On Friday, Michigan made the announcement that Sherrone Moore, the previous offensive coordinator, would become the program’s 21st and first Black head coach—a move that everyone had anticipated.

Soon after the news was released, Moore shared his vision for the program’s future and praised Michigan and Jim Harbaugh for their support.

“Our standards will not change,” Moore declared through an official statement from Michigan. “We will be a tough, physical, disciplined, hungry, championship-level team that loves football and plays with a passion for the game, the winged helmet, and each other.”

Moore was an obvious pick to fill the head-coaching position; he has been at Michigan since 2018. But a major factor in the school’s choice was Harbaugh’s two separate 2023 suspensions while serving as interim head coach. Athletic director Warde Manuel commended Moore in a statement issued by the programme, saying that he stepped up “when the programme and especially the team needed him.”

“Sherrone handled that situation in a way that sealed my already growing confidence in him,” Manuel stated. “He didn’t make it about him, it was always about the team!”

Even with all the positive sentiment around Moore’s hiring, Michigan still has a steep hill to climb. It’s a tough order to replace Harbaugh, but he’ll also be expected to maintain the Wolverines’ position as the top team in college football.

That won’t be simple without the mystique of Jim Harbaugh and many of the players—a long group of players led by outstanding quarterback J.J. McCarthy—who contributed to the team’s national championship victory.

It remains to be seen how things ultimately turn out with Moore leading the team in the wake of Harbaugh’s departure. But if Michigan’s announcement on Friday is any guide, it thinks it has the right man for the job.