Recapping A Busy Week For Michigan Wolverines Football And Basketball

Michigan basketball landed former Purdue guard Nojel Eastern on Thursday. He pledged to the Wolverines just one day after entering the transfer portal. The 6-7 guard has one year of eligibility left, and will have to sit out next season unless he is granted a waiver from the NCAA.

Eastern averaged 7.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game as a sophomore before taking a step back last year in the productivity department, averaging 4.9 points and 4.0 rebounds per contest.

While he’s limited offensively, especially as a shooter, Eastern is considered a premier defender on the wing and in the backcourt.

Michigan is still in the mix for a slew of other transfer guards, including former DePaul standout Jalen Coleman-Lands, who listed the Wolverines in his top five along with Cal, N.C. State, Iowa State and USC. He played two seasons at Illinois before heading to DePaul for the last two years. The 6-4 Indianapolis native averaged 11.1 points per game last season in the Big East. He has one year of immediate eligibility remaining.

Another option is 6-foot-5 Wake Forest wing Chaundee Brown. He has one year of eligibility remaining, and hopes to be able to play right away due to his coach, Danny Manning, being fired in Winston-Salem following this past season. He averaged 12.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game last season, while making close to 84 percent of his free throws.

More names may emerge as possibilities for Juwan Howard and the Wolverines as players continue to enter the transfer portal.

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Josh Gattis Talks Michigan Football's QB Competition

Michigan football offensive coordinator Josh Gattis held a video teleconference with reporters on Thursday, and discussed the quarterback competition, among other topics.

He made headlines by saying the starting quarterback job is up for grabs.

“We lost our quarterback, so we are nowhere near having a frontrunner,” Gattis said. “We lost our starter, obviously. We’re in a three-man competition coming into the spring with [redshirt sophomore] Joe [Milton], [redshirt junior] Dylan [McCaffrey] and [redshirt freshman] Cade [McNamara]. No one has got an advantage over either one.

“We’re excited about the guys we have on our roster. We’ve got to solve that situation down the road when we get the opportunity. No one has a leg up. It’s not based on depth chart last year, not based on skill set this year. Every guy is equal, and every guy is going to get the right opportunity to go out and compete and lead this team.

“When we have that answer is when they’ll know. Right now, we haven’t even come close to starting that battle yet, missing the time [we’ve missed].”

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Jim Harbaugh Speaks About His Five Years With Michigan Football

Jim Harbaugh joined The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami on his The TK Show podcast this week to talk about his tenure so far at Michigan and discuss other topics.

The Wolverines’ head man says he and the team are staying productive during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Very grateful," Harbaugh said. "My family’s doing well. All our players, their families, our coaches, all our staff. Very grateful that everybody’s healthy and doing well.

"Being productive, trying to be as creative as possible, and prepare. The Bible says that providence favors the prepared. We are taking that approach."

Asked about his tenure at Michigan, Harbaugh acknowledges that his teams have had success, but have ultimately fallen short of their goals.

"It’s been years of just completely pouring myself and my heart and soul into this job and coaching guys and developing players, graduating players," Harbaugh said. "It’s been great years, been great years.

"Always want to do better. Striving to be the best.

"Right now, I think our team, we’re kind of on the cusp. We haven’t gotten over the top into the playoffs, and that’s what drives us and motivates us every day on the field and every day working toward that goal.

"We’ve been to the New Year’s bowl games and we’ve had success on the field. But, winning that championship, making the playoffs, that’s something our players and our coaches are pouring our hearts and souls into. Determined to get there."

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Michigan Football Lands Commitment From Ohio DB Rod Moore

On Sunday, Michigan landed a commitment from Clayton (Ohio) Northmont three-star safety Rod Moore. He committed to the Wolverines over offers from Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin and others.

Even though Moore has never visited the Michigan campus, his relationships with the coaching staff are strong enough for him to know where he wants to play at the next level.

“I have a great relationship with Coach (Bob) Shoop, and it’s building even more,” Moore told The Wolverine's EJ Holland. “The way we talk about things, it just hits more than any other school. Coach Shoop just tells me that I can come in and play early. I really like Coach (Jim) Harbaugh and the philosophy he has with his players. He said I’m the type of player that they are looking for.”

Moore’s commitment came one day after the Wolverines landed Bolingbrook (Ill.) High three-star linebacker Tyler McLaurin.

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Michigan Football Commits, Targets Train In New England

On Tuesday, Michigan football commits from the New England area teamed up with other targets from the region to train together.

The Wolverine's EJ Holland was on hand to evaluate the talent and catch up with commits, targets and even 2020 early enrollees Kalel Mullings and Zak Zinter.