Michigan Friday: Spring Game - What I Want To See

Michigan's Spring Game and the first one under Coach Whitt is tomorrow.   It looks to be a chilly, windy, and maybe a rainy day.  Perfect Football weather! 2:00 on BTN

Here is my wish list of what I want to do see:

1. Nothing - I want to see the most vanilla offense and defense possible.  The coaches are smart enough to not show anything important. I actually would prefer not to see Bryce, Marshall, Marsh and any other important player.  It's ok, if Hiter has a couple runs but not many! 
2. Fundamental Football - Good Blocking and Tackling
3. Depth on both lines
4. A Freshman WR that can contribute next season
5. Better Special Teams 
6. Good Field Goal Kicking and Punting
7. Did Michigan get the best Carr QB?
8. A star TE in the making
9. Strong LB play 
10. Good depth at CB and Safety 
11. Herbie's kid getting snaps 
12. A similar smile on Coach Whitt's face like Harbaugh had when he realized in his first Spring Game, that he really is the Head Coach of the Michigan Wolverines. 

The most important thing - No injuries! 

Enjoy the day! 

Michigan Thursday: News and Notes

• Yax was at Golden State @ Clippers last night.  We wish him good luck with the NBA Draft! 

• I trust Dusty, but the lack of transfer portal commits is making me a bit nervous 

• It seems the new Michigan Football staff is finding its footing for the 2027 class.  Always a slow start when you have a brand new staff. 

• Michigan and Marquette has signed a home and home.  First game is at Crisler next November.

• Mara seems to be leaning to the NBA Draft while keeping his college eligibility

• Not sure we are going to learn much from the Spring Game this weekend if its the 2's and 3's.  Which is fine with me.  Keep the real offense and defense under wraps.

• New Michigan President has brain cancer and will not take office, we wish him well and good health through this process.

• Oscar Goodman is back next year for Michigan Basketball.

Wolverine Wednesday: One Door Shuts Completely and Another Opens

I'm fascinated by how the world works sometimes.  Michigan is riding high right now with a fresh National Championship, a new feeling of potential from Spring Practice, a brand new QB commit, and an ugly situation where the old boss avoids jail time but now has 18 months probation.  

Sherrone Moore has zero business being mentioned in this blog or any other Michigan media in my opinion after today.  His time was a complete failure at Michigan and I 100% blame Warde for it.  I know Warde hired Dusty and got him extended and Coach Whitt looks to be the perfect hire, but those couple good deeds does not erase the complete lack of leadership he has shown from his time as AD at Michigan. He has one of the most powerful and coveted jobs in all of college sports and we will see how long that lasts after the investigations closes.  The one that was supposed to be completed in January.    

Sherrone gets 18 months probation and court fines for losing his mind after he was fired.  I don't live in Ann Arbor but if I did, I would consider those 18 months to be 18 months too long to have him in the community.  The best thing for Sherrone and U of M is for him to go away and never come back.  That is it and hopefully that is the last time his name will appear on this blog. 

Now to the good news! 

Michigan received a verbal commit for the 2027 class from 4-star QB Kamden Lopati from Utah.  Kamden was recently an Illinois commit and decommitted earlier this week.  He had a number of suiters but it came down to a Michigan - ND decision and he picked the Wolverines.  He was familiar with Michigan's new staff from their Utah days.  Welcome Kamden!  (and yes Brett Bielema is pissed).

• Another strange story from yesterday.  Iowa has had wins vacated by the NCAA in 2023 after they agreed they tampered with a QB from another school prior to the transfer portal opening.  On a side note, Cade McNamara might of had the worst transfer decision in the history of the program.  If he stayed at Michigan, he would be a National Champion and would've started again after JJ left for the NFL.  He had two historically bad years at Iowa, then finished at East or Middle TN State this past season.  What a second?  He transferred to Iowa right? 👀

• Will Tschetter has signed a pro deal to play is Australia.  Congrats Will, always a Champion! 

Michigan Tuesday: Big Dollars Rolling In The Portal

Michigan's top two targets in the portal were Kansas Big Man Flory Bidunga and still is Wake's Guard/Wing Juke Harris.  Flory signed with Louisville for $5M and reports are that Juke has an offer from UNC for over $5.5M a year.  For example, former Michigan Center Danny Wolf with the NY Nets made $2.8M this past year. 

I'm all for players making money and getting paid market value but the Transfer Portal is becoming NBA Free Agency. 

Still no word on what Rez and Mara are thinking about the NBA Draft.   The whispers are that Rez is seriously considering coming back to Ann Arbor and Mara is strongly considering the NBA Draft.  I believe both are considered back half of the 1st round candidates in the Mock Draft's I've seen.  If Michigan loses both to the NBA, they will need at least 1 more big man out of the portal.  Juke might got through the NBA evaluation process before he commits.

Speaking of the NBA, happy the Pistons are back, but the league as a whole was really bad this season. 

• After a week of The National Championship, Frozen Four, and The Masters.  I'm looking for what's next! Or maybe a vacation! 😀