After a legal fight that stretched past a month, former Miami Hurricanes tight end Alex Bauman is heading to Michigan and getting another shot at college football.
Judge Julia B. Owdzieg of the Washtenaw County Probate Court granted the Red Bank (N.J.) native an injunction on Tuesday to enter the transfer portal.
The next day, Michigan reportedly planned to add Bauman, along with former Boise State cornerback Jeremiah Earby, to its roster. Neither player has shown up on the team’s website yet.
Bauman’s route to this point has been unusual. He spent three seasons at Tulane before transferring to Coral Gables, where he became a usable piece as both a blocker and a pass catcher. But his time with the Hurricanes ended on a rough note, and plenty of Miami fans remember the final image.
In the National Championship game, with Miami trailing 10-7 before halftime, Bauman missed his block on Indiana defensive end Mikali Kamar, who got through to block Dylan Joyce’s punt return. Indiana linebacker Isaiah Jones then recovered it for a touchdown. Miami went on to lose 27-21, and Bauman’s college career looked finished from there.
That didn’t happen. He went undrafted this year, and he later turned in a 5.07 40-yard dash at the program’s Pro Day at Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility. Now he gets a fresh landing spot in the Big Ten and a chance to rewrite the last chapter.
Michigan could use the help. The Wolverines are 3-2 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play after back-to-back losses to No.
17 Iowa and Minnesota. Their offense has struggled to find much beyond wide receivers Andrew Marsh and JJ Buchanan, while tight ends Hogan Hansen and Jalen Hoffman have both logged fewer than 10 catches and 50 yards.
If Bauman gets on the field as expected, his debut could come as soon as next Saturday against the reigning champion Hoosiers at Michigan Stadium. For Michigan, it’s another body and another potential answer for an offense searching for one.
In Other News...
Miami Defense Has Florida State Facing A Dangerous Quarterback Problem
Florida State arrives with a quarterback who can make things interesting in a hurry, and Ashton Daniels has already shown why. According to Pro Football Focus, he has the longest average time to throw in the country at 3.63 seconds, a style that can create explosive plays but also leaves plenty of room for sacks and interceptions when the pocket starts to close. For Miami, that kind of quarterback profile is familiar territory, because this defense has long been built to punish hesitation and force offenses to live with the consequences.
Daniels tendency to hold the ball puts the Seminoles in a tricky spot against a Hurricanes front that has historically done a good job of shrinking the impact of quarterbacks who need extra time. Miami has been especially effective at limiting those passers both through the air and on the ground, and that makes the matchup feel less about flash and more about who blinks first. If Daniels is forced into long-developing reads again, the Hurricanes will like their chances of turning pressure into problems. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Heads Into Florida State With One Big Protection Concern
Miami is getting ready to host Florida State in a rivalry game that always seems to bring a little extra edge, but this week the conversation around Coral Gables has centered as much on health as on matchup prep. Malachi Toney is dealing with a shoulder injury, and the offensive line picture has been complicated further by Max Buchanans surgery, leaving protection as a clear point of concern heading into a game where pass rush pressure can quickly change everything.
The encouraging news for Miami is that the secondary has started to get some bodies back, and the defense still enters this one ranked among the nations best. Even so, the Hurricanes know that against Florida State, the line of scrimmage can dictate the night, and how well they hold up up front may end up being the difference between controlling the rivalry and spending the evening on the back foot. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Has A Huge Florida State Recruiting Chance To Seize
Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium brings more than just another chapter in the Miami-Florida State rivalry. The Hurricanes will host the Seminoles with several five-star recruits in attendance, and among the most important visitors is Texas A&M commit Mark Matthews, giving Mario Cristobal and his staff a prime chance to make an impression in front of one of the countrys top prospects.
Miamis strong start has only sharpened the pitch, especially with Texas A&M coming in on the wrong side of expectations so far. Cristobal will try to use the atmosphere, the matchup and the chance to see the Hurricanes up close to get Matthews thinking again, and the recruiting subplot adds another layer to a 7:00 p.m. E.T. game that will be shown on ESPN. [Read more 🡒]