The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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62 THE WOLVERINE ❱ JUNE/JULY 2023 F o r m e r M i c h i ga n basketball center Hunter Dickinson is headed to Kansas, where he'll have the opportunity to compete for a national championship and earn more money in NIL. The chance to win and profit more were at the forefront of his decision to both depart Ann Arbor and choose the Jayhawks, it seems. It's understand- able, but also a big-time reminder of how much has changed so quickly in col- lege sports. Dickinson is easily the most accomplished col- legiate player to enter the transfer portal, and he likely won't be the last All-American to switch schools in the coming years. Kansas "allegedly drew up a contract for a two-year deal," On3's Pete Nakos reported after Dickinson pledged to the Jayhawks. Meanwhile, Dickinson didn't make as much in NIL money as many would have thought. "The people hating on me would leave their job right now for a $10,000 in- crease," Dickinson said on his "Round- ball" podcast. "At Michigan, I got less than six figures [over the last year]." Still, it pained Dickinson to leave Michi- gan, he said. He was one of the faces of the program for three seasons, especially the last two, and had previously stated his desire to have his jersey hanging in the Crisler Center rafters one day. This choice all but eliminates any chance of that happening, though as time passes Wolverines fans will likely look back at Dickinson's time in Ann Arbor fondly. "I won't say anything bad about the basketball program, because I still do love Michigan," Dickinson said. "I still love the school and everything, love the program. That's why it was so hard to leave, because I really didn't want to leave. I didn't. "But I just felt like it was the best deci- sion for me, and it took a lot of courage. "I feel like people don't realize how much courage it took for a guy who was there for three years, was an All-American for the team … I did have a legacy there, and I basically gave that up to try to be selfish and do what's best for me and my career, not what's best for anybody else's career." It's absolutely impossible to say this isn't a big loss for head coach Juwan How- ard and Co. It feels unavoidable, in a way, and it seems Michigan was caught off guard, to an extent. But perhaps, too, it'll be a wake-up call for those in the administration and work- ing with NIL to take care of the current players, especially the stars, while they're here. Recruiting doesn't stop when a player signs a letter of intent anymore. So don't hate Dickinson for doing what he did. This is just part of the sport these days. REPLACING RETURN MAN A.J. HENNING Wide receiver and return man A.J. Hen- ning transferred after graduating from Michigan and will stay in the Big Ten with Northwestern, he announced. Henning leaves Michigan with 4 career touchdowns — 2 rushing, 1 kick return and 1 punt return. All 4 were big. The kick return against Maryland in 2021 opened the floodgates for a blowout, making it 38-10 late in the third quarter (the final wound up 59-18). He had quite the two- week stretch, scoring the first points of the Wolver- ines' 42-27 whomping of Ohio State on a beautifully- drawn-up reverse around the right end. Michigan had to start strong and set the tone, and it did thanks in part to Henning. The end-around against Western Michigan earlier that season made him a threat to do that when- ever he lined up in the slot. He flashed his speed on that 74-yard run. And then his 61-yard punt return touchdown against UConn in 2022 did the same. Teams looked to avoid punting to him on many occasions. He averaged 7.2 yards per punt return, second in the Big Ten and 30th in the country. A play or two can change the course of the season or a game, and Henning made some of those — most notably the score versus the Buckeyes. He wasn't an impact player as a receiver, but he was a solid role player, and those are needed. Top contenders to replace him as kick returner are freshman running back Cole Cabana, who ran a 10.55-second 100-me- ter dash in high school and has said he wants the job, and senior wideout Roman Wilson. Punt return duties seem more wide open. Freshman wideout Semaj Morgan is a natural, but it's riskier to have a first-year player in that spot than it is for kicks. It feels like Wilson could do the job — perhaps he's the favorite — but sopho- more wideout Tyler Morris or someone else could make a push. ❏ SAYFIE BLITZ ❱ CLAYTON SAYFIE Don't Hate The Player, Hate The Game Staff writer Clayton Sayfie has covered Michigan athletics for The Wolverine since 2019. Contact him at Clayton. Sayfie@on3.com and follow him on Twitter @CSayf23. A.J. Henning was a second-team All-Big Ten return man in 2022 but hit the transfer portal after spring practice ended. He will be suiting up for the Northwestern Wildcats this fall. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL