AJ Barner (SEA)
C - Drake Nugent (SF)
RG - Zak Zinter (CLE)
LG - Trevor Keegan (PHI)
LT - LaDarius Henderson (HOU)
RT - Karsen Barnhart (LAC)
RT - Trente Jones (GB) Signed as Undrafted Free Agent then retired after medical issue*

DEFENSE

DT - Kris Jenkins (CIN)
DE - Braiden McGregor (NYJ)
LB - Junior Colson (LAC)
LB - Michael Barrett (CAR)
OLB - Jaylen Harrell (TEN)
CB - Mike Sainristil (WAS)
CB - Josh Wallace (LAR)

SPECIAL TEAMS

K - James Turner (GB)

COACHING & PERSONNEL

Head Coach - Jim Harbaugh (LAC)
Defensive Coordinator - Jesse Minter (LAC)
Defensive Line Coach - Mike Elston (LAC)
Defensive Backs Coach - Steve Clinkscale (LAC)
Linebackers Coach - Rick Minter (LAC)
Assistant Coach, Defensive Analyst - Doug Mallory (BAL)
Graduate Assistant, DE Coach - Dylan Roney (LAC)
Special Teams Coach - Jay Harbaugh (SEA)
Conditioning Coach - Ben Herbert (LAC)
Conditioning Coach - Devin Woodhouse (LAC)
Conditioning Coach - Ben Rabe (LAC)
Director of Player Personnel - Tom Gamble (JAX)
Director of Campus Recruiting - Christina DeRuyter (LAC)

*Note* - This list only includes players and coaches/personnel from Team 144 that went on to the NFL after the 2023 National Championship season. There are other players and coaches from the 2023 season that are no longer at Michigan (like the great Coach Mike Hart), but they retired or are still competing/working at the NCAA level so they were not included.