The OFFICIAL MICHIGAN FOOTBALL TEAM 145 THREAD: THE LEADERS, THE BEST, THE VICTORS and THE DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
- Thread starter Ed MOTHERFUCKING G
- Start date
Trust Me
Coli Prophet
The latest edition of Inside the Fort, including plenty of behind-the-scenes Michigan football and NIL scuttlebutt. U-M will start spring ball March 18 heading toward an April 20 spring game … we give you what we’ve heard, staring with football, the latest on NIL efforts, and more.
RELATED: Sherrone Moore off and running, but recruiting will determine his destiny
We’re nearing the end of the 30-day portal window following head coach Jim Harbaugh’s departure, and the Wolverines have only lost one potential starter — safety Keon Sabb. Barring something unexpected in the next couple days (and as we’ve seen with coaching losses, etc., never say never), that means the collectives, new G.M. Sean Magee, etc., will have several more weeks to convince players to stay when the spring portal period rolls around.
And make no mistake — teams have come after the Michigan players and will continue to, especially those that get desperate after spring ball, looking to fill needs. Some we’ve spoke to say agents have made them their priority given U-M’s slow response to NIL (even with the recent improvements), one even calling them the “low hanging fruit.” As reported, Will Johnson isn’t one of those, his camp putting to rest he was looking at Alabama or anyone else. We can say we feel good about junior defensive tackle Mason Graham, too, based on what we’ve picked up.
In short, they aren’t out of the woods yet. Some players are their camps are still bothered by the lack of communication, still waiting to be “solidified.” Loyalty is on Michigan’s side here, but that’s an aspect that needs to be dealt with immediately — and that’s where Magee comes in.
We’ve been assured players were going to be communicated with immediately, and they are working on a “complete overhaul” of the entire system to make sure they know the plan. We expect to know more on this soon, but Magee is the right guy for this job. We’ve never heard anyone say a bad word about him, know his work ethic, and have had great experiences with him when he was here previously.
Between that and the recent uptick in donations, partnerships with Altius and Learfield, we are encouraged. But again — it’s going to be until the end of the spring portal period before we know what this team should look like heading into fall camp.
Credit Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore for keeping these guys together while they continue to work on solidifying deals, etc. The players’ respect for him has gone a long way in keeping them together, as has the continuity in the weight room. While it’s “different” under new strength and conditioning coach Justin Truss — again, they think of him more like a big brother, whereas Ben Herbert was like a father figure to them — workouts have been “the same” and guys are still seeing great results.
Players are still in the process of meeting their new coaches — for some, it’s been a quick greeting — but the tight ends really seem to like Steve Casula, and that’s off to a really nice start. He has great knowledge of the game, and he and Moore have remained close. He knows what’s expected, and they expect him to make an impact with his ideas for the offense.
We’ve heard nothing but good things about Greg Scruggs and the relationships he builds with his players. It sounds like he’ll be a great fit. Keeping that defensive line intact will be huge for the 2024 season, and he’ll play a big role in that this spring.
As for the NCAA stuff relating to Michigan football … Central Michigan is proceeding with plans for their coaches, etc., this spring to continue with business as usual after the NCAA wrapped up its latest round of interviews. There was nothing to indicate they had any evidence of former U-M analyst Connor Stalions on the sidelines, per our sources in Mount Pleasant — that could change, of course, but CMU obviously isn’t expecting it given how they’re proceeding.
And Michigan sources say the NCAA hasn’t provided evidence of wrongdoing in their department either — just a lot of allegations some have called “baseless.” It was clear to some, however, that a few close to the program with axes to grind were trying to bring them down. The expectation was it would derail the season and lead to an “a-ha” moment that would only lead to broader sentiment that the “scandal” was a huge deal in college football.
Instead, the Wolverines rallied, and proved it was overblown. All talk about the “hammer falling,” etc., appears to be just that. If there is a notice of allegations, those closest to it don’t believe anything will be on there that they don’t already know.
Finally, we’ve heard special teams coach J.B. Brown’s dad’s name as a possible staff addition. James Brown has been Senior Director of High School Relations and Scouting at SMU, and with staff shakeups at Michigan it appears that spot might be open at U-M (though we’re not exactly certain what role he’d have here if he came). We’ll continue to monitor that.
****
RELATED: Sherrone Moore off and running, but recruiting will determine his destiny
We’re nearing the end of the 30-day portal window following head coach Jim Harbaugh’s departure, and the Wolverines have only lost one potential starter — safety Keon Sabb. Barring something unexpected in the next couple days (and as we’ve seen with coaching losses, etc., never say never), that means the collectives, new G.M. Sean Magee, etc., will have several more weeks to convince players to stay when the spring portal period rolls around.
And make no mistake — teams have come after the Michigan players and will continue to, especially those that get desperate after spring ball, looking to fill needs. Some we’ve spoke to say agents have made them their priority given U-M’s slow response to NIL (even with the recent improvements), one even calling them the “low hanging fruit.” As reported, Will Johnson isn’t one of those, his camp putting to rest he was looking at Alabama or anyone else. We can say we feel good about junior defensive tackle Mason Graham, too, based on what we’ve picked up.
In short, they aren’t out of the woods yet. Some players are their camps are still bothered by the lack of communication, still waiting to be “solidified.” Loyalty is on Michigan’s side here, but that’s an aspect that needs to be dealt with immediately — and that’s where Magee comes in.
We’ve been assured players were going to be communicated with immediately, and they are working on a “complete overhaul” of the entire system to make sure they know the plan. We expect to know more on this soon, but Magee is the right guy for this job. We’ve never heard anyone say a bad word about him, know his work ethic, and have had great experiences with him when he was here previously.
Between that and the recent uptick in donations, partnerships with Altius and Learfield, we are encouraged. But again — it’s going to be until the end of the spring portal period before we know what this team should look like heading into fall camp.
Credit Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore for keeping these guys together while they continue to work on solidifying deals, etc. The players’ respect for him has gone a long way in keeping them together, as has the continuity in the weight room. While it’s “different” under new strength and conditioning coach Justin Truss — again, they think of him more like a big brother, whereas Ben Herbert was like a father figure to them — workouts have been “the same” and guys are still seeing great results.
Players are still in the process of meeting their new coaches — for some, it’s been a quick greeting — but the tight ends really seem to like Steve Casula, and that’s off to a really nice start. He has great knowledge of the game, and he and Moore have remained close. He knows what’s expected, and they expect him to make an impact with his ideas for the offense.
We’ve heard nothing but good things about Greg Scruggs and the relationships he builds with his players. It sounds like he’ll be a great fit. Keeping that defensive line intact will be huge for the 2024 season, and he’ll play a big role in that this spring.
As for the NCAA stuff relating to Michigan football … Central Michigan is proceeding with plans for their coaches, etc., this spring to continue with business as usual after the NCAA wrapped up its latest round of interviews. There was nothing to indicate they had any evidence of former U-M analyst Connor Stalions on the sidelines, per our sources in Mount Pleasant — that could change, of course, but CMU obviously isn’t expecting it given how they’re proceeding.
And Michigan sources say the NCAA hasn’t provided evidence of wrongdoing in their department either — just a lot of allegations some have called “baseless.” It was clear to some, however, that a few close to the program with axes to grind were trying to bring them down. The expectation was it would derail the season and lead to an “a-ha” moment that would only lead to broader sentiment that the “scandal” was a huge deal in college football.
Instead, the Wolverines rallied, and proved it was overblown. All talk about the “hammer falling,” etc., appears to be just that. If there is a notice of allegations, those closest to it don’t believe anything will be on there that they don’t already know.
Finally, we’ve heard special teams coach J.B. Brown’s dad’s name as a possible staff addition. James Brown has been Senior Director of High School Relations and Scouting at SMU, and with staff shakeups at Michigan it appears that spot might be open at U-M (though we’re not exactly certain what role he’d have here if he came). We’ll continue to monitor that.
****
Trust Me
Coli Prophet
From our Clayton Sayfie … , Keith Nichol a former Oklahoma (2007) and Michigan State (2008-11) quarterback/wide receiver resides in Oakland Country, has kept up with the career of and remained friends with his former teammate with the Sooners, new Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore.
He’s the same guy he was back in college, Nichol said, while continuing to grow, hone his craft and become one of the sport’s rising stars.
“Sherrone is the way I remember him and the way I’ve watched him develop,” Nichol told TheWolverine.com. “He’s the type of guy who’s always going to be prepared for the moment. He’s maybe somebody that … he wasn’t a five-star recruit, right? Maybe somebody that wasn’t going to be given the first shot, but he’s always going to be the guy that, when he gets his opportunity, he’s going to fully harness it and grasp it and run with it and never look back.”
Nichol expects Moore to run with the opportunity as Michigan’s head coach, as do others from his background that we’ve talked to, including former Derby (Kan.) High offensive line coach Steve Wilson and Oklahoma O-line coach James Patton, who’s now the associate head coach at Miami Ohio.
Moore has checked every box so far, and Nichol has no reason to believe he won’t continue to do so.
“Watching his career, to me it was always like, I know he’s going to be the most prepared, his football IQ is through the roof in a good way,” Nichol explained. “And for him, it was just going to be a matter of, when does he get his opportunity? Now, the stars aligned for him in some ways. He got his opportunity young, relatively, as a coach. He’s young, though, so that’s a make-or-break moment for him, but he gets an opportunity, he calls those games beautifully as an OC, and then as a head coach he manages very difficult circumstances, rallies the team around him.
“And when you watch him on TV, he’s unwavering. He’s just calm, he breeds confidence. You would never know it was his first game; you’d think it was his 100th game. And that’s mastering the art as a leader, creating that confidence for people around you, whether you have that confidence it or not, you’re breeding it for the people around you, which allows them to perform. He mastered that beautifully.”
Moore and Nichol played in Norman under Bob Stoops, now the head coach of the XFL’s Arlington Renegades. Stoops’ coaching tree is vast; many of his former assistants are now head coaches and a good amount of his players got into coaching.
“Oklahoma is Oklahoma, in terms of their tradition,” Nichol said. “Their standard is as high as it gets, as far as I’m concerned, when you walk through those halls. So, it’s kind of embedded in you when you’re there; there’s a massive standard to uphold and you’re surrounded by greatness everywhere you go — and there’s a lot of responsibility that comes with that. If you’re there, your expectations are high for yourself even when you leave those walls.”
Sounds a lot like Michigan, where Moore was also molded for six seasons as an assistant under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Those experiences have prepared him for the opportunity he’s in now.
“Stoops — and people don’t realize this as much — he had one of the best personalities,” Nichol continued. “He’s one of those guys that you feel good around. He knows what the right time is to crack a joke. He’s always himself; he’s never trying to be another version of what some people think he should be. There’s a swagger to him. There’s an intense level of football IQ and understanding of the game, but he also understands how to get the right people around him to succeed.
“One thing I always noticed about him is he always let his coordinators coach, his position coaches coach. It was never the Bob Stoops show. His thought was to put the best pieces of the puzzle in place. He’d lead them the best he could and then get out of their way. And I think Sherrone is probably going to do the same, and I would assume that the other coaches that have come from Stoops’ tree are doing a similar deal.”
***
As noted in our article earlier this week, Michigan was about to out-duel Tennessee for Brian Jean-Mary. Moore had the latitude to offer a three-year contract, something Volunteers head man Josh Heupel was not. Jean-Mary felt there’s more security in Ann Arbor, even though pay was similar.
Austin Price from Volquest said it’s a significant “loss” for Tennessee to see Jean-Mary move on, and he believes it’s a great get for Michigan.
“I think Michigan has done a nice job of trying to surround Coach Moore with as many quality coaches as they can,” Price said. “Obviously, [Don] ‘Wink’ Martindale was a fantastic hire [as defensive coordinator], and he’s got a huge track record. You add BJ, another veteran guy who does a really nice job. I think that all plays into just surrounding Coach Moore with a really solid staff and trying to give him as much help as possible.
“There are going to be a lot of expectations on him, even though Coach Harbaugh is no longer there. They’re going to continue to want to win, continue to want to beat Ohio State, which they’ve done three years in a row now. Surrounding him with veteran guys, common-sense coaches, I think goes a long way. And Coach Moore and BJ have known each other for a while, and I think that also played into it.”
He’s the same guy he was back in college, Nichol said, while continuing to grow, hone his craft and become one of the sport’s rising stars.
“Sherrone is the way I remember him and the way I’ve watched him develop,” Nichol told TheWolverine.com. “He’s the type of guy who’s always going to be prepared for the moment. He’s maybe somebody that … he wasn’t a five-star recruit, right? Maybe somebody that wasn’t going to be given the first shot, but he’s always going to be the guy that, when he gets his opportunity, he’s going to fully harness it and grasp it and run with it and never look back.”
Nichol expects Moore to run with the opportunity as Michigan’s head coach, as do others from his background that we’ve talked to, including former Derby (Kan.) High offensive line coach Steve Wilson and Oklahoma O-line coach James Patton, who’s now the associate head coach at Miami Ohio.
Moore has checked every box so far, and Nichol has no reason to believe he won’t continue to do so.
“Watching his career, to me it was always like, I know he’s going to be the most prepared, his football IQ is through the roof in a good way,” Nichol explained. “And for him, it was just going to be a matter of, when does he get his opportunity? Now, the stars aligned for him in some ways. He got his opportunity young, relatively, as a coach. He’s young, though, so that’s a make-or-break moment for him, but he gets an opportunity, he calls those games beautifully as an OC, and then as a head coach he manages very difficult circumstances, rallies the team around him.
“And when you watch him on TV, he’s unwavering. He’s just calm, he breeds confidence. You would never know it was his first game; you’d think it was his 100th game. And that’s mastering the art as a leader, creating that confidence for people around you, whether you have that confidence it or not, you’re breeding it for the people around you, which allows them to perform. He mastered that beautifully.”
Moore and Nichol played in Norman under Bob Stoops, now the head coach of the XFL’s Arlington Renegades. Stoops’ coaching tree is vast; many of his former assistants are now head coaches and a good amount of his players got into coaching.
“Oklahoma is Oklahoma, in terms of their tradition,” Nichol said. “Their standard is as high as it gets, as far as I’m concerned, when you walk through those halls. So, it’s kind of embedded in you when you’re there; there’s a massive standard to uphold and you’re surrounded by greatness everywhere you go — and there’s a lot of responsibility that comes with that. If you’re there, your expectations are high for yourself even when you leave those walls.”
Sounds a lot like Michigan, where Moore was also molded for six seasons as an assistant under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Those experiences have prepared him for the opportunity he’s in now.
“Stoops — and people don’t realize this as much — he had one of the best personalities,” Nichol continued. “He’s one of those guys that you feel good around. He knows what the right time is to crack a joke. He’s always himself; he’s never trying to be another version of what some people think he should be. There’s a swagger to him. There’s an intense level of football IQ and understanding of the game, but he also understands how to get the right people around him to succeed.
“One thing I always noticed about him is he always let his coordinators coach, his position coaches coach. It was never the Bob Stoops show. His thought was to put the best pieces of the puzzle in place. He’d lead them the best he could and then get out of their way. And I think Sherrone is probably going to do the same, and I would assume that the other coaches that have come from Stoops’ tree are doing a similar deal.”
***
As noted in our article earlier this week, Michigan was about to out-duel Tennessee for Brian Jean-Mary. Moore had the latitude to offer a three-year contract, something Volunteers head man Josh Heupel was not. Jean-Mary felt there’s more security in Ann Arbor, even though pay was similar.
Austin Price from Volquest said it’s a significant “loss” for Tennessee to see Jean-Mary move on, and he believes it’s a great get for Michigan.
“I think Michigan has done a nice job of trying to surround Coach Moore with as many quality coaches as they can,” Price said. “Obviously, [Don] ‘Wink’ Martindale was a fantastic hire [as defensive coordinator], and he’s got a huge track record. You add BJ, another veteran guy who does a really nice job. I think that all plays into just surrounding Coach Moore with a really solid staff and trying to give him as much help as possible.
“There are going to be a lot of expectations on him, even though Coach Harbaugh is no longer there. They’re going to continue to want to win, continue to want to beat Ohio State, which they’ve done three years in a row now. Surrounding him with veteran guys, common-sense coaches, I think goes a long way. And Coach Moore and BJ have known each other for a while, and I think that also played into it.”
If we can bring in James Brown.. dude has ALL the Texas high school football connects. ALL throughout the state.
When Michigan faces MSU next year:
Up that Sco
Trust Me
Coli Prophet
As long as its as an analyst, and not an on field coach, this is a home run. He wasn't gonna get his ass out there and recruit anyway.. so an analyst is best for all parties.
Trust Me
Coli Prophet
Yea. bytchmade to the fullest extent of man law.
Trust Me
Coli Prophet
You and Gattis.. two peas and all that ...
|r|e|a|d|
Hail!!
Brehs gettin $2M & Benzes
can't imagine how they came at other folks ... notice the key chain tho
|r|e|a|d|
Hail!!
...
Brehs gettin $2M & Benzes
Sabb is getting less at Bama allegedly. Dude just wanted snaps.