The new Michigan Wolverines HC, Sherrone Moore knows well how to give the players the extra push when needed. Now that the Lott IMPACT Trophy has dropped its watch list for the 2024 season on Monday, June 3 that featured 42 players, Ann Arbor got lucky to find two prodigies on the list. This was enough for Moore to celebrate as he took to Instagram and re-shared the post on the University of Michigan page on his story. The two fortunate ones to feature on the college football program’s Instagram page and then to Moore’s radar of appreciation are five-star cornerback Will Johnson and defensive tackle, Mason Graham.   

The ‘Lott IMPACT Trophy’ is named after former USC star and NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott and the award is presented annually to the student-athlete who exhibits the characteristics displayed by him during his college and professional years. This year too has been no exception. The Michigan Wolverines are running high on “GO BLUE” as they gave a shoutout to Johnson and Graham on Instagram with the caption “Making an IMPACT”.

This in turn was taken up by Moore. Year 3 is fast approaching for Johnson, and it will presumably be his last with the Wolverines.  Five-star recruits are supposed to be program changers, that’s what Johnson has been at Ann Arbor. The star cornerback has received the All-American award and has been crowned as defensive MVP  during the College Football Playoff national championship. This was enough for him to get a breakthrough in the watchlist. 

With the standout returner in junior defensive tackle, Mason Graham has come up with a high ceiling of expectations for Moore’s defensive line. He earned 2023 second-team All-American honors. Hence, Graham is considered by many as the top returning defensive lineman nationwide.

But he ensured to not let this hype affect his performance as he claimed, “I’ve seen a few things. But I try not to pay too much attention to that. Just keep playing football, the game I love.” Meanwhile, Johnson and Graham carry forward the Wolverines’ legacy in the Lott IMPACT Trophy.  

Wolverines’ legacy in the Lott IMPACT trophy leaves hope for Moore

Before Moore, under ex-coach Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines did get a few breakthroughs in the Lott IMPACT Trophy as linebacker Junior Colson became the third recipient and joined the 2021 winner Aidan Hutchinson and 2016 winner Jabrill Peppers. The award has been distributed since 2004 and is voted by a national panel that constitutes more than 300 former college players, coaches and media members. IMPACT stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, and Tenacity and all these factors run high in the Wolverines.

Courtesy goes to the players’ talents paired with the coaching brilliance of Jim Harbaugh previously which is now replaced with Moore’s. Apart from the Wolverines’ players receiving the honors, they also receive huge donations. In Colson’s time, the linebacker was handed a $25,000 donation from the Pacific Club to the University of Michigan’s general scholarship fund.  

This year apart from testing the Wolverines’ talent, the coaching talents of the new Ann Arbor program head, Sherrone Moore will be put to examination. It’s going to be a tough call for Moore’s squad this time since there are some big names like Arizona’s Tacario Davis and Georgia’s defensive back Malaki Starks. However, will Moore become the lucky charm for Michigan this year?