Michigan Tuesday: Not a Quiet Tuesday

I thought today might be a bit quiet with Michigan coming off the MSU win and the Boilermakers coming to town.  Then news starts to break last night and none of it really good.  

-Justice Hayes seems to be hurt again and the rumor is a broken foot.  He has been seen in a walking boot.  Sherrone on his radio show, said he didn't know if he would play this weekend or not.  The good news if its not broken and just a turned ankle, he can miss Purdue, there is a bye, and a trip to Northwestern before Maryland and the other school. 

-Michigan and Sherrone have dropped their appeal against the NCAA.  Hard to know what the reason to drop this now might be, but after Sherrone serves his last game suspension next season and Michigan pays the fine this should be over.   I'm all for putting this to bed but it does come off a little soft to drop the appeal without something in return from the NCAA. 

If Hayes stayed healthy all year, I think he would've been in NYC for the Heisman ceremony.  

• Speaking of Hayes, he was co-Big 10 Offensive Player of the Week.  Rolder won the defensive player of the week!  

• New Michigan Point Guard Elliot Cadeau makes Cousy Award Watchlist

• Sherrone says they are being careful with Rod Moore's knee and he has been practicing some and working his way back.

• Will learn more about Sullivan's injury this week 

• Someone is going to hire Hartline from OSU this cycle, correct?

Wolverine Wednesday: 5-Star Backfield

When Adam Schefter tweets about a Michigan Football recruit, it's a big deal.  As you know by now Savion Hiter committed to Michigan yesterday and the Wolverines will have a 5-star QB and a 5-Star RB in the backfield when they open in Germany next season.  Yes, please!

Here's an interesting story.  

What if I tell you a local kid from Saline is starting for ND at QB to start the season?

What if I tell you that same local kid is the grandson of a famous National Championship winning head coach at Michigan?

What if I tell you that same head coach had a famous saying. "To hell with Notre Dame!"?

What if I tell you that same kid will be starting against the University of Miami on the road for his first start?

Yes, BHB inmates, CJ Carr will be starting for Notre Dame at QB when they open the season near South Beach in Miami Gardens.  CJ elected to head to South Bend instead of staying home in Ann Arbor and play for Grandpa's team. 

• Auburn has given itself the 2004 National Football Championship because USC won but got that win taken away by the NCAA.  BTW: Auburn didn't even play in the national championship game that year, USC blew out Oklahoma.  I would like to be the first to congratulate Michigan Basketball and Coach B for winning the 2013 National Basketball Championship because Louisville had their National Championship removed by the NCAA.  I'm I doing that right? 😀 (too soon after the announcement on Friday?)

• Has anyone looked at Indiana's Football non-conference schedule the next 4-5 years?  It's laughable and full of tomato cans.  

Michigan Friday: News and Notes Prior to the Spring Game

For those attending the Spring Game enjoy! 

News and Notes 

• Michigan seems to be active in the portal for another RB.  How does that pitch go?   Would you like to be the 3rd string back up? CJ Hester from UMass will make a visit for the Spring Game.  He played very well against UGA after they let go Don Brown. 

• Bryce buys a car for a high school security guard that meant a lot to him.  Class act! 

• Former Michigan Basketball player who now been at 3 schools in 3 years Sam Walters picks Mississippi State for his next stop.  He needs to stay healthy and work on his defense. 

• Oregon's Putter is in the portal, he punted 9 total times last year.  

Happy Easter to all that celebrate! 

Michigan Thursday: The Captain is Back!

Michigan has a leader on the offense and its clearly FB Max Bredeson.  As Joel Klatt likes to say, "If you want to know where Michigan is going to run the ball, follow Max Bredeson".    Max has decided to give it another go and will be back in Michigan's backfield next season.   Thank you Max! 

ND vs Penn State tonight at the Orange Bowl.  This game is a strange one.  Both teams have had interesting paths to this game.  ND had nobody on their schedule the entire year and lost to a bad MAC team at home.  Penn State's two top opponents beat them handily in Ohio State and Oregon.   Penn State had to beat SMU and Boise State to make this game and ND had to beat IU and Georgia without their starting QB.  Before the game they should play that beeping sound a truck makes while backing up.  I really don't want to see PSU - OSU 2.   ND 24 PSU 19

• Michigan continues to struggle to find another WR in the portal as Clemson's Stellato picks UK 

• Michigan seems to have all its chips on UW CB Thaddeus Dixon, who is expected to make a visit to Ann Arbor.  

• Chicago Bears are expected to interview Matt Campbell for their head coaching job.  

• Former Michigan LB Joe Bolden is the new LB Coach at Ohio U. 

• Michigan commit Andrew Babalola continues to impress at the Army All American Game practices.

• Jim might have to move the Chargers playoff game to Phoenix due to the fires in California. 

• Idaho TE that had committed to Sparty changed his mind and now heading to CAL.

Michigan Monday: The Back-Up Bowl

Ever seen a game where neither fan base wants to play in it and most draft eligible players on both teams are going to opt out?  A game that is put together not by match-up but by brand name?  By corporate types looking, not for a good football game but for ticket sales?

Somehow Alabama misses out on the playoffs because the leader of Michigan's program and his over paid buddies decide SMU played better in the 2nd half of the ACC Championship game and deserves it more.  I assume Warde was too busy doing his side hustle to notice that he was sending his football team to Tampa (not to eat Bloomin Onions) to play that same team.   Somehow Warde got a 5-year extension out of this.   The lack of leadership this position has at Michigan is astounding. 

I'm sure there will be fans on both sides clamoring for their $85 tickets this morning to watch the Back-Up Bowl.  This game should be sponsored by Drew Brees restaurant chain Walk-On's.  Nothing like playing for everything this time last year and now playing for the Reliaquest trophy. 

Now onto the important stuff.  The Transfer Portal opens today and Michigan has a lot of work to do.  They have a long shopping list which includes:

-QB

-OL

-TE

-RB

-Punter

-DT

-CB 

They need a ton and this off season and will have plenty of time to evaluate talent to get the right fit for the program.  

• Michigan QB Denegal is entering the portal.  Good Luck to him! 
• Michigan OT Gentry is entering the portal.  Good Luck to him! 
• Michigan LB Pollard is entering the portal.  Good Luck to him! 

• Herbie's son Chase a 2025 QB will be coming to Michigan to play QB.  I thought it was as a walk-on but it seems they are using a scholarship on the young man.  Chase is not ranked 3-star but played QB at St. X in Cincinnati.  This will not go over well in C-Bus.   This goes down as the surprise of the weekend. 

• In what world does it make sense to pay a baseball player a 15 year $765M contract?  When MLB has to go through a reboot, the owners will be to blame.  They have lost their minds.  

• Michigan Basketball wins a close on against Iowa at home on Saturday.  2-0 in the Big Ten! 

Michigan Friday: Andrew Olesh Decision Day

Andrew Olesh is one of the top TE's in the 2025 class.  He is 6'5 and 215 pounds.  24/7 composite has him ranked as a solid 4-star , #3 TE in the country, and the 59th player overall.  He has been committed to Michigan since 6/21.

That commitment did not stop other schools from recruiting Andrew.   Oregon, ND, and, PSU have all made a compelling case to him and today he makes his final decision, signs his paperwork and that is a wrap to the Early Signing Period.  Fingers crossed that he wants to be the next Jake Butt or Colston Loveland.  Hell, even Schoonmaker and Barner are starting for the Cowboys and Seahawks now.  😀

I believe the ceremony at his high school in PA is at 3:00. 

Michigan will continue to lose some players to the portal, it's just the way of life for kids these days.  The one that stings right now is Tyler Morris.  Tyler made a hell of catch and run against Alabama and Michigan would not have won the Rose Bowl without that play.   I do get it though, Michigan could not get the ball to its WR's this year at all. 

Update: Punter Tommy Doman is in the portal.  Tommy also does kickoffs.  Cole Cabana is now in the portal as well.  Injuries and not being able to see the field were his issues in A2. 

• Rumors are Michigan vs. Florida in the former Outback Bowl in Tampa.  Is there a contractually mandated agreement that Michigan and Florida will play in a Bowl game every 5 years? If UF is not available insert South Carolina. 

• Dan "Fing" Campbell.  Giving up an easy TD by going for it on his own 30 and then going for it on 4th on 1 and not kicking the field goal with 43 second left takes some serious "ONIONS!".

• Please raise your hand if you ever thought the Detroit Lions would win 11 NFL Football Games in a row!

• Don't forget we have 3 Championship Games on Tonight.  Including one with RR.  Must see TV! Jeanty also has the stage to himself on making his case for the Heisman. 

• I think the new playoffs system should be called the James Franklin invitational.   Any predictions for Saturday?  I think the Ducks roll them like 41 - 14 and the Nittany Lions still get in.   Did you see the get in price for tickets on StubHub are $12 for the Big Ten Championship?  The Michigan Difference.  PSU gets in by playing nobody and getting beat handily by OSU in Happy Valley.  IU gets in by playing an even weaker schedule and getting embarrassed by OSU in CBus.   ND gets in by losing to a bad MAC team at home and beating the two Military Academies.   I did not expect such a low bar in year 1 of the 12 team playoff. 

• The ratings for Michigan - OSU were not as high as I expected just over 12M viewers.

• Belichick interviews for the UNC job.  What is the deal with that program liking coaches at the end of their careers?

• Iowa visits Crisler on Saturday 2:00 for Dusty's first game Big Ten game at home.  FS1

Northwestern Post Game: Sherrone Has Had a Good Week

On3

That is what we expected in September.  A controlled passing game that opened the run game with a dominating defense.  Yes, all caveats go to Northwestern not being very good, but if you remember, Michigan struggled with worse opponents earlier this year.   This was the first real sign of Michigan getting better after the bye week.  It's encouraging with a trip to C-Bus coming up next week. 

Having Bryce on the sideline as the newest Wolverine and putting up a 50 burger is a pretty damn good week for Sherrone.  Before we crown Wink for that defensive performance.  Let's see what he has for us next week.  His unit has played very well from the IU 2nd half on.   OSU DC should send Wink a fruit basket because he gave them the blueprint on how to beat the Hoosiers.   For the first drive of the OSU/IU game, I thought he didn't take the gift, but they figured it out.  

Cheers:

• The most complete game of the year in all 3 phases! 
• Warren's last game in the Big House was his best! 
• 3 TD's from Mullins!  Well Done sir! 
• Even Big Game Don found a hole and ran off a long one!  
• Tyler Morris sighting! 
• WR's catching the rock
• Dominating defense 
• Throwing the ball to the RB's?  Wish I had thought of that
• Great final game for Grant and Graham!  Go get that $$ in the NFL
• Zvada is the team MVP
• Whether its an injury or he shut it down.  Thank you Will for picking Michigan! 
• Loveland is so good! 
• Never thought this team would put up 50
• I love when Stewart is unblockable! 

Jeers:

• Love DG but Tim Brando is terrible on the ears. Not a good pairing. 
• Loveland didn't play in the 2nd half, lets hope he is not hurt.
• Davis did throw a bad pick 
• Did Hill lose his number and his starting position?

Thank you seniors, if you've been around 4-5 years, you are leaving with 3 Big Ten Championships and a National Championship.  You can't ask for anything more.  Thank you for the dedication to the program and everything you have done to make this program great.  Whether its the NFL or Corporate life, we wish you the best of luck in your next chapter! 

Let's enjoy this week a little longer!  No need to consider what is around the corner . 

 

Minnesota Post Game: Lack of Adjustments

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan the last 3 years have been elite in a number or areas.  Halftime adjustments might be the best thing the coaches did every game.  Even when Michigan had a lazy first half, I would know that Michigan was a 2nd half team and the coaches would put the Wolverines in a position to win coming out of the locker room.

Not this year and I'm pretty sure Michigan has gotten out coached in every 2nd half this season.  PJ Fleck did it to them today.  That frankly is embarrassing.  Sherrone has a problem and the problem is his staff not being able to adjust to the game.   It feels very Hokeish.  

There are reason for this.  Michigan is very basic on offense and if they don't knock down a defensive lineman and Mullins hits the hole, they are in trouble.    That 3rd down call late in the 4th quarter where Mullins lost yards, was as basic as basic gets.   

The jury is still out on Orji in my mind, he threw better but not great, and missed a wide open Donovan Edwards when he threw the pick.  If he is not going to run for more than 12 yards, then what are we doing?

Cheers:

• Mullins is the offense with 111 yards
• Michigan increased its passing yards to 86
• Blocked punt and fumble won the game for the Wolverines
• Mullins and Edwards backfield 
• 5 sacks
• Ernie is playing better every game 
• Zvada another solid game 
• Hill with a great pick 

Jeers:

• No Will or Stewart 
• Rain
• 2nd Half 
• 2 calls that almost cost Michigan the game 
• The Mason hands to the face was a BS call by the refs
• #5 the transfer WR was a holding and erased a sure TD 
• Edwards had 34 yards 
• Orji pick flipped momentum 
• I just don't understand what Wink is doing sometimes
• Kenny is held every snap
• That looked  like a junior set of officials
• Non-stop Commercials are undefeated 

Michigan played in the rain without their top pass rusher and cover corner.  They didn't play "clean" and it almost cost them the game.  The circus at the end with the onside kick and bad snap is by a team that doesn't believe it themselves.  They played with confidence for nearly 3 quarters, Orji throws a pick and the team packed it in. 

This won't be a popular statement but Michigan needs to see what Jack Tuttle has.  Michigan has to be able to execute at a higher level on offense to win football games.  Mostly when we know Wink is going to Wink out a few times a game. 

A win is a win and I would rather the team work on issues after a win then losing the Little Brown Jug and doing the same. 

USC Preview

Time: 3:30 EST

Location: Big House 

Weather: 85 and Sunny

TV: CBS (Nessler & Danielson)

Line: Michigan +5 

Michigan gets to welcome USC to the Big Ten and the Big House on Saturday afternoon.   Luckily for everyone but Michigan, the weather and kickoff time should make the Trojans feel right at home.  The Trojans are ranked #11 and coming into Ann Arbor 2-0 with an improved defense.  Their Heisman winning QB is playing for Chicago Bears but it looks like Lincoln Riley has not missed a beat with his high flying offense.  The defending National Champions will have their hands full on Saturday afternoon on both sides of the ball. 

Dear Coach, 

I'm concerned that your team has not performed well in many aspects of the game over the past 3 weeks.  Now, its not fair of us to compare team 144 to 145 but we do have an expectation of good, tough, quality, football.  We also have an expectation from a coaching staff that will make adjustments and design plays/systems to best match their roster.  

Coach, I watch a lot of college football and see teams with much less talent move the ball more efficiently then the Wolverines.   The power run game does not fit Team 145 right now.  Edwards is not a power runner and when you run him straight into the line on first down, you are wasting a down and distance.  Your offense line is struggling in run blocking and pass pro.  This alone should be crystal clear to you.  

On Monday of this week you decide to announce Alex Orji your starting QB as Davis Warren has been turning the ball over.  We all can see that Alex is a talented runner and a tremendous athlete.  We also know his weakness on passing the football.  Please coach, if you line him up in the power run game with out any nuance of different play calls or formations, you will cost Michigan this game, this season, and this young man's confidence. 

With all that said, I believe you know this.  I believe you and your staff know football and know how to game plan against USC.   I believe you have run sets that we haven't seen to get Edwards to the edge and Mullins up the middle.  I believe you have plays where Orji has easy throws to gain confidence to Michigan's TE's and RB's.  (Stop throwing that WR screen please!).  I believe you have special option running sets to get Orji in open space.   I believe there are RB screens in the play book.  I believe you know Edwards is your best WR.  I believe making Alex Orji the starting QB is the right decision.  Now prove it to us.  

I need Wink to wake up and confuse the other team, not his own players.  He needs to be careful with the blitz, pressure with the front 4, run some smart zone coverages, and stop the run.  I need Michigan LB's to step up and play solid football.  They have struggled but I started to see better play last week and lets hope that continues 2X this week.  If Michigan is going to win this game they must win this match-up.  

Coach, every week this is a test for you and your staff.  Every mistake you make (fair or not) and adjustment you don't, people (like the jerk that writes this blog) will question, if you are ready for this job.  We understand Michigan is not going to win every game this season but fans expect  your team to compete at a highest level every Saturday  Which means clean football without penalties, turnovers, and mental mistakes.  That the coaches are putting the players in positions to make plays and a structure that is built for their strengths.  Michigan will have to play their best football of the season to win on Saturday.  It's time to prove it.  

PS: I will give you a $1 if you run one traditional screen pass to Edwards.  Please just try it once! 

Michigan 13 USC 31

Arkansas State Post Game: This is a Loss

Rick Osentoski, Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The scoreboard might say something different but this was a loss for Michigan Football.   This football team is not playing discipline football.  No QB, terrible tackling on defense, poor play calling, lack of effort, bad penalties, injuries, etc.   

I hate to be too negative and Michigan did run for over 300 yards but every area has issues and they are big issues.   

The USC game could be a replay of the Texas visit.  

Cheers:

• Mullins is RB 1 - Enough already 
• Finally got Klein the football 
• Defense played well in spurts 
• Scored TD's instead of FG's
• 301 yards rushing 
• Hall x2 played well running the ball and playing CB
• Hausmann played better and was the leading tackler

Jeers:

• Orji is not a QB, the deep ball was 50/50 on him and Moore not running 
• 3 Picks by Davis is unacceptable 
• Personal Foul penalties by Michigan's defense is unacceptable
• 1 sack?  Really?
• Loveland's shoulder injury 
• The OL is struggling both in the running game and pass pro
• Pollard CB coverage 
• Big Loveland play called back for wrong alignment 
• Michigan seems to run 5 plays on offense 
• Michigan's offense was too predictable on 1st down
• What is going on with Michigan on 3rd down on defense?
• Can we punt the ball over 40 yards please?
• Terrible close by the 2nd and 3rd team defense 
• Michigan's coaches looks like they don't have any answers to any of this. 

I didn't see any new wrinkles or anything new.  Michigan struggled to run the ball many times against one of the worst running defenses in the country.  Most of the yards were on big runs where Edwards and Mullins broke tackles.  Davis threw a few pretty balls but the picks were just awful and game killers. 

I will reiterate a take from earlier in the week.  Michigan not having a starting caliber QB is inexcusable.  With what we knew in the off season, we expected this team to struggle on offense.  

For this team not to be elite on the defensive side of the ball is criminal.  I would fire Wink right now.  You or I could do a better job then Wink has.  There are 3 first round draft picks on defense and this squad plays very undisciplined.  

You could tell on the broadcast, that Jake feels the way we do.  I thought at one point he was going to yell, "What the Hell are we doing?".

Jake Tuttle save us! and at least we are not FSU.   (neither makes me feel any better at what I just watched)

Michigan Friday: The QB Question Continues

When I review the projected starters for next season, the only question mark in my mind is at QB.  I expect Michigan will have a dominating defense and a strong running game again next season.  The secret of Michigan's success last season was JJ keeping drives alive on 2nd & long and 3rd downs.    

That is where we need one of Michigan's 3 QB's to step up.  Michigan has a deep QB room with plenty of talent but not a ton of playing experience as Wolverines.   The top 3 contenders are  Alex Orji, Davis Warren, and Jack Tuttle.  Many believe its Alex's job to lose as he got a number of snaps in games last season as a running QB.  

Lets look at the plus and minuses of each contender.  

Orji is clearly the best athlete and a gifted runner.  If Michigan wants to pound the football on the ground, Alex will be the best option.   Orji is not known as a passer and struggled early throwing the ball in the spring game.  Michigan will need to complete passes against better teams and that Texas game will be here quicker than we think. 

Jack Tuttle has been playing college football forever.  He has the most game experience of any QB in Ann Arbor by a long shot.  He is also a good athlete but has seemily been banged up most of his time as a Wolverine.   Jack can spin it but also is known for turning the ball over.  With Michigan's running game and strong offensive line.  Michigan needs a QB that can hit its talented TE's for first downs to keep drives alive.  Jack got a special exception to play this year and can win this job if he stays healthy and protects the ball. 

Davis Warren knows this offense like the back of his hand and has the most experience running it.  The issue is, that experience has come in practices and spring games as his true game experience has been very limited.  He cleary stayed in Ann Arbor to compete for the starting role.  I would consider Davis more of a traditional drop back QB then Tuttle or Orji as Davis prefers to throw vs. run.  He spent a ton of time with Harbaugh, who took a chance on him when he was fighting cancer out of high school. He was the best QB in the spring game and made some nice throws.  My concern for Davis is his heart rate when the Longhorns walk into the Big House. 

These are 3 unique QB's with different strengths and weakness.  New OC and QB coach Kirk Campbell will be the most important coach in Fall Camp as its very important that a clear leader emerges before the season opener. 

• For golf fans, enjoy the last major of the year this weekend! Guys are posting some high scores.  

Michigan Monday: Welcomes Phillip Wright III

Michigan Football would always recruit the great state of Louisiana but never had much luck.  There are plenty of water cooler stories about boosters buying homes for Mama, getting Dad a new car, or the kids didn't want to play in the cold weather in Ann Arbor.  When Nick Saban left Michigan State for LSU, he was excited to be the only major program in that state.  Because he knew the talent was deep and they wanted to stay close to home. 

Michigan this cycle now has 3 commits (Washington and Parker) from Louisiana, with the latest coming on Saturday evening with the commitment of Phillip Wright III.  Phil is a 6'0 170 pound WR and picked the Wolverines over LSU and Georgia.  His nickname is "Flash".  Wight is considered a 3-star WR to 24/7 and the composite and ranked as the 86th WR in the class.   The 6'0 might be a little generous as Phillip is expected to fill the Slot WR spot in Michigan's 2025 class.  Welcome to Ann Arbor (it's really not that cold!). 

• I'm not a huge fan of Tim Brando, he called out Harbaugh early on for not producing a depth chart and then walked back those statements.  He has  polarizing style for my taste when he calls games.  Tim will no longer be calling college football games with his long time partner Spencer Tillman, who will be replaced by Devin Gartner.  Let's hope Devin outshines Tim in this role! 

• Michigan continues to trend for another WR in the 2025 in 4-star Andrew Marsh from Texas. 

Michigan Monday: Is there Good News Coming?

Social Media was a flutter yesterday as Sherrone put up the 👀 twice.  Which clearly means two commitments are coming the Wolverines way.  Now, I have no interest in ruining a kids moment in the sun as they pick up a hat, a jersey, or release a Wolverine to the wild, but if I were you I would pay attention to the news and notes bullets following this message.  

It is really nice to see the new coaches making up for lost time on the recruiting trail and selling the culture in Ann Arbor.  

• 4-star TE Andrew Olesh from PA is announcing his decision today between Michigan, PSU, FL and Alabama.  Andrew is 6'5 and 215 pounds and rated as the 84th player on 24/7.   His announcement is expected today at 1:00  6:00.

• ND won a recruiting battle for 4-star Safety JaDon Blair from NC over the weekend.  JaDon picked the Irish over the Wolverines.   Michigan continues to recruit current ND commit Ivan Taylor a 4-star Safety from Florida who is one of the top 50 players in the country at any position.  Taylor committed to ND in December of 2023. 

• I think its fair to say that Franz Wagner will make the most money of any former Michigan Basketball player ever as he just signed a 4-year $224M contract.  Congrats Franz and please send Coach B a nice bottle of wine! Come to think of it, maybe the Wagner's should buy him a lake house.  😊

• Michigan is in the early Top 12 for 2026 OL G'Nivre Carr.

• In news, you didn't know you needed: Shea Patterson won his first CFL start for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.  Do these stats sound familiar? Shea was 15-23, 192 yards, and 1 TD (no picks).  

Michigan Monday: It's a Holly Jolly July

Michigan landed another defensive lineman in edge rusher Julius Holly from outside Atlanta over the weekend.  Julius is 6'3 230 pounds and is a 4 star Edge to all the services minus 24/7.  His offer list was strong with the leaders being Georgia, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss.  "Captain" Lou Esposito is really putting in the work for the Wolverines and grabs another top rated guy for his defensive line.

Wink tells us to stay locked in, so hopefully the good news keeps rolling.

• Blake Corum got engaged over the weekend.  Congrats!

• Brady Hart was on the offensive MVP on Day 2 of the Under Armour camp. 

• RB Davison did go to Oregon.  I have to keep reminding myself they are in the Big 10 now. 

• Happy Bobby Bonilla Day

• JB Bickerstaff sure has had a lot of jobs.  Why does these owners keep washing and repeating with the same head coaches?

• Alex Orji on Coach Campbells offense: "It's gonna be tailor-made like a three-piece suit for whoever takes a snap. It's gonna be tight, it's gonna be perfect. ... We operate every play in the playbook to a pro level."

Michigan Monday: 2 Commits Over The Weekend

MSU fans on social media try to find any reason to take a shot at Michigan Football.  Which is really hard to do when the team your taking shots at is the reigning National Champions.   One area Sparty has likes to focus on is that Michigan has been recruiting at that same level MSU has been this cycle.  

Michigan lost a majority of its coaches to the NFL and out the window goes all those recruiting relationships that has been built over numerous years.  Hell, Michigan has had 3 defensive line coaches in the last 6 months.  Not to mention, Michigan's famous Director of Recruiting who is no longer with the program. 

Michigan over the weekend continued to build their 2025 class by getting two strong commitments. 

#1 commit of the weekend was Safety Kainoa Winston who is rated as the 43rd player in the nation to 24/7 and a strong 4 star.  Winston is considered one of the best DB's in the country and Michigan beat Penn State for his commitment.  Michigan won the recruitment on the way they used Mikey over the last two years.  

#2 commit was RB Jasper Parker from Louisiana.  Not a state Michigan has had much recruiting success in.  Jasper is a 3.5 star as some service rank him a 4 and others a 3.  He is 6'0 and 200 pounds and has a great offer list from the likes of Miami, Alabama, UNC, OK State and others.  My guess is Parker will be a power back in Michigan's offense. 

Welcome to Ann Arbor to both guys! 

Michigan's class is currently ranked:

#13 on On3

#34 on 24/7

#30 on Rivals

More work to do! 

• The US Open was high drama last night in the final holes.  Bryson took home the trophy but Pinehurst #2 won the US Open.  No golfer wants to see Rory lose like that.  Congrats to the USGA for putting on a great event.  

• Michigan - Wake Basketball Series now confirmed

• Les Miles is suing LSU because he believes his vacated wins will cost him a shot at the College Football Hall of Fame.

Michigan Friday: Is Michigan's Future QB Visiting This Weekend?

There is a 2026 QB from Florida that has the most Michigan name ever, Brady Hart which combines the last names of two of the greatest Wolverines ever, Tom Brady and Mike Hart.  

Brady is 6'4 180 pounds and plays at Cocoa, Florida.  He is rated the 92th prospect in the country and 7th QB to 24/7 Composite.   He has only 1 early prediction and its to Clemson.   I'm very familiar with this area and Cocoa can produce very good athletes but the school is not known for its academics.  

Brady's father was a pitcher at Florida and was drafted by the Pirates.   Welcome to Ann Arbor Brady! 

• Michigan Basketball signed a home and home with TCU, which means former Wolverine transfer Frankie Collins will get to play in Ann Arbor again.  Frankie is at his 3rd program. 

• The Michigan coaches seem pretty happy on social media, does that mean another prospect committed?  Best Guess is Safety Kainoa Winston.

• Former ND commit athlete Shaun Terry is also in town for his official visit. 

• NBA Championship is 3-0 and Stanley Cup Finals 3-0.  Not great for TV ratings. 

• ESPN's Pete Thamel should never talk Michigan Football.  Heard an update from him this week and it was completely uninformed. 

• Have a great Father's Day Everyone! 

Wolverine Wednesday: Needs Analysis - Current Status

Michigan Football came out of spring ball with some holes that needed filling.  It was clear Michigan needed depth in the secondary, a place kicker, and help at the WR position.  There are also some level 2 needs like a back up DT and if a really good fit at QB jumped into the portal.  

Michigan has tried to land another DT but not a ton of guys want to sign up to play behind some of the best DT's in college football right now.   Most guys are looking for more playing time at a program with more exposure.  I believe the search continues with DT's and the portal.   I don't believe the Michigan coaches found a QB that could come to Ann Arbor and start in the Fall.  So they are moving forward with what they have.

Current State:

 ✔ Secondary help has been achieved with 4 DB's committing this weekend

✔ WR help is also solid with the return of  Amorion Walker and CJ Charleston from YSU. I still think Michigan could use one more WR from the portal. 

✔ Kicker was signed from Arkansas State 

Best case is Michigan signs 1 DT and 1 more WR then I expect they will be done with the Spring Portal Season.

• Speaking of new faces in new places - Eamonn Dennis has transferred to Ohio University.  Good Luck to Eamonn in the MAC! 

• Former Michigan commit PG Christian Anderson has picked Texas Tech as his new school. 

• SVP continues his Emmy streak and now is 0-8

Michigan Friday: Should We Be Worried About The Offense?

I think we should.  The buzz out of Spring Ball is that the defense is dominating the offense.  That Michigan's defensive line and LB core are stifling the offense line and pressuring any QB that Michigan puts up there.  

In the end, I think Michigan's offense line will be fine, not too many opponents will have 2 NFL 1st rounders on it.  Michigan is solid at TE and RB.  The issue is with the passing game, Orji is more of a runner then passer.  Davis I'm sure is talented but still young and inexperienced, Warren looked really good in a Spring Game a couple years ago and we haven't heard about him since, Denegal is reportedly struggling this Spring and 10 year man Tuttle is injured.   So Fox wants to put this on National TV?

Michigan's top WR is Tyler Morris and the WR room is very limited.  Michigan needs two WR's from the portal as soon as possible.  Which is not a great position for the defending National Champs. 

What does this all mean?  I said this earlier this year and as Spring Ball continues, I continue to believe it.  Michigan 2024 will be playing like Alabama 2023.  Michigan will win with a superior defense, a mobile QB that runs, and a very good RB.   Donovan Edwards is the best player on offense and reports are he is healthy and strong.  My hope is they use him like Reggie Bush as a RB and WR.   Whoever plays QB and I expect it will be Orji, number one priority will be not turning the ball over.  You thought JJ didn't throw enough, Michigan might pass less then 10 times a game next season.  Yes, there is a concern there will be some Iowa comparisons.    Fox, are you sure?

• Will Tschetter will be back for Michigan Basketball 

• Terrance Williams will look at the NBA Draft and hit the portal.  So he is hitting the portal. 

• Seems Louisville lost the Dust Battle, but now will focus on getting FAU players in the portal with big NIL checks for Nick Boyd and Johnell Davis.  Small issue, the Cardinals new coach who was at Charleston last season had a issue with The Owl players when they played in Boca last season.  Probably won't be an issue with a check with a lot of zeros in it. 

Michigan Friday: Pro Day and Coaches Coming and Going

My expectation is that there will be a ton of NFL executives in Ann Arbor today for Michigan's Pro Day to watch JJ and all the draft eligible Wolverines participate in drills.  Jim will be attending with Jessie Minter and Ben Herbert. 7 NFL Head Coaches and 9 GM's are expected to attend as well.  Plus a ton other NFL OC's, DC's, and other position coaches.  Update: Matt Miller from ESPN says he expects there are 150+ NFL Personnel at today's Pro Day. 

JJ is probably the most discussed QB on ESPN right now as NFL team decide if he is a top 5 pick or a lock for Minnesota at 11.  I'm truly biased but I watched a lot of Caleb Williams and didn't watch Heisman winner Jayden Daniels at all, I think JJ makes the best decisions out of any of them.  Good Luck to all the guys today and I hope everyone's stock goes up!

Michigan's Athletic Department must be paying a ton of money for background checks on all the coaches they have been hiring lately.  

The news breaks on Greg Scruggs arrest and he immediately resigns his position.  There are two candidates that come top of mind to fill that role.  #1 is Illinois Terrance Jamison was supposedly the runner up to Greg Scruggs a few months ago.  Fan and program favorite Ryan Osborn who was very popular on staff a few years ago and is currently with the Ravens as a defensive line assistant coach.   Who doesn't love a Ravens defensive assistant?

Kayli Johnson is joining Michigan Football as its new Director of On-Campus Recruiting. Kayli is a former Spartan and brother of #2 Will Johnson.

• Oakland upsets Kentucky in Round 1 last night.  Congrats! Greg Kampe candidate for the Michigan gig?

• This is late but DPJ re-signed with the Lions and with them losing WR's to free agency he might get more playing time next season. 

Michigan Monday: Gets a Waiver

Jack Tuttle was the break glass if there was an emergency.   Michigan needed a QB with playing experience if JJ somehow got hurt in Michigan's run to a National Championship.  Its seems that very thing happened but JJ played through injury against Maryland and Michigan snuck out with a win.  

Jack saw a huge opportunity for him next season but was out of eligibility.   Either way he was going to stay with the program as a GA assistant or maybe the starting QB.  He got part one of his wish over the weekend as his waiver for another year got approved.     

Spring Ball will start to dictate whose Michigan's starter at QB next season, but you have to assume that Jack's playing experience might give him a slight edge over Orji at the moment.   I could see a situation where multiple QB's play during the season. 

• In another move that is different from the Harbaugh days.  Sherrone hired Zach Higgenbotham as the Director of Football Sports and Science.  I have no idea what it means but it sound very cool. 

• No need to discuss the Michigan - MSU Basketball game over the weekend.  

• Michigan walk-on Jerome Nichols who got 11 snaps in 4 years has transferred to Florida A&M.

• Roy Rountree got a new gig as the WR coach for Miami of Ohio.