Latest news with #SherroneMoore
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nation's Top Cornerback Shares Intel on Michigan Wolverines After Official Visit
Nation's Top Cornerback Shares Intel on Michigan Wolverines After Official Visit originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Michigan Wolverines are still working to build momentum with their Class of 2026 on the recruiting trail in hopes of following up what was a stellar 2025 class. Advertisement Michigan has less than ten recruits in their 2026 class so far, and most of them are not in the high-four to five-star range as coach Sherrone Moore was worked to identify diamonds in the rough. On Sunday, Michigan fans were filled in on the latest recruiting update from the nation's top Class of 2026 cornerback, Davon Benjamin, as the Corona (Oaks Christian High School), California prospect revealed what stood out about the Michigan Wolverines in comparison to his other visits so far. Davon Benjamin (L) escapes a tackle from Kaden Glover. © JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images "Michigan stood out with how serious they are about player development," Benjamin, number one overall prospect among cornerbacks, said on Sunday after his official visit to Ann Arbor. Advertisement "They're all about building you up on & off the field, & you can tell they've got a plan to help you succeed long term." Benjamin is listed as a strong Oregon Ducks lean with a probability of over 94 percent to attend school in Eugene next fall. The Ducks have offered along with fellow Big Ten powers USC and Ohio State, with the Miami Hurricanes currently bringing up the rear. Michigan has become one of the top destination schools for defensive backs after the success of players including Will Johnson, Mike Sainristil and Rod Moore who led the team to three straight Big Ten titles and a national championship. Related: Heisman Trophy Winner's Son Announces Big Offer From ACC Power This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Michigan football recruiting department grows with two new analysts added
Michigan football recruiting department grows with two new analysts added Michigan football recruiting has been on something of a slow burn, which is to be expected around this time of year. But the Wolverines are still very active behind the scenes. With official visits slated to commence on Friday, marking the month-long slog toward building the 2026 class with recruits making it to campus, the maize and blue have been doing more than meets the eye. Per social media, Michigan has added two new analysts to the recruiting team, growing the department just as head coach Sherrone Moore had promised he would do when he was hired in January 2024. An in-state prospect with SEC ties Originally a recruit in the 2018 class, Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Mary's running back Tyler Markray ended up being recruited by (former Michigan secondary coach) Steve Clinkscale and ultimately committed to him at Kentucky. He had limited production in Lexington, with four carries for 62 yards and a touchdown in his career, with the score coming on a 45-yard carry against Tennessee-Martin in 2019. Markray made the transition to a behind-the-scenes role, accepting a job with Western Michigan's recruiting department earlier this year. But the Wolverines hired him away quickly, with Markray announcing he's joined the Michigan football recruiting department as an analyst. A former Ohio-based player joins the Wolverines From the 2019 class, originally from Pittsburgh, Anthony Johnson played defensive end his senior year of high school at Cleveland (Ohio) Heights. He originally committed to Bowling Green, where he appeared in three games but injury sidelined him and he transferred to Youngstown State, where he appeared in 36 games. After the 2023 season, he entered the transfer portal and originally committed to Bret Bielema and Illinois, where he spent spring, but after spring ball, he transferred to Pitt. However, during practice going into Week 2, he suffered a career-ending injury to his spinal column on what appeared to be a routine play. Johnson got his degree from Pitt and now he's starting his career anew with Michigan football in the recruiting department. Growing the department Others have joined behind the scenes, including Alabama alum Avery Bean. The Wolverines, under director of recruiting Sam Popper, are continuing to modernize the department, and with name, image, and likeness starting to take hold in Ann Arbor (with recruitments such as Bryce Underwood and Ty Haywood), the maize and blue are starting to look more like other top schools across college football. Michigan had self-imposed some recruiting restrictions at the beginning of the month to appease the NCAA as it seeks out penalties for the Connor Stalions saga. But that isn't stopping the maize and blue from growing those who are working behind the scenes, helping identify talent across the country.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Sherrone Moore's 2024 Michigan: Big wins vs. Ohio State, Alabama, but losses fuel debate
Sherrone Moore's 2024 Michigan: Big wins vs. Ohio State, Alabama, but losses fuel debate When it comes to ranking Michigan football head coach Sherrone Moore, some outlets find themselves between a rock and a hard place. Moore has one year of being the full-time head coach of the Wolverines, but also had four games as the acting head coach. He went 8-5 in his first full season, but also won four games in 2023 -- including at Penn State and against Ohio State. He's undefeated against the rivals, having beaten the Buckeyes twice and MSU once. He's even taken down an Alabama team that was thought by many to be a College Football Playoff-caliber squad. Yet, those five losses loom large. The losses in context vs. the wins Last season, Moore ended up losing three games to teams that were somewhat expected -- Texas, Oregon, and at Indiana. Why? Because those three teams were College Football Playoff teams last year. Michigan ended up playing four in total (Ohio State being the other) in a brutal schedule compared to most teams. But Moore also lost to two teams he probably shouldn't have -- Illinois and Washington. The Illini ended up going 10-3 last year and were a pretty good squad, while Washington went 6-7, though it was undefeated at home in Husky Stadium. Both games were on the road, and Michigan struggled with quarterback play in both games. However, getting the two season-end wins against the eventual national champion, Ohio State, and Alabama were among the most impressive in football. Three teams beat the Crimson Tide before Michigan had (Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, and Tennessee) but OSU only lost to Oregon and Michigan, and it got revenge against the Ducks in the Rose Bowl. Thus, that win by the then-6-5 Wolverines on the road was perhaps the best win all of last season. Moore also took over the program late, with Jim Harbaugh leaving for the NFL in late January and Moore being hired on the 26th of that month. He was still in the process of assembling his staff into spring ball as Harbaugh and Moore were still jockeying over which coaches would stay in Ann Arbor or follow him to Los Angeles. The Wolverines also lost a ton of talent, with 13 NFL draft picks gone and the transfer portal mostly picked over by the time Moore took over. So there is some context to the early-season struggles. Athlon Sports' very low rating Still, others get a lot more credit for what they've done. Some of it is understandable -- one season does not a resume make. But even with one year under his belt, two impressive wins, three losses to teams Michigan should have lost to, and two that the Wolverines probably shouldn't have, Athlon Sports isn't impressed. It listed Moore as the No. 15 head coach in the Big Ten (the fourth-worst), ahead of only Mike Locksley at Maryland, David Braun at Northwestern, and DeShaun Foster at UCLA. Replacing Jim Harbaugh and reloading a roster hit hard by departures after winning the national championship was a tough assignment for Moore in his debut season in '24. However, after a 5-5 start, the Wolverines had arguably one of the best stretches to close out the year. In addition to beating Northwestern, Michigan defeated Ohio State in a road upset, and knocked off Alabama in the Reliaquest Bowl. Also, Moore scored a huge off-field victory in November when quarterback Bryce Underwood flipped his commitment to Michigan from LSU. Moore still has a lot to prove entering his second year. However, the arrow is clearly pointing up on his tenure. Yes, other coaches have shown that they can do more than what they achieved in 2024. Jedd Fisch at Washington, Matt Rhule at Nebraska, Lincoln Riley at USC, and Jonathan Smith at Michigan State all had middling (or worse) years, but have track records beyond last season. Yet, few of the aforementioned have a signature win on par with Moore's two at the end of the season, and given the constraints he faced in his first year in Ann Arbor, it's difficult to imagine many other coaches navigating the murky waters he found himself in. Athlon is correct, the arrow is pointing up, and by the end of 2025, it would be surprising if the outlet (and many others) haven't changed their tune on Moore and his ability to oversee a football program.
NBC Sports
4 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Big Ten announces early 2025 football schedule, including marquee Oregon-Penn State matchup
The college football season is fast approaching and the first three weeks of the NBC Sports and Peacock schedules are set, as well as a Week 4 matchup between Purdue and Notre Dame and a marquee Week 5 game between Oregon and Penn State. Keep reading for a closer look at the opening weeks of the Big Ten college football season on NBC and Peacock. Week 1 matchups NBC and Peacock will open the 2025 Big Ten season with a Friday night matchup featuring Western Illinois and Illinois. This will mark the fourth matchup ever between the Fighting Illini and the Leathernecks. Illinois has won all three previous matchups between the two teams dating back to 2007. The Fighting Illini and Leathernecks most recently met in September 2018, when Illinois won, 34-14. Illinois finished the 2024 season with a 10-3 overall record, including a 6-3 mark in conference play. On the following day, the Big Ten Saturday Night action continues as Michigan hosts New Mexico at the Big House. This game will provide a first look at a Michigan team that disappointed last season with an 8-5 overall mark. Head coach Sherrone Moore reportedly is expected to be suspended for two games in the 2025 season as part of self-imposed sanctions by the university for the Connor Stalions advanced scouting scandal. Week 2 matchups Miami Ohio will visit Rutgers at SHI Stadium to kick off the Week 2 slate, followed by Michigan State hosting Boston College in the evening window. The Miami Ohio-Rutgers matchup will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Rutgers, which finished the 2024 season with a 7-6 mark, will seek its third-consecutive winning record next year. Miami Ohio posted a 9-5 record last season, including a 7-1 conference mark. At night, Michigan State will host Boston College at Spartan Stadium. Both teams last played each other during the 2024 season when the Eagles stormed back in the fourth quarter to defeat the Spartans. The schools have faced each other seven times dating back to 1935, and Boston College leads the all-time series, 5-1-1. The Eagles finished the 2024 season with a 7-5 mark, while the Spartans posted a 5-7 record. Week 3 matchups The Week 3 slate will feature Towson at Maryland in the afternoon window, followed by Ohio at defending national champion Ohio State in the evening. The Tigers delivered a strong 2024 campaign, earning their first seven-win season since 2019. The team finished with a 7-5 overall record, including a 5-3 mark in the CAA. Towson will take on Maryland for the first time since the 2023 season. Maryland is coming off of a 4-8 season last year and lost many players to the transfer portal. Coach Mike Locksley recruited well though, landing solid players in the recruiting class and transfer portal. The night matchup will feature Ohio at Ohio State at Ohio Stadium. The series history between these two teams dates back to 1999 and the Buckeyes are 3-0 in head-to-head matchups. Ohio State finished with a 14-2 overall record last season, including a 7-2 mark in conference play en route to the College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes defeated Notre Dame to win their ninth National Championship - the first championship for the program since 2014. Purdue at Notre Dame in Week 4 Notre Dame, which advanced to the College Football Playoff National Championship least season, will host instate rival Purdue in the afternoon slate of Week 4. Both teams last played each other last season when the Fighting Irish defeated the Boilermakers, 66-7. This matchup will mark the second-consecutive season in which Notre Dame has faced Purdue in Game 3 of the season to battle for the Shillelagh Trophy. The Irish and Boilermakers first played each other in 1896 and both teams have faced off 88 times over the course of their histories. Notre Dame holds a 60-26-2 overall advantage in the series. RELATED: NBC Sports' 2025 Notre Dame football schedule headlined by matchups vs. Texas A&M, Boise State Oregon vs. Penn State in Week 5 Both Oregon and Penn State enter the 2025 college football season hungry for more. Dan Lanning's Oregon team looked like one of the best in the country during the regular season. The Ducks were the only team to finish the season undefeated, posting a 12-0 mark. When Oregon defeated Penn State to win the Big Ten Championship game, the Ducks looked like they had the most momentum entering the College Football Playoff. But — after a first-round bye — the Ducks lost to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, dashing their championship hopes. Penn State meanwhile, made a deeper postseason run in the first season with the expanded College Football Playoff. The Nittany Lions finished the 2024 season with a 13-3 record, including an 8-1 mark in conference play. After losing to Oregon in the Big Ten Championship, Penn State defeated SMU and Boise State in the College Football Playoff before falling just short to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. Complete first three weeks of the 2025 Big Ten schedule on NBC and Peacock: Western Illinois at Illinois (7:30p EST, Peacock) New Mexico at Michigan (7:30p EST, NBC, Peacock) Miami (OH) at Rutgers (3:30p EST, Peacock) Boston College at Michigan State (7:30p EST, NBC, Peacock) Towson at Maryland (3:30p EST, Peacock) Ohio at Ohio State (7:15p EST, Peacock) Purdue at Notre Dame (3:30p EST, NBC, Peacock) Afternoon game TBA Oregon at Penn State (7:30p EST, NBC, Peacock) Stay tuned to NBC Sports for continued updates on the 2025 Big Ten football schedule. Sign up here to watch all of Peacock's LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you're in the mood for. Luke Altmyer sits down with Nicole Auerbach to discuss his decision to return to Illinois, the culture that coach Bret Bielema fosters and the significance of defeating South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl. Ryan Day sits down with Nicole Auerbach to discuss the youth on this season's Ohio State team, the QB battle between Julian Sayin, Lincoln Kienholz and Tavien St. Clair and the offseason coordinator changes. RBs Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton sit down with Mike Robinson to unpack their decision to return to Penn State, how they separate football from their friendship and what they want their legacies to be.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Where Athlon Sports ranks Michigan football in 2025, eyes College Football Playoff return
Where Athlon Sports ranks Michigan football in 2025, eyes College Football Playoff return Expectations for Michigan football aren't particularly high in 2025 across the media, yet some recognize that the Wolverines might be in a better position than many think. With the over-under for the maize and blue set at 8.5, there are quite a few pundits expecting Michigan to hit the under, barely looking under the hood and noting the key losses on defense while not expecting much more on offense. However, the Wolverines showed in the ReliaQuest Bowl, with nine players expected to be factors in 2025, playing well on defense, holding Alabama to just 13 points, that that side of the ball should be solid. Meanwhile, Sherrone Moore overhauled the offensive side of the ball, bringing in former North Carolina and Auburn offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey while revamping the quarterback room. Will Michigan football be ranked this year? Unlike some of its contemporaries, Athlon Sports recognizes the changes that Moore and the Wolverines made, thus ranking Michigan in the middle of its post-spring top 25. 15. Michigan After closing out the 2024 season with wins over Ohio State and Alabama, along with the commitment of 5-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, second-year coach Sherrone Moore has Michigan back on track. If Underwood develops as expected, a return to the College Football Playoff is within reach. But the freshman won't have to carry this team. The backfield features a promising one-two punch of Jordan Marshall and Justice Hayes (sic), while optimism is high for an improved offensive line. Developing playmakers at receiver is crucial for new coordinator Chip Lindsey. The Wolverines bring back six starters from a standout defense. Safety Rod Moore is slated to return after missing all of '24 due to a knee injury, and edge rusher Derrick Moore is among the Big Ten's top returning linemen. The schedule breaks in Michigan's favor. Ohio State comes to Ann Arbor, and Moore's team won't play Oregon or Penn State. Still an incomplete picture While the six returning starters on defense is true of the regular season, it's not true of what Michigan trotted out in Tampa against the Crimson Tide. The whole starting front seven from that game, as well as one corner (Zeke Berry) and safety (Brandyn Hillman) are set to return. If the offense just modestly improves, then the Wolverines should be back in the good graces of college football, especially considering that the schedule only features two teams (3. Ohio State, 20. Oklahoma) that Athlon features in its top 25. Last year, the Wolverines played four teams that were in the College Football Playoff, lost to three (Texas, Oregon, Indiana) and beat one (Ohio State).
