The Michigan Insider team has its finger on the pulse of Michigan football recruiting for the class of 2025 and beyond, and the new coaching staff, including defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, under head coach Sherrone Moore

A whopping 18 Michigan football players will attend the NFL Scouting Combine this year. Michigan fans will enjoy watching them pursue NFL dreams, but that huge number also underscores how many holes new Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore needs to fill on the 2024 roster. That work begins in earnest on when spring practice opens on March 18, with the spring game set for April 20. Help is on the way soon, however. The Michigan Insider staff caught up 2024 four-star defensive end signee Devon Baxter, who is set to enroll this summer and has updated how his offseason workouts are going.

Meanwhile, running back signee Jordan Marshall spoke to TMI about how this signing class has dealt with the coaching change. If you want to see the latest Michigan recruiting news and updates on the staff and 2024 team, be sure to see what the proven team of insiders are saying at The Michigan Insider, the 247Sports affiliate that covers Michigan.

The team at The Michigan Insider is providing on-the-ground updates on every development in the defensive coordinator coaching search, including insights from Sam Webb, Steve Lorenz, Zach Shaw and Alejandro Zuniga. The unrivaled insider team has the latest Michigan recruiting news and the inside scoop on the Michigan coaching search.

The team at The Michigan Insider already has several recruiting updates from Moore’s first few weeks on the job, along with staff updates and an outlook for the 2024 roster. Head to The Michigan Insider now to see see the latest news.
Sherrone Moore Michigan recruiting and coaching updates

Michigan has one of the top returning tight ends in the nation in Colston Loveland. However, he’ll be draft eligible after next season, so tight end is a spot the Wolverines are hitting hard on the recruiting trail. Steve Casula is the new tight end coach under Moore, and one of his top targets is Goodland (Kan.) four-star Linkon Cure.

Cure is the No. 2 TE and the No. 43 overall player in the 2025 class in the 247Sports Composite rankings. Casula has already been in touch with Cure and found out where he stands with the new staff. The Michigan Insider staff caught up with Cure and he updated them on his thoughts on Casula and his plans to potentially visit Ann Arbor.

Another priority in the 2025 class is offensive tackle Avery Gach. The Franklin, Mich., product is a Top247 prospect and the No. 11 interior offensive lineman in the nation. Michigan is trending in his recruitment with five 247Sports experts predicting that he’ll ultimately sign with the Wolverines.

However, Michigan has plenty of competition with power programs such as Ohio State and Alabama also in the mix. In-state rival Michigan State has also made Gach a priority. Gach caught up with 247Sports recently to discuss his spring visit plans. Find out which schools he’s planning to see right here.

As for the coaching staff, Moore appears to be set. Continuity was the theme for the offensive staff. Coordinator Kirk Campbell was promoted from within, as was offensive line coach Grant Newsome. Ron Bellamy remains the receivers coach, while Steve Casula, a former Michigan analyst, has returned to the school to coach tight ends. The only question surrounds running backs coach Mike Hart, who is reportedly on a leave of absence, but remains officially a part of the staff for the time being.

The defensive side, meanwhile, will feature a lot of change under new coordinator Wink Martindale. Martindale replaces Jesse Minter, who followed Harbaugh to the NFL. Martindale’s three key assistants — defensive line coach Greg Scruggs (Wisconsin), linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary (Tennessee) and defensive back coach LaMar Morgan (Louisiana) — all coached elsewhere last year. The staff at TMI has graded the assistant coaching hires right here.

The Michigan Insider staff is also turning their attention to a new-look 2024 squad. New offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell does not have the luxury of relying on a veteran quarterback following JJ McCarthy’s departure to the NFL. McCarthy led the Wolverines to a perfect 15-0 season that was capped off with a national title, so his replacement has big shoes to fill.

Juniors Alex Orji and Jayden Denegal are at the center of the competition, but Davis Warren and Jadyn Davis are also on the roster. While Orji did not throw any passes during the 2023 season, he rushed 15 times for 86 yards and a touchdown across six games. He had two carries for 15 yards against Washington in the national championship, suggesting that he could have a leg up on the competition for the starting job. TMI has the latest comments from new offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell on the QB competition right here.
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The Wolverines are also locking in on one of the top cornerbacks in the 2025 class. He’s eyeing a return trip to Ann Arbor, and he’s sharing his latest plans right here.