Jim Harbaugh became the fifth college football coach since 1936 to leave his school after winning a national championship when he signed a five-year contract to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. He was the first coach since Tom Osborne, who retired after winning the national championship in 1997 with Nebraska, to do so. The Wolverines elevated Sherrone Moore from offensive coordinator to head coach. Moore was acting head coach on multiple occasions this season, showcasing he already has strong relationships with many players on the team. Moore has wasted no time trying to secure and retain some of the top Michigan football recruits in the country following the national championship.
In today’s age with the college football transfer portal and NIL, players have more options to move freely and join new programs, so Moore needs to act quickly if the Wolverines want to remain at the top of college football and capitalize on Michigan football recruiting. Who are some of Michigan’s top targets, what can they add to the program and how realistic are their chances at joining the Wolverines? If you want to see the latest Michigan recruiting news and updates on the defensive coordinator search, be sure to see what the proven team of insiders are saying at The Michigan Insider, the 247Sports affiliate that covers Michigan.
The team at The Michigan Insider is providing on-the-ground updates on every development in the defensive coordinator coaching search, including insights from Sam Webb, Steve Lorenz, Zach Shaw and Alejandro Zuniga. The unrivaled insider team has the latest Michigan recruiting news and the inside scoop on the Michigan coaching search.
The team at The Michigan Insider already has several recruiting updates from Moore’s first week on the job, along with a list of candidates for the defensive coordinator opening. Head to The Michigan Insider now to see the latest news.
Sherrone Moore Michigan recruiting and coaching updates
A trio of Michigan coaches stopped by the school of 2025 five-star defensive lineman Nathaniel Marshall earlier this week. Marshall was considered a priority for Harbaugh’s staff, and that has carried over to the new regime. He has offers from some of the top schools around the country, and he has already visited Ann Arbor on several occasions, including the weekend of the rivalry win over Ohio State. Marshall is the top player in Illinois for the 2025 class and is the No. 22 prospect overall, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. With nearly 30 schools already giving him offers, Moore’s staff has shown that they want to keep Marshall a priority. He spoke with The Michigan Insider regarding his last visit to Ann Arbor, and the team of experts also has insight about when his next visit to campus will be.
Another player that Moore and his staff visited in the past week is 2025 four-star tight end Da’Saahn Brame in Kansas. Brame, at 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, had 13 touchdowns and nearly 1,000 yards receiving in his junior season with elite hands, route running ability and the size and physicality to block at the line of scrimmage. Moore and his staff visited Brame last week as he was also a top priority when Harbaugh served as head coach. Michigan relies on multiple tight ends in the passing game with tight ends Colston Loveland third on the team in receptions last year with AJ Barner fifth. Tight end should remain a focal point in Ann Arbor with Moore moving from offensive coordinator to head coach. Brame is the No. 95 overall prospect in the 2025 class, the No. 4 tight end in the nation and the No. 4 player in Kansas for 2025, according to the 247Sports rankings. There is currently a 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction for Brame, which you can see here.
As for the coaching staff, Moore is reportedly promoting tight ends coach Grant Newsome to offensive line coach. Newsome is a former offensive lineman with the Wolverines, making 10 appearances with a total of six starts during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. He suffered an injury in 2017, which eventually led to his retirement and the beginning of his coaching career. Moore followed a similar trajectory to Newsome at Michigan, going from tight ends coach to offensive line coach ahead of the 2021 season. He led that group to the Joe Moore Award in back-to-back seasons, which is given to the best offensive line in the country, so there will be high expectations for Newsome. He will have his work cut out for him, as the team’s top six offensive linemen are heading to the NFL. Read more about Michigan’s new offensive line coach here.
There are also some details about potential defensive coordinator candidates emerging from The Michigan Insider. Minter bolted for the NFL when Harbaugh offered him the defensive coordinator position in Los Angeles, leaving Moore with his first major decision as head coach. The Wolverines had the consensus No. 1 defense in college football last season, winning the national title by holding Washington’s top-ranked offense to just 13 points. Defensive line coach Mike Elston and defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale are both options if Moore decides to promote from within.
Michigan also hasn’t been immune from players entering the transfer portal. They include three-star defensive lineman Reece Atteberry and three-star tackle Noah Stewart, who both entered the portal in recent days. However, one four-star commit had a strong take about his Michigan football offer, while the coaching staff is pursuing a star quarterback.
How to get Michigan 247Sports updates
Michigan’s new coaching staff is also going after a former Power Five defensive coordinator who is currently a senior analyst for another Power Five program. See who it is at The Michigan Insider.
Who are the top recruits that Michigan’s new coaching staff is targeting right now and which former Power Five defensive coordinator have they reached out to as a candidate for their staff? Go to The Michigan Insider to see all the latest Michigan recruiting and coaching search news, all from a team of reporters with decades of experience covering the Wolverines, and find out.
