Number one RB in 2026

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Former Wolverine Jim Scarcelli joins the show and breaks out the Ohio State spring game film. Scar also talks about the NCAA violations that were released yesterday regarding Michigan.
Breakdown
Open 00:002:25
OSU spring game 2:26-9:23
NCAA violations 9:24-21:39
UM spring game 21:40-30:34
OSU film 30:35-38:51
Feedback 38:52-53:36
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I read about Michigan from all the usual suspects that aren’t exclusive premium member content. I pay for only 1 Michigan sports site for the straight dope, this one. But I do visit all the other College Football/Recruiting sites to read everything that doesn’t have a “Premium” or the “+” label on Michigan Football articles relating to Spring ball and the Spring Game. Obviously, there is a very small number that have the established access and provide the most information that Michigan does not let any local Detroit media reporter or national mainstream college football/recruiter expert see or hear anything about spring practice that the coaching staff doesn’t want them to see. All those leaks from all the faucets Schembechler Hall once had have been removed and their pipes plug welded permanently.

Of the dozen plus OS’ Michigan Spring Practice Summaries I’ve read concerning the “Qb Battle”, 10 out of 12 imply that Orji is the clear leader and the obvious candidate to be the QB1 for a Michigan team still loaded with talent despite losing all but a few starters from the 2023 National Championship senior laden starting 22 Wolverines. I’d say 8 out of the 12 are just repeating the same thing about Orji this spring - “Orji has had a quiet but good camp.” Which I interpreted as that’s what they’re being told by the coaches. Not blowing up camp, just solid play and execution of what the coaches are asking of him. It’s important to take into account that, since Harbaugh took the job in 2015, Jim and the whole staff were paranoid of practicing outside Glick due to the outside fields have no visual barriers to block multiple elevation levels vantage points from which bad actors could record Michigan’s full 4 hour practices and scrimmages with impunity, and many had been successful doing so in the past until Jim shut that sh*t down. Don’t know the real story of how he did it and don’t want to know. We saw a few small press stories of A2 and Campus Po-lice ramped up patrolling those optimum surveillance spots, but what they were doing is not a crime and neither is occupying public space without posted regulations established by the city DA, A2 Mayor, and both Police Departments, made more complicated because Campus Police are actually State Police and have to enforce laws by state regulations than the city.

Anyone who has attended any of the 50+ annual Hash Bashes in A2, know that getting that 25$ ticket from the City cops…(It amazed me that people actually actively tried to get one of those City Fines that they gladly paid for a memento that were professionally mounted and framed as a valued work of Art in their homes!)…is a far far faaaaar different experience when the Campus Police were involved. Michigan’s drug laws were draconian back in the day, and even less than a quarter of weed in your possession often resulted in a period of time incarcerated, a ridiculously high fine, and a serious stigma conviction on your record. From what I remember, Campus and the City Cops hated each other some 30 years ago. To get them to cooperate with local officials even on the smallest of issues was always a topic covered in the Ann Arbor News. Given those conditions, I doubt an initiative by the police was responsible for shutting down the filming of practices. But it did end, and Harbaugh is a guy who likes the rough stuff..just ask his older brother. Anything I say would be pure conjecture as I have not a single insinuation of what he did to stop it. I just know what I would have done. All you have to do is scare one scout into s**ting his pants. You can count on the story spreading like wildfire among that group that deals in gossip in their profession. Again, no idea how it stopped, but it certainly wasn’t by law enforcement.

I’ve never been to a practice, but I do know the program never shows much of anything other than basic stuff when outside in the spring, in summer camp, and often in the early games until the come up against an opponent that calls for them to use formations and plays nobody has seen before. Think back, have you ever read a spring practice report about players competing for the QB1 job where Josh or other reports wrote that a QB was just dominating practices with + plays and incredible off schedule monster throws since Harbaugh took the job? They all sound alike to me, especially about the player coaches already feel will be the guy. It’s no different than Orji. Why draw any attention to him or the QB competition by giving spicy takes and hyping up Orji so he’s on everyone’s radar all summer? It does nothing but hurt Michigan to do so.

Finally, addressing posts about Michigan looking for a couple QBs with lots of experience in the portal. I think that is a direct result of Tuttle not being healthy enough to be a viable back up. Then there is the specter of a QB entering the portal after Orji is named QB1. It only makes sense to bring in 2 experienced guys to 1). Provide insurance in case of injury, 2). Fill out the QB room with older guys who won’t block QB recruits coming in. 3). Push Alex every practice, every game, to lock in an play his best game. With no real threat in the QB room at present who could beat him out this year with this team, it would only be a positive to have a QB right on his heels, pushing to take the job from him if he doesn’t give max effort at all times. Nobody said to Alex it was gonna be easy and nobody said putting in work day after day was gonna be fun. Somehow I believe he knows all of this and is relishing the thought of taking his game to another level this fall. I’m very confident they’ll design the whole offense asking Alex his favorite plays and what comes natural to him.

Watch out for Michigan’s offense this fall. It will be based on Harbaugh’s philosophy, but everything else will be different from last year.

"Michigan is one of my favorite schools. These coaches are great and it's all about winning, development and hard work."

Four-star Miami LB commit Elijah Melendez recaps his three-day visit to Michigan and how the Wolverines made him feel like he was a part of the team over the weekend:

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Michigan offered a couple of DTs during the winter transfer window as well.
Talk this week was the team would look to add some experience for depth, a la Cam Goode.
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West is a grad transfer who had 40 tackles 2 sacks and a forced fumble last season.
Illinois native is former high school teammate of JJ McCarthy and Tyler Morris.

at 4 p.m. eastern

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It might be something or might be nothing

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2024 Basketball Commit (Was committed to FAU.

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Michigan and the NCAA have reached an agreement of probation and a fine over Covid-19 recruiting violations and a staffer participating in coaching activities.
The NCAA will release findings on a "former coach" at a later date.
🔗🔽

Another guy I was really impressed with. He's an energetic guy, funny, he's going to win over a lot of kids.

The hammer.

We are hoping to get comments from Elijah Melendez at some point soon about his visit but things are trending in the right direction.

He spent three days in Ann Arbor on an unofficial visit. As of right now, Michigan thinks they’re getting him and did a great job with mom. They think they’ve sold her on the program.

Seth and I are hoping to team up more on this soon.

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UPDATE: After doing some further digging, my optimism that Hart returns to the program after his leave is over is dwindling. I haven’t heard anything official yet but things are trending in one direction right now.

I still do not have a firm timeline on anything either way and will just have to sit back and let things play out.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it a million times, I have to tread lightly here as it’s a very private thing. It’s not in my code to air personal issues like that so I’m not trying to dig deeper until I have to.

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We've been hearing some rumblings srom inside the building and those connected with the program that Mike Hart will no longer be with the program once his leave of absence is over. No official word has come down yet and I am working to find out more but this news has come from more than one source. I don’t know if it’s an echo chamber of talk or not.

Another source wasn’t aware one way or the other but said he “wouldn’t be surprised.“

I am trying to tread lightly as Hart’s reasons for his absence are personal and its not a situation where Michigan is screwing someone over in the process.

This has been difficult to navigate for weeks so please give me some patience as I respect privacy and not try to burn anyone in the process.

I will try and get more as things progress one way or the other.

Apparently people involved in our football program are incapable of being responsible and using uber.

Reports he’s in portal.
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With Nikhai Hill-Green entering the transfer portal, there has been some speculation about whether he plans to return to Michigan.

As of late last week, Hill-Green wants to return to U-M but the staff isn’t certain about taking him back in or not yet. This is more so about the staff being really pleased with Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham during spring.

I’ll see if I can find out anything new.

Spoke to multiple people, so this is somewhat a mixed bag of reports / opinions.

Regarding Aden Holloway, I can’t confirm if Dusty himself contacted him yesterday. With how Dusty has been working the portal, I’d bet on, yes he did. But obviously can’t confirm that.

Rewinding back to his high school recruitment, there was much interest from the Holloway’s in Michigan, considering his mom is an alum. During the recruitment, Juwan focused more on Jeremy Fears, the teammate of Holloway and now player for MSU. This created a sense of resentment towards Michigan, but the person I directly spoke to said it was more so Juwan, as he represented Michigan. To confirm that note, his sister committed to Michigan for basketball, so the holloways still hold Michigan the institution in high regard.

Now where it gets interesting, I was told that Aden’s mom would love Aden to be with his sister at Michigan (what mom wouldn’t, duh). BUT, if Juwan was still at Michigan, this would not be an option for the Holloways, call them stubborn, but I do understand the animosity in being put on the back burner for a teammate you think you’re better than.

Direct Quote: “Now that Dusty is there, Michigan is certainly a player for Aden again.”


I do get the sense Aden will not transfer somewhere to come off the bench, so unless Dusty plans on playing Aden and Johnell Davis at the same time, I’m not entirely sure the seriousness of this situation. But it is worth noting they’re interested in Michigan again.