Michigan football pulled something of a coup by getting 2025 Central Valley (Pennsylvania) four-star tight end Andrew Olesh to commit relatively early in the cycle. But it had to continually fend off other schools.
Though Olesh appeared to want to go to Michigan, there appeared to be outside pressure for him to end up at either Oregon or Penn State.
For a time, it appeared Olesh was going to stick with the Michigan class, but there were rumors surrounding him heading west to Oregon. Those rumors quieted when the Ducks were expected to get Linkon Cure to flip from Kansas State. However, on the opening day of the early signing period, Cure stuck with the Wildcats, and the Olesh rumors picked back up.
However, Olesh opted to go to Penn State instead.
Ratings
*
Ovr
Pos
State
247Sports Composite
4
59
3
1
On3 Industry Ranking
4
55
3
1
247Sports
4
47
3
1
On3
4
43
2
1
Rivals
4
163
5
3
ESPN
4
79
3
2
With Olesh gone, Michigan has one tight end signed: Eli Owens.
The transfer portal opens on Monday and players across college football are announcing their intentions to find another school in advance of the weekend.
The Wolverines have already lost wide receivers Tyler Morris and Logan Forbes, running back Tavierre Dunlap, offensive linemen Raheem Anderson and Tristan Bounds, and punter Tommy Doman.
Now, you can add another skill position player to the list.
A sophomore this past season, big things were expected from Dexter (Michigan) four-star running back Cole Cabana. A versatile athlete, he was expected to play a role in the pass game as much as the run game. However, Cabana struggled with injuries in his two years and never saw the field.
On Friday, Cabana announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal.
Cabana has three years of eligibility remaining. Without him in the room, the Wolverines will rely upon Jordan Marshall, Ben Hall, Micah Ka’apana and incoming freshmen Donovan Johnson and Jasper Parker.
It was an uneven year for one of Michigan football’s starting specialists.
Punter Tommy Doman, an in-state product from Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Mary’s, was a two-year starter, but his senior season left much to be desired. Doman was excellent in 2023, but in 2024, he often struggled with short kicks and failing to flip field position.
It appears that Doman is now looking for a change of scenery, despite him having another year of eligibility. Per 247Sports reporter Matt Zenitz, Doman will look for other options as he is expected to enter the transfer portal when it opens up on Monday.
Doman may have had his struggles but he was excellent, not only in 2023, but also in the pivotal Ohio State game this past Saturday. As he had a year ago, Doman routinely flipped the field and put the Michigan defense in excellent position.
With Doman leaving, the Wolverines will likely turn to either a transfer or Hudson Hollenbeck, who transferred in last season.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football has been making moves when it comes to retooling the team, and it started on the recruiting end with Sherrone Moore swinging for the fences and signing five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood. The Wolverines are expected to be quite active in the transfer portal, but one thing isn’t set at the moment. We don’t know who will oversee the offense in 2025.
As expected, Moore moved on from extant offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell. What wasn’t expected is Moore didn’t retain Campbell on staff in some capacity. On Wednesday, Moore shared some of his thought process and his decision to move the offense in a new direction.
“After the game, I took some time in here by myself and sat back and thought about where we are as an offense, where we are as a program, and what we need to do,” Moore said. “And just felt like it was the best move for us.”
As for what he’s looking for? He doesn’t say. But with the timeline, despite the transfer portal opening up on Monday, Moore is in no hurry to find a replacement for Campbell, instead ensuring he makes the right pick instead of a hurried option.
“As far as the coordinator change, I’m going to take my time,” Moore said. “I’ll be in communication with our staff and players. Whether what that looks like and when that looks like, I’ve already started that process. I don’t have an exact timetable. I want to do it as soon as possible, but I want to be very thorough with it. So I’m taking my time day and night to do everything I can to get that process done. And then as far as other staff changes, we’ll see as we go.”
This was about as no-fuss, no-drama recruitment as there could be. Michigan was interested in Sanders. He considered Baylor and Oklahoma State, but pledged to the Wolverines over the summer.
Readiness Level
Could compete to be in the rotation in Year 1, but he is more likely going to need a year before he gets into the rotation due to the depth expected to be ahead of him.
Unverified size, but looks tall and wiry on the hoof. Instinctive three-phase playmaker with a strong football pedigree as the son of a former all-conference corner who played on some great TCU late 2000s teams. Three-sport athlete with experience in basketball and track and field that shows in functional athleticism on the gridiron. Elevates in the open floor with above-the-rim finishing ability. Productive in all three phases, including two special teams TDs as a junior. Field-stretching vertical shot threat at receiver. Big-framed corner on D with potential to fit a framey boundary corner role quite well, though skill set and instincts also could fit over the top at safety. Not necessarily a top-end burner but plenty fast with unorthodox gait, but does not get caught from behind. Bona fide Power Four prospect in the secondary. Owns the developmental potential to become a difference maker in college with NFL Draft upside.
Some really incredible insight into both players! #GoBlue
In late October, there were but mere rumblings that Michigan football was making a late push to lure Bryce Underwood away from LSU. It was message board fodder, rumors that had more than a hint of truth. But very few knew what was going on between the Wolverines and the No. 1 recruit in the country — who happened to play high school ball just 20 minutes down the road.
Even fewer knew that the maize and blue would have an advocate within the Belleville program in short order.
Former Michigan football staffer Connor Stalions has become something of a household name in college football after becoming a daily subject in the sport in 2023. In 2024, Stalions was coaching at Detroit (Mich.) Mumford, first as a defensive coordinator before he found himself ultimately serving as the acting head coach. Once Mumford’s season was done, he got a call, and before he knew it, he was set to serve as the Belleville (Mich.) offensive coordinator for the playoffs.
That meant that Stalions was about to be in close proximity to Underwood as well as his also incredibly talented teammate, safety Elijah Dotson.
Underwood was committed to LSU and Dotson to Pitt, but on Nov. 20, Dotson flipped to the Wolverines and Underwood followed suit the next day. To those in the national media, the Dotson news was somewhat expected. The Underwood news was not.
Having coached both for three weeks, Stalions shared his thoughts exclusively with WolverinesWire, remarking first on Underwood and what makes him such a special player.
Bryce Underwood
The Underwood and Stalions family before the Northwestern game in Week 13. Photo: Isaiah Hole
“Anyone can watch Bryce’s highlight tape and see the talent, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Don’t let his physical traits fool you,” Stalions told WolverinesWire. “Bryce is a reassuring example of how hard work and complete dedication to perfecting one’s craft separates the good from the great.
“First guy there, last guy to leave. Wins every sprint in practice. Treats every single rep like his life depends on it. When he’s not on the field or working out, he’s studying the game. Never satisfied. Always looking for ways to improve. Always getting extra work in. He didn’t get to where he is by accident. He’s ALL about football. He’s only 17, so he has plenty of room to continue to grow, but Bryce already conducts himself like a professional. And every kid who looks up to him needs to understand that his work ethic is what got him to where he is. You can achieve what you want to if you relentlessly put in the work.”
Elijah Dotson
The Dotson and Stalions family before the Northwestern game in Week 13. Photo: Isaiah Hole
Though Dotson has been somewhat overshadowed by Underwood in terms of media coverage, Stalions has insisted that he is a powerhouse player in his own right.
Projecting him as a potential multi-year starter, Stalions says that the safety (who also played wide receiver at Belleville) has a lot of unique qualities that will endear him to the Michigan coaching staff and fan base, alike.
“The same can all be said for Elijah,” Stalions said, noting the aforementioned comments about Underwood. “Elijah pops off on film, flying around the field on both sides of the ball, and he loves to hit. He’s super versatile in coverage, but you really want him in the run fit, too. And he’s really smart. Right after the season ended and he decided to commit to Michigan, he immediately shifted his focus to learning Michigan’s defense. That’s the type of guy he is. Ultimate focus. I’m looking forward to seeing E-Dot’s impact on defense and special teams. Don’t be shocked if you see him find his way on the field ahead of schedule.”
Dotson and Underwood sign with Michigan at Belleville High School on Dec. 4, 2024. Photo: Isaiah Hole
Stalions won’t go so far as to say he had an impact in getting both of Michigan football’s future stars to Ann Arbor. And while he didn’t have a ton of time with them overall, as their coach with the Tigers, he learned a lot — not only about the players on the field but who both Underwood and Dotson are as young men.
Through the process, Stalions got to know both the Dotson and Underwood families, and he could see the values instilled in both. Still an avid fan of Michigan, while he wasn’t overtly recruiting the duo to Ann Arbor, he’s more than thrilled to see both set to wear maize and blue — an occasion marked by both signing with the Wolverines on early signing day on Wednesday.
“Elijah and Bryce are both tremendous young men who come from great families,” Stalions said. “They’re both direct reflections of their fathers, whom I’ve gotten to know well. Regarding their recruitment, Elijah and Bryce really couldn’t go wrong with any decision they made. We didn’t talk too much about recruiting — we were dialed in on football itself. But I’m sure they had difficult decisions, as does everyone who goes through the process. I was only with them for three weeks this season, and I could tell after one practice that they would both succeed regardless of where they played college football. Of course, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out I’m ecstatic to see both of them go to Michigan. But what’s even cooler for me is that I was looking forward to see them play college ball regardless of where it was — now I’ll only have to drive right down the road to see them play.”
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It was a Monday in November, and head coach Sherrone Moore was asked about who will be the quarterback in 2024, and a sly grin overtook his face. There as a complete lack of concern and that made people wonder if Moore knew something they didn’t.
Fast forward to Nov. 21, and Moore managed to flip No. 1 player in the country, Bryce Underwood, from LSU. The quarterback of the future had been obtained for the Wolverines.
Moore says that he eventually learned that Underwood would flip when he got a phone call, but as he noted, he had a pretty good feeling that it would eventually happen.
“Phone call — kind of got the gist,” Moore said. “And been around him, and kind of felt like it would happen. But a phone call. So, just extremely excited for that to happen, and all the hard work that we’ve done in the communication and relationship built, felt like it was coming to that, but was really happy that it came to play.”
This wasn’t an overnight ordeal, though it may seem to be to the outside world. Many in the national college football recruiting landscape were taken by surprise because they didn’t realize what the Wolverines were working on behind the scenes.
Now, Underwood is official, as he signed with Michigan football on Wednesday evening. And Moore is thrilled for what his signing does for the program.
“Oh, it’s huge. He’s an excellent player. Obviously, he has a great skill set, elite skill set,” Moore said. “From the pocket, out of the pocket, deep ball, touch, intermediate, short.
“He’s talked to me about different things we want to do with him to expand his game and we’ll do that. But, (an) exceptional leader and he loves the game. He loves to grind. He loves to get better.
“First question he asked me, he’s like, ‘Coach, how late is the door open? How late can I be in the building?’ ‘As late as you want, buddy.’ So excited, very excited to get him here and get to work.”
Underwood shared on Wednesday that he is looking forward to the competition, especially if Michigan brings in a veteran quarterback via transfer. That’s one of the things that Moore loves about his incoming signal caller — he craves competition, and even though he’s rated as the top recruit in the country by all but one of the recruiting services, he has a humility that drives him to work and be the best.
“Yeah, I think for him, it’s about the work and continuing to start over,” Moore said. “The process of how you got to where you got to, you worked to get there. It didn’t just happen. So, for him, he’s going to have to work. He’s going to have to put the work in, day in, day out. And I think his mentality, I think his family, how he’s been brought up, I think that’s going to play a huge role into it. And who he is.
“And there’s not going to be a humbling session. Because the kid is very humble. Like, the kid wants to be good. And the kid knows it takes work to be good. It’s not just going to happen. So, he wants to be pushed, and he will be.”
Underwood is expected to join the team as an early enrollee and will have the opportunity to partake in most all of the Wolverines’ bowl practices.
BELLEVILLE, Mich. — It’s unusual for a big-time college football team to have the No. 1 recruit in the country committed and to then fire the extant offensive coordinator the day before signing day. Such was the case for Michigan football.
While that may be unnerving to some recruits, obviously, the maize and blue struggled mightily on offense in 2024. With the No. 128 attack on that side of the ball, new blood was needed.
As for Underwood, he trusts Moore will make the right decision to get a coach who will maximize his potential.
“No matter what it is, I really — we really haven’t focused on that,” Underwood said. “That’s really not the conversation. That’s (Moore’s) job to pick. So that’s not in my hands or anything like that. But overall, no matter who it is, I will adjust. I’m very good at adjusting. I’m very good at processing and learning.”
Additionally, the Wolverines likely will not just sit by in the transfer portal at the quarterback position.
Though Underwood could potentially start right away, Michigan football wants to create a culture of competition. It’s rumored that a veteran quarterback — such as USC’s Miller Moss — could come to Ann Arbor to push Underwood and potentially start while the freshman phenom works as his understudy.
Underwood is fully open to that possibility, noting he didn’t come to Ann Arbor for a starting job handout. He wants to earn the opportunity, and he’ll do everything he can to work toward becoming QB1 of Michigan football.
“Competition is competition,” Underwood said. “No matter who they bring in, or who was there — no matter what, I’m still going to compete.”
Underwood is expected to arrive on campus shortly, but he will not be able to start practicing until Dec. 19, he shared on Wednesday.
The No. 1 recruit in the country officially signs with #Michigan. #GoBlue
Ratings
*
Ovr
Pos
St
247Sports Composite
5
1
1
1
On3 Industry Ranking
5
1
1
1
247Sports
5
1
1
1
On3
5
1
1
1
ESPN
5
1
1
1
Rivals
5
2
2
1
Vitals
Hometown
Belleville (Mich.)
Projected Position
Quarterback
Height
6-foot-4
Weight
205-pounds
Recruiting Story
Hailing from Michigan football’s backyard, the Wolverines were behind on getting involved in Underwood’s recruitment from the jump. First, it was because of former quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss, and though Kirk Campbell made up some ground, it was too late, and Underwood ended up committing to LSU.
But the Wolverines stayed in contact, ramping things up after Sherrone Moore took over the program. Once the 2024 season started going off the rails, the program was able to galvanize the donors to make the biggest NIL pitch in history, managing to flip Underwood from the Tigers with just under two weeks until early signing day.
Readiness Level
As far as a recruit is concerned, Underwood is the highest-rated that Michigan has ever brought in. Though expected to see the field early and often in 2025, and could start on day one, the expectation is that the Wolverines will go after a transfer so that Underwood can take some time to develop. Either way, he could take the reins in year one and improves Michigan football immediately.
Notes
Committed Nov. 21, 2024
His teammate, Elijah Dotson, committed to Michigan football on Nov. 20, 2024
Potential franchise signal caller with the ideal blend of size, arm talent and athleticism. Exhibited no shortage of field command midway through senior season, which makes sense given resume: over 48 career starts and upwards of 165 touchdowns accounted for. Those numbers are amplified even more by the fact that he’s extremely young for the grade and won’t turn 20 years old until his third year of college. Has continued to improve as a passer and has gotten much more in tune with his mechanics. However, the biggest revelation in his final prep campaign has been his ability to move the chains with his legs as he builds speed and dodges defenders as an open-field runner with a frame that’s north of 6-foot-3 and pushing 215 pounds. Displays excellent pocket awareness for his age and isn’t one that panics as pressure builds. Does best to stay on schedule and hit his marks with authority, showing the ability to not only challenge tight coverage windows with velocity over the middle, but also throw with both touch and anticipation to the second and third levels. Projects as a multi-year impact player for a College Football Playoff contender that has a chance to eventually emerge as a first-round pick in the NFL Draft with his tools. Might need a semester or two to find his footing, but ability to hunt big plays and distribute on the move could be hard to keep off the field even if he’s still learning how to dissect complex defenses.
The best players in Michigan go to #Michigan! #GoBlue
Ratings
*
Ovr
Pos
St
247Sports Composite
4
190
13
2
On3 Industry Ranking
4
157
20
2
247Sports
4
118
10
2
On3
4
–
31
3
ESPN
4
–
21
5
Rivals
4
125
52
6
Vitals
Hometown
Belleville (Mich.)
Projected Position
Safety
Height
6-foot-2
Weight
180-pounds
Recruiting Story
A versatile defensive back who could play anywhere in the secondary and also played wide receiver in high school, Dotson was committed to Pitt for some time. But the Belleville standout ended up seeing increased Michigan football interest late in the cycle, and after taking visits to Ann Arbor for the MSU and Oregon games, he committed two weeks before signing day.
Readiness Level
Could compete to be in the rotation in year one but is more likely going to need a year before he ends up getting into the fold due to the depth expected to be ahead of him.
Notes
Committed Nov. 20, 2024
Also plays basketball and runs track
High school teammate of Bryce Underwood and was instrumental in flipping Jordan Young from Clemson
Has played safety, corner, receiver, return man and some wildcat quarterback in high school. Has above average size and plays physically. Will put his face in the action in run support and will get his hands on receivers if playing man to man. Receiver background helps in his ball skills. Versatile and can play deep in the secondary or come into the box as well as match-up one on one with slots and tight ends. Most likely projection is safety, but it is not out of the question a school could try him as a big corner. Track background speaks to his athleticism and has enough straight line speed to recover and run down plays.
