BREAKING: Michigan hands Ohio State coal for Christmas with latest transfer portal addition
The Michigan Wolverines just dealt a hand to the Ohio State Buckeyes, which will have Ohio concerned when The Game reconvenes next November in Ann Arbor. Sherrone Moore is building his own version of the punishing Alabama Crimson Tide teams that dominated under Nick Saban’s eye for almost two decades.
Grabbing Saban’s former running back, Justice Haynes, in the transfer portal is a big part of the strategy. Haynes was solid in limited time in 2024, totaling 448 yards and seven touchdowns on 79 touches.
Haynes has two more years of eligibility remaining. He carried the ball 25 times for 168 yards and two scores as a true freshman in 2023. The 5-foot-11, 210-pounder is a power back who will bully defenders who square up to him.
His play style is what is especially attractive for Michigan. With Donovan Edwards and Kalel Mullings off to the NFL, the young backfield of Benjamin Hall and Jordan Marshall needed a boost. Haynes could be the starter right away.
Alongside 5-star quarterback Bryce Underwood and behind top 5-star tackle Andrew Babalola, plus the potential addition of transfer tackle Fa’alili Fa’amoe, the Wolverines are blending young raw talent with veteran stopgap. Mikey Keene will compete to start right away after coming from Fresno State, but Underwood could usurp him over the course of the season.
Ohio State, though, has to be scared of a physical run game that punishes its inexperienced defensive front. Michigan has routinely bullied the Buckeyes in the trenches, winning four straight years with similar tactics. Haynes, Babalola, and Underwood are elite athletes who embody the strategy Michigan has mastered and won with in the season’s most important game.
Ohio State opted against chasing Haynes as heavily, though they did show interest. Instead, they landed 240-pounder C.J. Donaldson from West Virginia. It won’t matter much if the Buckeyes can’t block better, though they’ve aggressively pursued and landed several linemen in the portal as well.
