Michigan Football: 5 reasons why the Wolverines will struggle in 2017

The Michigan Wolverines have quite the task in front of them to overcome the loss of more than 15 starters entering the 2017 season.

Among all the teams ranked inside the top 10 in the first edition of the Amway Coaches Poll, the Michigan Wolverines might have the best chance of not being there at the end of the season. Head coach Jim Harbaugh brought the Wolverines back to consistent relevance after Brady Hoke had the opposite effect.

Junior quarterback Wilton Speight has a battle for the starting spot that means he might not keep his job for long. There’s no doubt that Michigan has the talent and potential to be a great football program over the next decade. However, the process of developing that talent has to start somewhere and that process looks to start this year.

It’s going to be a rebuilding year in Ann Arbor and the quicker Michigan fans understand that the better. The fact that Michigan was ranked No. 9 in the Coaches Poll is nuts. They’re ranked ahead of more experienced and proven contenders like the Wisconsin Badgers, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Auburn Tigers, and Stanford Cardinal.

Putting more pressure on a young group of Wolverines will just make it more difficult for Harbaugh to instill the right mindset with his squad this season.

Of course, there’s a great chance that Michigan has a say in the Big Ten Championship. However, we’ll see right of the bat if the Wolverines are for real with their Week 1 matchup against the SEC East favorite Florida Gators.

Now, let’s take a look at five reasons why the Michigan Wolverines will stink in 2017.