The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1535358
JUNE/JULY 2025 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 23 ❱ MICHIGAN FOOTBALL gamble is that the NCAA's Committee on Infractions still might not think the penalty is severe enough. "So, why do this now? Michigan is closing in on a Committee on Infractions hearing that will focus on the Stalions scandal — but also loop in some unrelated recruiting matters. Behind the scenes, Moore's team has spent months trying to craft a negotiated resolution with the NCAA enforcement division." Former Michigan assistants Jesse Minter and Steve Clinkscale did so, re- moving themselves from the broader case through negotiated resolutions. The agreed-upon penalties in this portion of the case include a one-year show-cause order for Minter, in which any employ- ing institution must restrict him from any athletically related position. He admitted multiple impermissible early recruiting communications with a prospect prior to June 15 of his sophomore year of high school, was aware that these communi- cations were impermissible, but didn't report them to U-M compliance. Clinkscale's violations involved "im- permissible benefits provided to prospects and/or their families during their recruit- ment." He and the enforcement staff also agreed that after his separation from Michigan, Clinkscale failed to fully satisfy his obligation to cooperate with the inves- tigation when he did not provide complete information during an interview, though he eventually acknowledged the violations and his involvement in them. The result was a two-year show-cause order for Clinkscale, in which any em- ploying institution must restrict him from any athletically related position. Staples reports that if the NCAA doesn't accept the two-game suspension, Moore would remain a contested party heading into the committee hearing, which also will weigh accusations against Connor Stalions, Jim Harbaugh and others. "Instead of simply being the current coach of the team on trial, Moore will be one of the people on trial," Staples said. FORMER WOLVERINES FIND NEW HOMES AFTER ENTERING THE TRANSFER PORTAL Michigan continues to keep an eye on the transfer portal, at one time scoping out potential help on the offensive line, at quarterback, receiver, and cornerback. With options limited, however, it seems the coaches might be set on the team they'll take into fall practice. They've added 16 players total from the portal, and many are expected to push for play- ing time. But it works both ways. The Wolver- ines lost six players to the portal before the spring game, and while none were ex- pected to crack the two-deep, they were depth pieces, nonetheless. Perhaps the most surprising loss was junior running back Benjamin Hall, who was battling with sophomore Jordan Marshall and ju- nior Justice Haynes for playing time and was vying to be the No. 3 back. Hall com- mitted to North Carolina April 21. Senior edge Kechaun Bennett got caught in a numbers game, too, playing behind some outstanding defensive ends in his Michigan career. He'll stay in the Big Ten, having pledged to UCLA April 30. Wide receiver/defensive back Amorion Walker transferred to Ole Miss last spring before returning to Ann Arbor. He played sparingly, entered the portal and com- mitted to Middle Tennessee April 30 after catching just 3 passes for 34 yards a year ago. Junior linebacker Jason Hewlett out of Youngstown, Ohio, was stuck behind several outstanding linebackers and also chose to transfer. He pledged to Boston College April 23. Defensive tackle Alessandro Lorenzetti, a former offensive tackle recruit, opted for Baylor, committing May 9, and sopho- more edge Aymeric Koumba pledged to Central Florida April 19. Senior Ja'Den McBurrows, a veteran of the secondary, announced a new home at Appalachian State on May 13. He'll have two seasons of eligibility remaining. ❏ 2025 MICHIGAN SCHEDULE Date Opponent Aug. 30 NEW MEXICO Sept. 6 at Oklahoma Sept. 13 CENTRAL MICHIGAN Sept. 20 at Nebraska Sept. 27 Bye Oct. 4 WISCONSIN Oct. 11 at USC Oct. 18 WASHINGTON Oct. 25 at Michigan State Nov. 1 PURDUE Nov. 8 Bye Nov. 15 at Northwestern Nov. 22 at Maryland Nov. 29 OHIO STATE JOEL KLATT BELIEVES IN MICHIGAN IN 2025 Expectations are high internally, and Michigan football is showing up on "way-too-early" and "post- spring" Top 25 rankings by different national voices. You can count FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt in the camp of believers. He has the Maize and Blue at No. 12 in his post-spring rankings. Klatt's optimism with Michigan starts with the defense. Coordinator Wink Martindale is back for a second season, and his group turned a corner in the back half of last year. "Here's why I believe in Michigan," Klatt began on his podcast. "Last year, they beat USC, they beat Ohio State, they beat Alabama. And in those games, you know what their offense did? Virtually noth- ing. Virtually nothing! "And specifically in that game against Alabama, remember, all the guys that were going to the draft weren't playing in that game. They stopped [quarterback] Jalen Milroe and Alabama basically with the group of guys that are going to be playing this year. "Wink Martindale figured it out. I thought early in the year there were growing pains with him coming back to college. He had to dumb it down. Wink Martindale is too smart of a defensive coordinator, and they, at times, were doing a little too much. They simplified a little bit, he learned the college game a little bit more — the tendencies of it — and that defense took off in the second half of the year." Michigan has only six home games this season, meaning it'll go on the road for six tilts, including at Oklahoma in Week 2. Moore is expected to be suspended for the Sept. 13 home clash versus Central Michigan and the Sept. 20 road trip to Nebraska, providing some unique challenges, too. "That defense is going to allow their offense to get its footing," Klatt continued. "Now, they've got that tough game early in the year against Oklahoma. But think about it, they beat Ohio State, they beat Alabama. And in those two games, they had 234 yards and then 190 yards of offense. That's it! They don't need to be great on the offensive side. "They bring in Chip Lindsey as their new offensive coordinator, and now it's going to be kind of a wait and see of who's going to be the quarterback, and that was a lot of what we had last year. And I think we're going to have that again next year. "This is not a ranking that has anything to do with [freshman quarterback] Bryce Underwood. This is defense. This is Sherrone Moore. It's philosophy." — Clayton Sayfie