LaMar Morgan speaks with the cornerback for CA

Now that Michigan’s defensive staff is getting settled in, certain former targets are beginning to reappear while others are becoming more visible.

Three-star cornerback Trestin Castro of Upland, California, was one of the players that visited with assistant LaMar Morgan on Tuesday night. Among others, USC, Washington, Utah, and Colorado are currently offering Castro offers.

Jordan Marshall and Micah Kaa’pana, two RB signees, are still committed to Michigan.
TMI has the most recent information about two Wolverines signees.

Under Jim Harbaugh, Michigan assembled a formidable recruiting class for the 2024 cycle, particularly at several positions such as running back.

In Cincinnati (OH), the Wolverines formally signed a gifted pair. Jordan Marshall, a four-star running back from Las Vegas (Nev.), and Archbishop Moeller 2024 Micah Kaa’pana, a three-star running back for Bishop Gorman in 2024.

Early enrollment, transfers’ first practices at new schools, and the emergence of erstwhile backups into starting positions are all examples of how college football’s spring camp frequently offers an early glimpse at the game’s future big players. Practices have started at a few of the best teams in the country, and players like Ohio State’s highly-regarded five-star wide out rookie Jeremiah Smith have already started to establish themselves.

The most important names to follow this spring are headlined by breakout contenders. Of course, quarterback competitions take center stage, but there are also interesting narratives that culminate in April’s spring games, involving position fights among prominent rosters.

The Big Ten has a history of success in recruiting seniors from high school and through the transfer portal.As a result, the league has a wealth of young talent before the 2024 campaign. This spring, Smith and other rising stars in the class—such as recently recruited Iowa offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor—are leading the discussion in that regard.

Throughout his three years in Athens, Nyland Green did not make a significant impact on the Georgia defense; nevertheless, this was more a reflection of the Bulldogs’ depth than of his particular skill. The former five-star recruit eventually settled into a special teams role after being considered for a starting position last season. As Purdue tries to improve in year two under Ryan Walters, Green—the top cornerback in the 2024 transfer portal cycle—is a huge pickup. He should eventually make an impact now that he has an easy route to playing time in the defensive backfield of the Boilermakers.

As a true freshman at Alabama, Kadyn Proctor saw his fair share of growing pains last season as he was thrown into the crucial left tackle position. However, he really started to shine later in the season as he continued to improve week after week and by the end of the season, he had played a significant role in the Crimson Tide’s run to the College Football Playoffs. The nation’s top-ranked offensive tackle recruit from the previous class now plays football for an Iowa squad that often plays some of the roughest games in the league. Iowa “needed help on the offensive line, and getting the No. 2 overall transfer from the 247Sports transfer rankings helps,” according to David Eickholt of HawkeyeInsider.

Trech Kekahuna, a wide receiver at Wisconsin, came on late in his true freshman season of the previous year, participating in all five games and making an impression in the ReliaQuest Bowl. In that semifinal game against LSU, he recorded four receptions for 64 yards in receiving, in addition to a 37-yard kickoff return. Nick Osen of Badger247 claims that as Kekahuna continues to grow under offensive coordinator Phil Longo—who places a strong emphasis on the passing game—he “could see a ton of success in this offense” in the future.

Aidan Chiles was so promising as a true freshman that Oregon State’s coach Jonathan Smith only allowed his prized quarterback to play one drive each game the previous season. Chiles, the second-best transfer signal-caller in the country, followed his mentor to Michigan State.

Smith stated on ESPN’s College GameDay Podcast, “He is just instinctive in recognizing what’s going on, timing of routes, timing of movement in the pocket, when to take off and run, and when to hang in there.” It comes naturally to him to play quarterback. Undoubtedly possesses some arm skill. able to be quite precise. robust arm

Now that star running back Bucky Irving is leaving for the NFL, Eugene will have carry competition this offseason. Jordan James’ chances of landing the featured back position are threatened by Noah Whittington’s knee injury comeback, but his performance from the previous campaign should speak for itself. Despite giving up a lot of touches to Irving, James was one of the most dynamic players in the Pac-12, topping the conference in yards per run (7.09) and ranking third in rushing touchdowns (11). He has a chance to win the Big Ten running title if he secures the starting position this spring.

Abraham Lincoln Banks, Nebraska

“Jahmal Banks was one of the Huskers’ two big wide receive additions out of the portal, and they need him to be productive from the jump,” writes Michael Bruntz of Husker247. This spring, the seasoned Wake Forest player will have the chance to get to know the new five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola, who is expected to start for Nebraska right away. Banks might finish his collegiate career with a strong year and help the Huskers regain bowl eligibility if those two get along. During the previous fall season, the fifth-year receiver caught 59 passes for a team-high 653 yards and four touchdowns.

What life will be like without Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams is the biggest concern facing USC this spring. Miller Moss, a returning backup signal-caller, may have the solution, but he must first defeat Jayden Maiava, a UNLV transfer, in the spring and maybe in the fall to earn a starting position. Moss made a great impression on his initial audition, earning a starting position and breaking the program record for most passing touchdowns in a bowl game with six in the Holiday Bowl. Having studied under Lincoln Riley for two of his three collegiate seasons, he has a wealth of knowledge in Riley’s explosive system.

Brad Crawford of 247Sports reports that Tony Rojas made a big splash when he arrived at Happy Valley as a guy expected to contribute right away as a true freshman. And even though he showed flashes throughout the course of 13 games, the Nittany Lions’ front seven was simply loaded, particularly at linebacker. However, with Abdul Carter switching to the edge position and Penn State losing Curtis Jacobs to the NFL Draft, Rojas will need to play a key role as a sophomore for this defense to be at its best. His development was aided by learning under more experienced players during the previous season, and this spring he takes a full-time starting position.

DJ Waller Jr.’s CB, MI

6-foot-3 second-year cornerback DJ Waller Jr. is a man with a “super high ceiling guy and a guy the new defensive staff is going to try to turn into a major contributor,” according to Steve Lorenz of TheMichiganInsider. Waller appeared in 11 games last season, recorded 12 tackles, and broke up one pass. He was named the team’s Defensive Freshman of the Week five times. This offseason, the Wolverines selected a number of defensive players in the NFL Draft, giving Waller a starting cornerback spot. Over the next few weeks, he will have his first prolonged stint in that capacity.

Among the first teams to report for spring camp was Ohio State, and in the first few practices, new freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith caught everyone’s attention. According to Patrick Murphy of the Bucknuts, the top-ranked recruit in the 2024 class and one of the all-time greats at wide receiver in high school, “is creating a bunch of buzz already.” Despite his youth, Smith made a big impression on his teammates as soon as he joined early. With incredible athleticism, the incoming wide receiver for the Buckeyes might be a national title contender.

The guy in charge of overseeing the entire Michigan football defensive coaching change, Wink Martindale, is the one who adds the most excitement to Ann Arbor.

In contrast to the two previous defensive coordinators at Michigan, he is not a young, promising professional. After spending decades in the NFL, he comes to Ann Arbor as a seasoned player who was most recently with the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens. More significantly, he will be tasked with leading college football’s best defense, which has helped Michigan win three Big Ten conference titles under Mike Macdonald and Jesse Minter and a national championship in 2023. The program hopes to defend its championship in 2024. Many people refer to Martindale as the architectyet he does not resemble the guys who came before him. Macdonald and Minter’s defensive plan, which oversaw Michigan’s three-year run of unparalleled dominance, was the driving force behind it.

What defense will Michigan football play under Wink Martindale, then? When the man himself made an appearance on an edition of Jon Jansen’s Michigan Athletics podcast, “In the Trenches,” the public received its first chance to hear from him. Martindale discussed his plans for the Wolverines and the expertise he will provide to the staff.

Highlights of his remarks are listed below:

What Wink Martindale finds most enjoyable about coaching:

Being with the players is my favorite aspect of being a coach. And the reason this has been so wonderful for me is because there are guys here all the time who are watching footage and asking questions. Rod and Makari are two of the players that have been there. Mason has attended staff meetings. Come on in and let’s discuss football if they want to attend a staff meeting. And as far as the teaching and educator component goes, it’s all relative, whether it’s high school, college, or the professional world. However, there’s a distinct enthusiasm among people who want to study andIt’s been a great time.

Regarding his start as a football coach:

Initially, I worked for Coach Holtz at the University of Notre Dame after spending five years as a high school teacher and coach. After working football camps and other similar events, I became friends with Skip. And that’s how it all began—I was going to travel to Connecticut with Skip, but Coach Holtz beat him out. However, I was there in ’96 along with a number of other folks who have gone on to have great success in this field, including Sam Pittman, John Harbaugh, Rex Ryan, and myself. That’s how I met John, and I was at Western Illinois when his father took a job at Western Kentucky.

at the time, and traveled through Western Illinois and Western Kentucky before things suddenly took off.

About his comeback to collegiate football:

the thrill of returning to my roots, as I mentioned earlier. and simply to have the chance. Being the defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan and having this opportunity—I mean, it’s a dream job. It’s one of those things: in my opinion, there are a lot of bucket list items in our life. It will also be a bucket list item that my wife and I completed, when you look back on it at the end. It simply excites me much. And returning to the pomp of college football excites me. Due toYou are aware that this isn’t the same as the professional level. Furthermore, I wish our schedule was a little bit simpler than it is. But I suppose it’s just something from where I recently moved.

Upon taking over a defensive scheme created by his mentors, Mike Macdonald and Jesse Minter:

The biggest shift, in my opinion, has been in the language due to college football’s fast-paced nature. It takes a lot of calls to do simple one-word tasks. However, they retained the core of our collective efforts from 2018. And seeing it function is enjoyable. And it hasn’t just worked for those two; D’Anton Lynn, who is currently at SC, Zach Orr,who works as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator. Many individuals who are experiencing great success with this approach have risen through our tree, so to speak.

I informed the players, in all humility, that we would be okay because I am the original creator of the system.