By Micheal Germanese
The excitement around Ann Arbor and the Michigan fan base has reached a fever pitch. Michigan’s two biggest revenue-generating sports programs have gained the attention of the entire fan base. Michigan football, despite a disappointing 8-5 record, had wins over Ohio State and Alabama and an offseason of great player acquisition. Michigan football used the momentum to turn 2025 into a highly anticipated year.
The men’s basketball team came into the season with minimal expectations but continues to move the needle and now find themselves in the Sweet 16 again. Dusty May in year one won the Big Ten tournament championship and has the Wolverines just two wins away from a Final Four appearance.
Eyes set on Atlanta and the Sweet 16. pic.twitter.com/EnbkFHxrWR
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) March 24, 2025
But has May’s instant success with the basketball program increased the pressure on Michigan football to win in year two under head coach Sherrone Moore?
It was 1948 the last time both football and basketball hired a new head coach the same year. Moore and May being hired at the same time now face being compared against each other because of it. The question of who was the better hire will soon pop up on different platforms and around Ann Arbor.
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Moore or May’s success will have a dramatic impact on how the other is looked at. May’s use of the transfer portal to find immediate success already has some people questioning why Moore wasn’t more aggressive in the portal when he took over the football program. May’s three biggest contributions come from the portal while Moore’s decision to stay out of the portal and not get a quarterback is the main reason Michigan finished 8-5. May’s portal success is adding pressure on Moore to get difference makers not just mostly roll players this time.
May has turned an 8-24 team into a 27-9 team in year one just adding to Moore’s mandate to win now. Making it worse for Moore, May took over a program needing to be rebuilt and won the Big Ten tournament, and has his team in the Sweet 16. Moore took over a team that had just won a national championship and went 8-5 missing out on both the Big Ten Championship game and the College Football Playoff. And as long as the basketball team’s run continues it will just continue to add pressure on Michigan football to win in 2025.
It wasn’t long ago that people questioned if Michigan was a basketball or football school. It became a debate after former basketball coach John Beilein, in a seven-year stretch, had Michigan in the Sweet 16 or better five times. Those five trips included one trip to the Elite Eight and two national championship appearances.
In the same timeframe the football team finished tied for first once never played in the Big Ten Championship or for a national championship. That period had rivals saying Michigan basketball wins trophies and hangs banners, while football earns September Heismans and offseason championships. It’s a period that Michigan football fans have tried to forget.
It took three years of success for Michigan football to change the narrative that surrounded the program. But make no mistake a dark cloud is hanging over the program for at least two of those years because of the sign-stealing scandal. Before the 2021-2023 seasons Michigan football struggled for more than a decade, while Michigan basketball found sustained success. Michigan football went 17 years between Big Ten Championships before winning three in a row. Michigan basketball won three regular season championships in the last 15 years and the Big Ten tournament three times in eight years. Before 2013 the basketball team had not gone to the Sweet 16 in 19 years. The Wolverines should be considered a blue blood once again.
Before 2013 Michigan MBB had not gone to Sweet 16 in 19 years. Now it’s what we do ! Yes, we are a Blue Blood in Men’s Basketball again! Congrats to everyone who is a part of 2025 @umichbball #goblue https://t.co/RFtDXV2tDQ
— John Beilein (@JohnBeilein) March 23, 2025
After advancing to the Sweet Sixteen, Beilein tweeted out, “Before 2013 Michigan’s MBB had not gone to the Sweet 16 in 19 years. Now it’s what we do! Yes, we are a Blue Blood in Men’s Basketball again!”
It won’t take long for the basketball school narrative to start again if Michigan basketball continues finding success and football doesn’t. Moore is now faced with the reality that each Michigan win adds to the pressure for Moore to find success in 2025.
In this Wild West of college football with the transfer portal and NIL, success is now expected immediately. A new head coach being given three to four years to build a program is no longer the norm. Coaches are expected to win and win right away.
May was given enough resources and built a winning team in year one and earned a contract extension because of it. Moore didn’t do the same and now finds himself in a situation where if 2025 lacks success, his seat inside Schembechler Hall will get very hot fast.
