Michigan’s season may not have unfolded the way anyone inside the program wanted, but the Wolverines have still found real value in a few of the Utah players Kyle Whittingham brought with him to Ann Arbor.
When Whittingham made the move, several of his former Utes followed him through the portal. A handful of those transfers arrived with plenty of attention, and three of them have already made good on that early buzz during their first year with Michigan.
Smith Snowden has been one of the cleaner wins of the bunch. The cornerback needed a little time to settle in after an injury-hit 2025 season at Utah, but once he got comfortable, he fit right into a loaded Michigan secondary.
He has had a few reps get away from him, including the final Iowa touchdown, yet the overall production has been strong. Snowden has 14 total tackles, 12 solo tackles and two passes defended.
His best moment so far came against Minnesota, when his interception gave Michigan its best field position of the day and helped set up the only offensive touchdown.
If there’s one transfer who has separated himself from the rest, it’s JJ Buchanan. The sophomore has become Michigan’s top receiving threat by a wide margin, piling up 446 yards and four touchdowns.
That puts him nearly 200 yards ahead of Andrew Marsh and three scores ahead of the next man on the list. Buchanan has been a reliable outlet for Bryce Underwood whenever the passing game finds a rhythm.
In five games, he’s topped 100 receiving yards twice and scored at least once in three of them. He already looks like a pro-level player, and he could be even better in Ann Arbor next season, if he stays.
Then there’s John Henry Daley, who came in with plenty of expectations of his own after tearing his Achilles last season. Michigan wanted him to be a force off the edge, and that’s exactly what he has been.
Daley leads all Michigan defensive linemen with 16 total tackles and six solo tackles, and he also tops the team in sacks with three for 17 yards. His presence has gone hand in hand with Dom Nichols, who has been just as hard for opposing offenses to handle.
One side brings the heat, then the other does. Daley has matched the hype so far and could wind up leading the Wolverines in sacks by season’s end.
In Other News...
Michigans Early Big Ten Hole Looks Even Worse Now
Three weeks into Big Ten play, Michigan is still stuck without a conference win, and the standings around it have only made that opening stretch feel heavier. The league has settled into an early picture with six teams, including the Wolverines, still searching for their first victory, while Ohio State has taken the lead and other programs like Indiana and Nebraska have shown enough to keep the race from feeling orderly.
For Michigan, the frustration is not just the record but the way a few key moments have shaped it. A kickoff return against Iowa and a muffed punt against Minnesota helped swing games the wrong way, the kind of special teams breakdowns that can turn a manageable start into a deeper hole. In a conference already looking competitive and crowded, every missed chance only makes the climb back harder. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fans Finally Get A First Look At Boynton's New Pieces
Michigan basketball fans are about to get their first real look at Mike Boynton Jr.s new group when the Wolverines begin a three-game exhibition slate ahead of the 2026-27 season. The opener comes against Eastern Michigan, which will also be introducing a new voice of its own in Billy Donlon, giving the matchup a little extra curiosity beyond the usual preseason tune-up.
For Michigan, the spotlight will be on how the fresh roster pieces fit early, especially newcomers Kenny Noland and Roddy Gayle Jr. Both are expected to take part in the exhibition, and their presence should offer at least a first glimpse at how Boynton wants this team to look before the games start counting for real. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa's Rebound Just Changed How Michigan Fans See That Loss
Iowas response after its earlier loss did more than stabilize the Hawkeyes, it also gave Michigan fans a fresh lens on that defeat. In a Big Ten weekend packed with swings, Nebraska pushed Indiana before falling late and Oregon had its own problems against UCLA, with injuries complicating the Ducks offense, all of it reinforcing how quickly the conference picture can change from one Saturday to the next.
For Michigan, the bigger takeaway is less about any one final score and more about what these teams might look like by the time the Wolverines see them again. Iowas bounce-back suggests that result was never going to define the Hawkeyes for long, while the late-game issues for Nebraska and the uneven showing from Oregon only add more uncertainty to a league race that already feels unsettled. [Read more 🡒]