Urban Meyer thinks Michigan has a simple way to push the scandal talk out of the spotlight: win early and win often.
Speaking on The Triple Option podcast, the former Ohio State coach said the Wolverines can change the conversation if Kyle Whittingham gets off to a fast start in Ann Arbor.
"Well, we're talking about sports," Meyer said. "So, remember - coach Whitt comes out of the shoot 7-0 or 8-0 and people are going to forget.
They have a new basketball coach. The new basketball coach gets it - catches fire.
So again, you win, all good. You lose, they'll keep coming back to this.
If you win, you won't hear about this again, I would imagine."
Michigan has spent the last stretch dealing with one issue after another. The program has been tied to Connor Stalions' sign-stealing scheme, staffers being fired from the football program, Sherrone Moore being fired for an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, and Warde Manuel resigning at the end of the calendar year. The university is now searching for a new athletic director, and the noise around the department keeps circling back to those problems.
Meyer’s point is straightforward: in sports, the standings tend to drown out everything else. If Michigan starts 7-0 or 8-0, the scandal chatter will fade fast, at least in the national conversation.
That’s especially true because the biggest baggage has come from football. Between Stalions, the staffers, Matt Weiss' computer hacking crimes, and Moore's poor decisions, the Wolverines have been painted in a bad light.
Whittingham’s arrival gives Michigan a fresh start. The longtime Utah coach has built a program that stays out of trouble and, as Meyer sees it, offers the kind of stability Michigan needs. It was a hire Warde Manuel may not get enough credit for as he is out after the calendar year.
Basketball may have its moments, but football still runs the show in Ann Arbor. Right now, while it’s still summer, the Manuel news is drawing more attention than any football storyline. That will change once the season starts and fans turn their focus to whether Michigan can crash the College Football Playoff race.
If Whittingham’s team clears the early part of the schedule and does it with a near-perfect record, the past could get pushed to the background quickly. The exceptions would likely be rival fans, who are not likely to let any of it go.
That’s the reality Meyer was pointing to: in college football, recency wins. A 7-0 or 8-0 Michigan team would dominate the national conversation, not Connor Stalions' actions from 2021-2023 or Moore's firing.
In Other News...
Lions Training Camp Just Put Familiar Names On Notice
Training camp is about to give the Lions their first real roster audit of the summer, and the club has already laid out the full group of 90 players who will be in the mix. It is the usual camp blend of veterans, young depth pieces and position-by-position competition, with quarterbacks, skill players, linemen and defensive backs all headed into the same pressure cooker as the team starts sorting out who belongs.
For a roster that is still taking shape, the important part is not just who is on the field but who is fighting for more than a temporary look. Some players are there to get back on track, others are trying to stay in the conversation for the active roster or the 16-man practice squad, and familiar names will have to prove they still fit as camp begins this week. [Read more 🡒]
Penei Sewell Just Added A New Twist To Lions Camp Buzz
Penei Sewell has spent his offseason getting ready for a move back to the left side, and the Lions All-Pro tackle sounded comfortable with the transition as camp chatter builds around the offensive line. He also weighed in on the competition around him, saying it is still too early to draw much from the battle involving Christian Mahogany, Tate Frazier and Trystan Bartch, while also noting he has not yet seen Bartch. Along the way, Sewell kept leaning into the broader leadership role that comes with being one of the anchors of Detroits front.
Sewell also offered a glimpse into the day-to-day side of camp life, including his impression of offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, whom he described as smart and fast-talking with a lot going on in his head. And before the football talk fully took over, Sewell was part of a fan event at Panda Express in Livonia, another reminder that around here even the biggest names on the roster can still end up as the face of a community stop between practice sessions and preseason buildup. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Camp Opens With Major New Concerns In The Secondary
Training camp opened with an early hit to the Lions secondary depth, as Detroit placed safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph on the Physically Unable to Perform list. Tight end Tyler Conklin also landed on PUP, leaving the team to sort through a few health questions right as practices begin and roster spots start to come into focus.
For a defense that has leaned on its back end in recent seasons, the timing matters. Branch is working back from a torn Achilles, Joseph is recovering from a knee injury, and the Lions may spend the preseason evaluating other options if those absences linger. That could push more attention onto the next wave of defensive backs in camp, with Detroit needing answers before the pace picks up and the real decisions start to narrow. [Read more 🡒]