Michigan isn’t in the market for a late roster shakeup, and Kyle Whittingham has made that much clear.
With college football dealing with another eligibility shift after the NCAA approved the five-for-five rule in late July, there’s suddenly a path for Class of 2022 players to return to the college game. The rule lets players compete for up to five years instead of the usual four, wiping out the traditional redshirt setup. Then came another twist: the Class of 2022 won an injunction from a Colorado federal judge that opened eligibility for the 2026-2027 athletic year.
That first ruling only covered players who had not signed pro contracts. On Wednesday, though, a court in Louisiana went even further, handing all Class of 2022 players - including those currently in NFL training camps - a temporary restraining order against the NCAA. That opens the door for them to come back to college and forces the NCAA to create a transfer portal window.
It’s a major change, but it’s landing at a strange time. Week 0 of the 2026 season is just 10 days away, and Michigan is already treating its roster like it’s set. Whittingham said the Wolverines do not plan to bring in anyone from the Class of 2022 under the new rule, and the timing alone makes that decision easy to understand.
There have been whispers about whether Michigan might explore a reunion with a few familiar names, including linebacker Ernest Hausmann. In theory, an experienced addition could help a spot like linebacker. In practice, though, the Wolverines are already deep into fall camp, and the season is too close for a newcomer to make a real impact.
The battles are already underway. Players have spent weeks fighting for roles, and dropping another veteran into the mix would mostly just add another body to the competition. That may sound appealing on paper, but it doesn’t solve the real problem: any player arriving now would need time to absorb the scheme, build chemistry with the staff, and catch up to everyone else.
By the time that adjustment happened, the season would already be rolling. And if that player never gets on the field, the move would have been little more than a distraction.
Michigan’s depth chart is beginning to take shape, and that’s part of why the idea of chasing former players feels so unnecessary. Any money spent there would be money not spent on future recruiting, where the Wolverines can target players who might actually stick around longer than one season.
Whittingham’s stance makes sense. The rule may create opportunities across college football, and some programs might be tempted to use them.
But Michigan has every reason to stay put and let its younger players keep developing. Those are the guys who are going to matter longer anyway.
In Other News...
Michigan Fall Camp Has One Injury Worry Fans Will Notice
Fall camp has mostly brought good news for Michigan, at least on the health front. Offensive coordinator Jason Beck said the Wolverines are relatively healthy, with only minor setbacks occasionally pulling a few players out of practice, and there has been no report of a major injury clouding the start of preparations.
Andrew Babalola and Savion Hiter appear to be among the names worth monitoring after dealing with minor tweaks, but nothing has been confirmed as serious. The bigger picture is encouraging for Michigan, with several players back from significant injuries suffered in previous seasons and showing positive progress as camp moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Utah Just Turned A Bitter Freddie Whittingham Exit Into A Fight
The legal fallout from Freddie Whittinghams move to Michigan has now spilled into open court, with Utah accusing the former assistant coach of breaching his contract when he left the program. The university says Whittingham abandoned his post and failed to handle the exit the way his deal required, turning what might have been a routine coaching change into a much messier dispute for a Big Ten staff that was already trying to settle in.
Utahs filing also raises the stakes beyond simple contract language, seeking more than $300,000 in damages along with additional claims tied to fiduciary duty and punitive damages. For Michigan, the issue is no longer just about adding a familiar name to the staff. It has become a case that invites scrutiny over how the departure happened and what, exactly, was said and done before Whittingham arrived in Ann Arbor. [Read more 🡒]