The 2025 season is officially in the books for Michigan football after the Wolverines fell to Texas in the Citrus Bowl, and now the real work begins.
This was already going to be a chaotic offseason after the mid-December firing of head coach Sherrone Moore, even though Michigan moved quickly to reset its direction, landing a massive hire in longtime Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham, a proven builder known for toughness, development, and defensive identity.
But with a coaching change comes roster movement, and Michigan is feeling that right now.
As of tonight, following the addition of offensive lineman Ben Roebuck, a total of 14 Michigan players have either officially entered the NCAA Transfer Portal or are expected to do so.
And naturally… some fans are nervous.
Let’s break down what’s actually happening.
Michigan Players Who Have ENTERED the Transfer Portal
So far, seven players are officially in the portal:
- Jake Guarnera — IOL (SO) — Entered 1/03/2026
- Ben Roebuck — OL (SO) — Entered 1/03/2026
- Andrew Sprague — OT (SO) — Entered 1/02/2026
- Jaden Mangham — S (SR) — Entered 1/02/2026
- Dan Rosenberg — LS (RS-JR) — Entered 1/02/2026
- Evan Boutorwick — LS (SR) — Entered 1/02/2026
- Connor Jones — OT (SR) — Entered 12/02/2025
A big theme here: offensive line depth pieces and specialists. Losing Mangham in the secondary hurts, but most of these names are rotational or reserve players who may simply be looking for bigger roles.
Players EXPECTED / PLANNING to Enter the Portal
Another seven players are expected or planning to leave:
- Enow Etta — DL (JR) — Expected
- Elijah Dotson — CB (FR) — Expected
- Zeke Berry — CB (SR) — Expected / planning to leave
- Semaj Morgan — WR (JR) — Expected / planning to enter
- Fredrick Moore — WR (JR) — Expected
- Davis Warren — QB (SR) — Plans to enter (reported 12/29/25)
- Jadyn Davis — QB (SO) — Plans to enter (reported 12/16/25)
This group includes a few bigger names, especially at wide receiver and quarterback, which always draws attention.
But it’s also very normal during a coaching transition.
Current Portal Count
- Entered so far: 7 players
- Expected / planning: 7 players
- Total involved: 14
That number may still change, because the portal never sleeps.
So… Should Michigan Fans Panic?
Short answer: No — not yet.
This isn’t a roster collapse. It’s a reset phase.
A few things worth remembering:
- A new head coach means schema changes and role changes
- Players who committed to one staff sometimes leave another
- Whittingham has a long track record of replacing losses with proven talent
- Michigan is also expected to add multiple portal players, not just lose them
And yeah… several players who leave may return if roster conversations shift under the new staff.
This happens every year, and even more during a leadership change.
What Comes Next?
Whittingham and his staff now turn to:
- Re-recruiting players still on the roster
- Identifying portal targets at QB, WR, CB, and OL
- Stabilizing the locker room
- Setting the tone for the new era of Michigan football
Expect additions, and likely some impactful ones.
This roster turnover marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.
Change was always coming. Now we get to see what Kyle Whittingham builds from here.
