Category: Inside Info

Update on Alabama transfer RB Justice Haynes

Clearing some things up. #GoBlue

Michigan football had one obvious top target in the transfer portal this cycle in running back Justice Haynes, who is coming off of a two-year career at Alabama.

247Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported weeks ago that Haynes was ‘expected’ to commit to the Wolverines, hours after putting in a 247Sports Crystal Ball, yet there never was an official post noting he had committed or signed. However, Zenitz updated on Thursday that Haynes is expected in Ann Arbor in short order. Further, On3’s Pete Nakos says that Haynes to Michigan football is a done deal and that he will officially become a Wolverine.

So, what’s been the holdup? We reported on the Locked On Wolverines Podcast on both Wednesday and Thursday that the holdup has been somewhat administrative in nature, according to one person close to the situation. We can confirm it’s not an admissions issue and it’s essentially been a waiting game for him to officially sign, but there are no concerns within Schembechler Hall in regards to Haynes ending up in Ann Arbor.

From what we were told, he’s been locked in to Michigan and now it appears as if he will begin his Michigan career in earnest sooner than later.

On losing Haynes and defensive tackle Damon Payne to Michigan football, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer commented on Monday from the ReliaQuest Bowl:

“Tough question!” DeBoer said. “I’m just going to say this: I think I’m always going to wish the guys that are in our program the best and those are two really good, solid young men and I’m always going to wish them the best. And I hear the word fit coming from coach Moore’s conversation, talk here and that’s what you always hope is that the college experience for anyone that you get to coach, you want it to be in your program, you want it to be in your program, but ultimately this time comes and goes really fast and so I’m always going to wish the guys the best that were part of the year that we had here or any time I’ve coached throughout my career.”

Michigan football expected to be a contender for USC transfer Miller Moss

Yes, please. #GoBlue

Michigan football may be bringing in 2025 five-star quarterback and No. 1 recruit in the class Bryce Underwood, but that doesn’t mean that the Wolverines will put all their hopes on the generational talent right out of the gates.

It’s been an open secret that Michigan will pursue an established quarterback in the transfer portal so that it doesn’t end up in a situation like it did this year. And USC quarterback Miller Moss was revealed to be set to enter the transfer portal when it opens next week.

According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Moss appears to be interested in the Wolverines, along with Auburn, Iowa, and Louisville.

The USC quarterback transfer will have plenty of options, but the key to Miller Moss’ success in college football is finding a landing spot that gives him space to develop and start. He’s expected to look at Michgan, Auburn and Iowa. He’s not expected to be the Tigers’ top choice. Sources also tell On3 that Louisville will be in the mix to land Moss, who was benched for backup quarterback Jayden Maiava late in the season. Moss will be an attractive name to programs hoping to find a plug-and-play type quarterback. He threw for 2,555 yards with 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2024.

2024 marked Moss’ first year as the bona fide starter, but he — as mentioned above — was benched for Jayden Maiava. Moss does have leadership qualities as he was one of the Trojans’ three representatives in Indianapolis for Big Ten media days in July.

What is actually going on with Michigan football and Bryce Underwood?

What we’re hearing on #Michigan and the No. 1 prospect in the country. #GoBlue

Michigan football swung but missed in the initial Bryce Underwood sweepstakes. The 2025 Belleville, Michigan, five-star quarterback and No. 1 overall recruit in the class committed to LSU in January.

However, the Wolverines redoubled their efforts, and have worked behind the scenes to pry Underwood off his pledge to the Tigers.

There has been a great deal of conflicting information in the recruitment. While the Wolverines have worked to make a substantial offer via name, image and likeness licensing — a practice we hadn’t previously seen (or at least known about) for a high school recruit — it’s no guarantee Underwood flips.

According to two people who have knowledge of the situation and spoke to  WolverinesWire under the condition of anonymity, there has been a great deal of misinformation circulating regarding the recruitment.

We’ll work to clear some of the air here.

Did Underwood reject Michigan football?

Not yet, no. And that isn’t necessarily a harbinger that he will.

On Thursday evening, Underwood posted to his Instagram story that he would likely reject the Michigan football offer and remain with his original pledge to LSU. One person close to the situation told WolverinesWire to pay attention to the word likely. Maize & Blue Review’s Josh Henschke confirmed that the post was a “troll.” Underwood deleted the post not long after it was circulated that he had made it.

In the aftermath, some outlets suggested Michigan football was out. However, as of Friday evening, that’s not the case. The Wolverines are still working to flip him from LSU, and Underwood has not rejected their overtures — at least not at this juncture.

Thursday’s post was the closest Underwood has come to publicly rebuffing the offer to flip, but given Henschke’s report, our own reporting and the fact Underwood has not definitively spurned Michigan’s advances, the mutual interest continues and is very real. Will that end up in a flip or will Underwood stick with his original commitment? Time will tell. Belleville’s season ended on Friday night, so his focus can turn, in earnest, to figuring out his next step.

How much is Underwood being offered via Michigan football and NIL?

There were initial reports indicating he was being offered $5 million. Then it was reported the offer was $10.5 million. The latter number coming out was the center of some drama and controversy behind the scenes.

However, our sources have indicated that neither the $5 million nor the $10.5 million number are accurate.

What we can report is that those who are funding Michigan’s NIL efforts here are presenting an offer that it feels will potentially entice Underwood to flip and that it is likely beyond what LSU would be able to match. What that number actually is will likely go unreported accurately due to those involved purposely keeping it close to the vest.

What happens now?

It’s unclear. Underwood is committed to LSU and reportedly wants to play for the Tigers. However, Michigan football has come in with a competitive pitch, and the Underwood camp is taking it seriously.

Underwood could reaffirm his pledge to play in Baton Rouge at any time, and on Thursday it had briefly appeared as if he was doing that before he deleted it and the reports of trolling. Michigan still has some work to do, but it is believed Underwood is receptive to the Wolverines’ pitch. Will that be enough? Time is running short, with early signing period approaching (Dec. 4). But there is confidence Michigan will be able to complete the flip, and has put itself within a coin flip of getting Underwood into a winged helmet.

Time will tell.

Michigan football injury updates after UNLV game

An update with a little inside info. #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football had a few players who didn’t see game time once again with Rod Moore and Makari Paige both out in the Week 2 win over UNLV.

While there was some sparing play a week ago by Paige, he wasn’t dressed in uniform for the contest on Saturday. Moore was, and he warmed up, but he did not see any playing time.

After the game, Michigan acting head coach in the first half, Jay Harbaugh, who is also their position coach at safety, said the two should be ready to go next week, but it’s still a wait-and-see scenario.

“Yeah, Rod and Makari, they’re coming along,” Harbaugh said. “They’ve been practicing and I think we should have a good shot at them being available for this next game.

“Them being out is a blessing for some of the other guys just to be able to get in there and get some live action, maybe even before they’re fully ready. So you just get better so much faster when you do get in the games and you’re able to coach up those live reps. So really, I’ve been pretty pleased with them but still a ton of stuff to clean up.”

The Wolverines exited the game with minimal injuries, but a late hit out of bounds on backup quarterback Jack Tuttle cut his day short. Second-half acting head coach Mike Hart said Tuttle could have returned, but the maize and blue held him out for precautionary reasons.

“Oh, he’s good. He hit out of bounds late over there,” Hart said. “He was throwing he wanted to go back in and we weren’t putting it back in. No, it’s just not worth it. Right? I mean, I think that at the end of the day, the health of the kid is best. And I think if the kid gets knocked down over there, you don’t know what’s happening. So let it heal up in but as far as medically, he’s good to go. And he wanted to go back in the game.”

WolverinesWire can confirm, according to one person who spoke on the condition of anonymity, that Tuttle had a brief shoulder issue, but he’s back to full health.

There was one other player who participated in only one play, safety Zeke Berry. Berry saw his first extended action last week, but only one snap on Saturday: the opening kickoff.

After the opening play of the game, his teammates were calling for the team trainers as Berry limped back toward the bench area. He did not return.

Up next, Michigan football will take on Bowling Green in Week 3, which will be a 7:30 p.m. EDT kickoff at The Big House. That game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.

Update on Michigan WR signee Xavier Worthy

With the news that the Michigan football signee won’t be enrolling early, here’s an update as to what’s happening with the four-star WR.

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There’s been ample speculation about Michigan football signee, four-star wide receiver Xavier Worthy with the news that he won’t be enrolling at Michigan early. Many have wondered aloud whether or not he’ll arrive in Ann Arbor, despite having signed his letter of intent in December, cementing that he would be a Wolverine.

Though it may be a setback, not arriving in January doesn’t mean that the speedy wideout won’t be coming to Ann Arbor in June.

One person close to the situation, but who spoke anonymously on the topic, shared with WolverinesWire that ‘nothing has changed,’ and that Worthy will 100% be enrolling at Michigan when the time comes. It won’t be this month as originally planned, but he will arrive on campus with the rest of the non-early-enrollees.

While there have certainly been setbacks in other scenarios, this one does not correlate with any other. Let’s hope this puts the speculation of Worthy and his future with the Wolverines to rest.

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Latest on Michigan and 2021 four-star OG Rocco Spindler

Where things stand between the Wolverines and Fighting Irish as they race to secure an elite Michigan prospect.

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Michigan fans got something of a gut punch on Tuesday when 247Sports director of football recruiting Steve Wiltfong put in a crystal ball for Clarkston (MI) four-star offensive guard Rocco Spindler for Notre Dame with a seven rating confidence level.

The Fighting Irish and Wolverines have been all but tied for the standout’s services, and that was indicated in the 247Sports Crystal Ball as the two teams were split with a 50% prediction for either school. While Wiltfong’s prognostication makes it seem like disaster is imminent — he has a 98.57% success rating for his 2021 class predictions — we’re told: not so fast.

I spoke to a person close to the Michigan side of things who requested anonymity, but is very close to the recruitment, and they indicated that nothing has changed at this juncture and that the Wolverines still feel like it’s a 50/50 shot between them and the Fighting Irish. At this point, they shared, they haven’t heard anything to suggest he’s not coming to Ann Arbor or going to South Bend — but those remain the two contenders, as we’ve felt all along in his recruitment.

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As far as personal feeling — not to be confused with Sam Webb’s ‘gut feeling’ which tends to indicate a high sign of knowing what’s actually going to happen — I’ve long felt like Notre Dame is the team to beat. It was some time ago, during Spindler’s sophomore season, but I had spoken to a person close to his camp who indicated that ND had intrigued him from day one — from the storied football program itself to the fact that the school rooms its student-athletes with other attendees in the student body who aren’t on the team. I was told this held a certain appeal to Spindler, and I have no reason to believe this isn’t still true.

Nonetheless, neither choice at this juncture would surprise me. Spindler has a great relationship with both staffs and coaches, not to mention currently committed players.

He will be revealing his choice on Saturday, Aug. 8 at 6 p.m. at Clarkston High School.

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