The Michigan Wolverines put their faith in Shea Patterson to lead them out of their offensive doldrums, and they might've saved their embattled head coach in the process.

Patterson, the top QB recruit in the nation in 2016, was officially named the starter by Jim Harbaugh on Monday. He transferred to Michigan from Ole Miss, where NCAA sanctions have gutted the team. In 10 games with the Rebels, he threw for 3,139 yards with 23 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, leading them to a 4-6 record as a starter.

The good news for Patterson: He's walking into a program that's ready to contend for a Big Ten championship. The Wolverines are stacked with talent - especially on defense.

In 2017, Michigan's defensive domination was routinely sabotaged by putrid quarterback play. While the defense finished third in yards allowed per attempt last year, the offense finished 109th in yards per carry, resulting in a disappointing 8-5 finish.

Michigan doesn't need a phenomenal season from its quarterback; consistency and competence should be enough for a team this stout on defense. Patterson will surely be an upgrade in that sense over the quarterbacks this team started last year, but it'll take him some time to get accustomed to the Wolverines' offense.

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

At Ole Miss, Patterson played in a no-huddle offense in which the quarterback looked to the sideline for play calls and adjustments. In fact, Ole Miss' system was so simple the team had 30 plays in the playbook when it faced Auburn last year, according to the SEC Network.

In Michigan, Patterson will play at a slower pace and have more responsibility at the line of scrimmage. Instead of just lining up, looking to the sideline, and running the play, he'll have to read coverages, identify fronts, and help set his protection, which is a lot for a quarterback to learn in less than a year.

He should be more comfortable in Michigan's offense after the ball is snapped.

Last season, the Wolverines lacked a quarterback who could make something out of nothing when the play breaks down. That won't be a problem with Patterson. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound QB isn't going to win a track meet anytime soon, but he's athletic enough to extend plays with his feet. Here's a great example:

On this play, Ole Miss is in 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, and three wide receivers) with two receivers and a tight end to Patterson's right and a single receiver isolated to his left. Right before the snap, he motions his slot receiver, which brings an Alabama safety into the box.

Once the ball is snapped, he surveys the defense and looks to have good blocking. However, two Alabama defenders beat their blocks and make their way toward Patterson, who identifies the pressure and bails out of the pocket. As he's rolling to his right, he uncorks a beautiful 40-yard throw that hits his receiver in stride with enough space to get his feet down inbounds.

It's that kind of throwing and playmaking that has Wolverine fans bullish on the program's playoff chances.

While it's nice that Patterson can extend and make plays outside of the pocket, though, Harbaugh's pro-style system works best when his QB operates from the pocket. This is where Patterson will need to improve most.

When he's able to set his feet and make a throw in rhythm, he can be deadly accurate.

However, Patterson has a flair for the dramatic, often vacating clean pockets when his first or second option isn't open. Where he tends to struggle most is when he can't escape the pocket and is being pressured. In these situations, his footwork gets messy, leading to inaccurate throws.

Whether or not he makes significant improvements in that area, the Michigan offense should be much more efficient and explosive than it was a year ago.

The tight end position, in particular, should see an uptick in production. Harbaugh likes to get his tight ends involved, and Patterson is one of the best quarterbacks in the country throwing between the seams. Expect a big year from Zach Gentry and/or Sean McKeon.

Wide receiver Tarik Black should take advantage of Patterson's beautiful deep ball, as the blue-chip recruit is ready to break out after an injury shortened his freshman season.

Harbaugh gained the reputation of a "QB Whisperer" largely based on his work with J.T. O'Sullivan, Andrew Luck, Alex Smith, and Colin Kaepernick, but he has yet to develop a worthwhile signal-caller in Ann Arbor. Patterson, the most talented QB he has had with the Wolverines, could single-handedly keep the coach off the hot seat this season.

John Owning is a football writer at theScore. He has written for Bleacher Report and Football Insiders. He was also the lead NFL content editor at FanRag Sports. John provides analysis on the Dallas Cowboys for the Dallas Morning News and edits for The Quant Edge. Find him on Twitter @JohnOwning.