Michigan Thursday: Where is the LB Help Coming From?

Most insiders are in agreement that Michigan's weakness this season is at LB.  With two unexpected losses from last year team with Rolder to the Detroit Lions and Sullivan to the Sooners.  Michigan has big needs to fill at the LB position. 

Who are the candidates to fill the spots?

• Troy Bowles, son of NFL head coach and been with the program for over a year after transferring from Georgia.  Time for the light to go on for him and be a really good LB! 

• NOB, former 5 star LB from last years class.  Is he ready?  Talent is there but experience reading offensive plays might not be.  We will still need him this year and I hope he gets good playing experience early and often.  (

  Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng)

• Aisea Moa, transfer from MSU and BYU prior, only 29 career tackles, would seem to be a depth player. Brother is also a 5-star true freshman WR. 

• Chase Taylor, is just a sophomore but maybe a starter.  He played in 10 games last year and lets hope his development this off season has gotten him ready for the season.

• Nathaniel Staehling, might be the biggest wildcard and the best chance for Michigan to have success at this position this year.  He is a 4 year transfer from North Dakota State and played a ton of football.  He was injured in the Spring but he could step in as a Day 1 starter if he is healthy and has a good fall camp.  Of course, this is a different level of football and we will see if his talent translates to this level. 

• Max Alford, a transfer from BYU with 5 starts last year.  Max will see the field this year and knows the defense Michigan will be playing this season! Max has 28 games experience. 

Guys I don't expect to start but could contribute:

• Aden Reeder, Freshman  
• Markel Dabney, Freshman 
• Kaden Catchings, Freshman 
• Ndi, Etta, Freshman 
• Zach Ludwig, Junior Nephew of former coach Ben Herbert
• Adam Bazzi, Junior 
• Christian Pierce,  Sophomores transfer from Illinois State, Trey's brother. 

Wolverine Wednesday: JJ News

For Michigan fans there are now two JJ's to consider.  First of course is our National Championship QB JJ McCarthy who will always be a Michigan Man.  Next, is newcomer WR JJ Buchanan who is getting a ton of buzz out of Fall Camp. 

The news for JJ the QB was not so good yesterday as the Minnesota Vikings named Kyler Murray their starting QB.  JJ has been injured and his play last year was a bit uneven for his first real playing time in the NFL.  He will get his shot, he just needs to wait a little longer and get some more experience.  The game was moving a bit too fast for him last season.  

JJ the WR is trending up, as a weakness on last years team is starting to become a strength.  Its fair to say an 18 year old Bryce did not play his best football coming right out of high school.  What didn't help was the number of drops he had by WR's and TE's last season.  This year's WR room seems deep in talent with playmakers and JJ Buchanan is expected to be Michigan's next star next to Marsh. 

I'm very excited to see the Michigan WR's this fall and what they can do.   The Michigan skill positions on offense might be elite!  

• Speaking of Buzz, Michigan Basketball has hired Buzzy Caruthers as its new Director of Player Development.  Buzzy comes to Michigan from Ball State where he was an assistant coach the last two seasons.

• I don't mind Bryce down playing the OSU game.  He has a lot of work to do before that is even an issue.  I want him to stay focused on his goals today and Western Michigan and Oklahoma. 

• CBS might use Tony Romo's arrest to get out of his ridiculous contract. 

• NCAA keeps pushing back on the Class of 2022 being eligible.  Which means August Rodney might just be a pipe dream. 

Michigan Tuesday: Journey Back To Ernie?

Ernie Hausmann is an interesting youngman who struggles with mental health.  He wants to do great things for his home country in Africa but he also had mental health issue late in the season last year and seemingly quit the team prior to the Maryland game. 

Ernie tried to get his life back together and entered the NFL Draft.  He was not selected and he did not sign with any NFL team as an UDFA.   It's not a talent issue with this youngman.  

This started speculation that Ernie might fill a need for the Wolverines at LB this season as losing him, Rolder, and Sully made that room much lighter then expected.  Coach Whitt seemed to shut the door on  adding him or any other 5th year player as he said they are not going to sign anyone else to this years roster yesterday during his press conference.  

I'm a second chance guy and would like Ernie to have one but I also know that quitting on your team is a situation that is very difficult to overcome in a locker room.  I just hope everything works out for this youngman in life. 

• A Michigan player made Bruce Feldman's 2026 Freak List.  It's Gavin Magorian!  Who? He is a Marshall transfer Long Snapper who's last name sounds like a Disney Star Wars spin off.  Congrats Gavin! 

• One player that is no longer with the team is Chibi Anwunah who medically retired.   We also learned that Taylor Tatum is focusing on Baseball full-time now.  Which is a good move for his long-term health. 

Michigan Monday: Quiet Is Good

We are now a week into a camp, pads are on, and outside of a few social media clips, things are quiet in camp.  Harbaugh used to call it the Submarine and it seems Coach Whitt has similar football sensibilities. 

The biggest concern for the team is at LB.  Losing Sully to OK is going to end up being a very difficult loss.  I also don't want to hear about any (I word), no I'm not going to say it.  There should always should be two goals coming out of Fall Camp, 1 - to get better everyday and 2 - be 100% healthy.  

I like quiet right now from camp.  I don't want to hear hype as many times that is over blown and I also don't want to hear player X is improving or this unit is explosive.  Keep all that stuff in house.  You can prove it starting on 9/5.

Quiet is good right now.  

• Rivals300 TE Braxton Rein spoke to Colston Loveland at Tight End U and asked him about Michigan. Colston told him, it was the best decision he ever made.

• RIP to Don Nelson

• The Oklahoma Game will be a Maize Out, Love the noon kick!