The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1532537
2025 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ 26 THE WOLVERINE ❱ MARCH 2025 BY EJ HOLLAND Michigan offered On3 Top 100 Wash- ington (D.C.) Gonzaga defensive back Kainoa Winston when he was an under- classman. While the scholarship initially piqued his interest, Winston didn't make a visit during his junior year and was concerned about looming coaching changes. Once the dust settled, Winston became a top priority for new head coach Sher- rone Moore. The Wolverines pushed hard for his services and became a major player for him going into last spring. "There were a lot of unknowns with Michigan with all the coaching changes," Winston said. "But ultimately, Coach Moore was named head coach and Coach [LaMar] Morgan got hired. They pushed for me and got me really interested in Michigan. They talked to me about all the values Michigan has and how the program was hard-nosed and gritty. That really stood out to me." Winston's father, Kelvin, admitted that the family wasn't initially sold on the idea of Michigan. At the time, Penn State was considered the favorite in Kainoa's re- cruitment, and it appeared Michigan's late run was going to fall short. However, Michigan recruiting director Sam Popper convinced the family to make an unofficial visit in April. That's when everything changed. "Michigan came on late because of the coaching change," Kelvin said. "We were supposed to go to another school the first time we visited. Sam Popper kept calling me, and something told me to go to Mich- igan. I'm not going to lie, at first Kainoa was like, 'I'll just pick from the choices I've got.' But luckily we went and visited." The battle between Michigan and Penn State tightened. The Wolverines ulti- mately won out in the summer when the Winston family returned for their official visit. "The decision was all him," Kelvin said. "He likes the school side of it. It's similar to Gonzaga. Once you get in, you have to consider it. If something happens, you can still say you went to Michigan. I like the tradition. I like the people there. They are honest about football and the school. I can be myself around them, and they can be themselves around me. "It's the right amount of distance from home. They take care of us, and I feel comfortable dropping my son off. They check all the boxes." Kainoa added that Michigan's blend of elite academics and football pushed him over the edge. "Michigan is similar to Gonzaga," he said. "Great academics and great football. It's going to be a smooth transition for me. They play a gritty style of football. They care about school and not just football. That's what really pushed me to choose Michigan over all of the other schools." Relationships played a big role, too. Moore personally reached out to Kainoa after he received his promotion to head coach, while secondary coach LaMar Morgan was in contact on almost a daily basis. "He is a coach, but I also look at him as a mentor," Kainoa said of the Michigan head man. "He's someone I can look up to and talk to about personal things. He has that friendliness as a coach, but he's also going to get on you as a player. He's family at the end of the day. "That was a big reason I chose Michi- gan — just the relationship I have with Coach Moore. And not everyone is go- ing to think of Coach Morgan as this big, flashy guy, but he's a really good coach. "He's very technical and cares about the little things. I feel like a lot of defen- sive backs in my class chose Michigan be- cause of Coach Morgan. He's not a hoorah Safety Kainoa Winston Picked Michigan For Elite Academics And Gritty Style Of Football Winston was rated as the No. 44 prospect and No. 4 safety in the nation by On3. PHOTO COURTESY KAINOA WINSTON