Michigan Football Coaching Staff Already Eying Transfer Targets

For 12 of the 14 Big Ten schools, the 2023 college football season is all but over, with only bowl games lying ahead. For the Michigan football coaching staff, however, this weekend marks an opportunity to win a third straight Big Ten Championship and more, with the No. 2 Wolverines (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten) facing off against the No. 16 Iowa Hawkeyes (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) in the conference title game tomorrow evening. With 2023 wrapping up, the transfer portal window is about to open, and a lot of talent will be up for grabs ahead of the 2024 season. Despite the fact that Michigan is still playing games, Jim Harbaugh, Jesse Minter, and other coaches know that they have to start skimming the portal to prepare next year’s roster.

Michigan football coaching staff ready to look over options

The college football transfer portal window is nothing short of chaotic; however, if you can navigate it properly, a successful roster can be constructed. After this season, Michigan football is losing a ton of talent — Jim Harbaugh even thinks that his Wolveirnes will break the record for most players drafted in a single season, which is very possible.

Regardless, with the Big Ten expanding to 18 programs and the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams next fall, Jim Harbaugh and his Michigan football coaching staff have got a few pieces to replace in order to remain competitive on a national scale.

Jesse Minter, U-M coaches ready to use transfer portal again

Jesse Minter, the Wolverines’ second-year defensive coordinator, knows this, and gave some insight into how Michigan is preparing for the transfer portal window, which is set to officially open next week.

“That’s just college football,” Jesse Minter said Wednesday. “So I think you’re always looking at roster construction and what’s the best way to build your team. Obviously, we (Michigan football) have what we have now, and we’re going to have it until — hopefully — January 8th. After that, you’ve got to really have eyes towards what you want the roster to look like next year.

“As the portal opens up, similar to last year, you gotta keep your eyes on guys. We certainly have a few, mainly some positions where we’re really looking (at) knowing we may or may not have some guys back and things like that.

“I just think that part of it in college football is the timing of it. (It is) different than the NFL, where you play the season and free agency opens down the road. With the portal, it’s an ongoing deal. Typically, as it opens up officially — I believe next week — that’ll take some of our time over the first couple of weeks in December to see if there’s something out there for us.”

Michigan football focused on 2023 season, but the portal will be a factor in next year’s roster

So far, Michigan football has already gotten its eyes on a few transfer portal targets, even offering All-Ivey defensive tackle Joey Slackman out of UPenn. It will be a minute until we truly know what the Wolverines’ team needs will be for the 2024 season, especially since star players like Roman Wilson, JJ McCarthy, and others need to make a final call on if they are staying at Michigan or heading to the NFL Draft.

Still, Jim Harbaugh and Michigan football will be ready to hit the transfer portal hard, just as they did in 2023, to maintain the team’s level of competitiveness within the Big Ten Conference and on a national scale.

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