Michigan spent Saturday’s season opener doing more than just winning in The Big House. The Wolverines used the day to roll out the red carpet for a loaded group of visitors, and the early feedback from the recruiting trail looks strong across the board.
The biggest spotlight was on linebacker recruiting. Michigan had its top two 2028 targets on campus in four-star Camden Noe and four-star Jay Schell, while also hosting a fast-rising junior linebacker from Baltimore.
The staff made sure to give Noe and Schell plenty of attention, with recruiting assistant spending significant time with both players and their loved ones during warmups. Inside Schembechler Hall, the sense was that all three enjoyed the trip, and that the long in-person treatment only reinforced how high Noe and Schell sit on Michigan’s board.
Michigan also got some help from its own class. The staff appreciated seeing 2027 commits pitch in with peer recruiting, and Noe was spotted around in-state offensive line pledges Jakari Lipsey and Louis Esposito.
For Cyrus Zuah, the trip clearly made an impression. The newest linebacker on the board, who has recently picked up offers from Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, and Penn State, spoke with Maize n Brew about his first visit to Ann Arbor and said he “loved” linebackers coach Alex Whittingham.
He added that they had a “great talk” on campus. His reaction to the game itself was just as strong: “Amazing.
It was a crazy atmosphere.”
Zuah wasn’t the only DMV prospect taking in the scene. He was joined by Mount Saint Joseph teammate and four-star Kinnard Mahomes, who also made his Michigan debut.
Mahomes said the visit went beyond what he expected: “I absolutely loved it. I thought the defense played really well, and the atmosphere was beyond electric.
It’s definitely a place I could see myself playing.”
Michigan left Saturday with more than good vibes. Zuah was one of three prospects on the radar who came away with offers, along with 2028 four-star Mundelein (Ill.)
Carmel Catholic offensive tackle Wyatt VanBoening and 2029 Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech athlete Pierre Johnson.
VanBoening said, “I really enjoyed the visit. The coaches seemed good and I thought the atmosphere that the fans created was great.”
On getting the offer, he added: “It was great. Michigan is an incredible opportunity to go to such a historic program.”
Johnson became the third in-state 2029 recruit to land an offer from the Wolverines. Five Cass Tech prospects are currently uncommitted and showing interest, including 2029 athlete Peyton Robinson, whose offer was announced on Sunday.
Johnson’s own reaction was equally upbeat: “The visit was great. The atmosphere in The Big House is unmatched and I feel that the coaches are authentic.
Can’t wait to get back up to Ann Arbor.”
One of Michigan’s clearest wins from the weekend came with 2028 athlete Marquis Ray, the son of former Wolverine Marcus Ray, a target the Wolverines are believed to be leading for. Marquis already knows The Big House, but this time he saw it from a recruit’s seat.
The family got VIP treatment on the sidelines before the game, with coaches including Tony Alford stopping by to greet them. Marcus called the experience “first class,” and his son said, “The visit went good.
It was good to be back in The Big House. Their defense has a different motor, and I just see more violence, and it was a great game.”
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For Michigan, the win will count in the standings, but the discussion around it reaches beyond one afternoon in Kalamazoo. The episode has fed broader concerns about fairness and the uneven resources in college football, especially in a sport where the Big Ten and SEC have so much control over the College Football Playoff landscape. Even with the result in the books, the larger question lingers: how many games are decided by the players, and how many by the systems meant to oversee them? [Read more 🡒]