Leading into spring ball, there was a lot of excitement about Michigan’s defense. Rod Moore had announced his return. Michigan would also have Makari Paige. There were some questions about depth at the safety position, but with the announcement that Quinten Johnson inked an NIL deal and would play for the Wolverines next season instead of entering the draft, it seemed like things were looking up.
Then, Moore tore his ACL shortly into spring practice. It was a huge loss to a position already thin compared to the National Championship roster. While fans and coaches are excited about guys like Zeke Berry stepping up this season, the team also lost key contributor Keon Sabb to Alabama via the transfer portal.