Michigan is finally back to being a contender this season. Fresh off a massive 24-10 victory against the Badgers, they are eyeing a playoff run with QB Bryce Underwood. Well, it looks like spending $10.5 million on his recruitment was more than worth it for them. As he’s the one behind the Wolverines’ 4-1 run in the league. But Sherrone Moore is not just stopping at that. He needs to plan for the future as well. His move? Grabbing 2026 four-star QB Brady Smigiel from Newbury Park High. But just when Moore thought his team had one QB recruit locked down for next year, Smigiel suffered a season-ending injury.

Smigiel has been playing as a starter for 3 years in his high school, and that experience made him a great option for the Wolverines. But getting him was not that straightforward, as Smigiel was first committed to Florida State back in June 2024. He changed his mind, parting ways with them in January 2025 after they ended up with a 2-10 season. That’s when Michigan came in, offering stability after a win against Alabama.

Now their possible future QB1 got hurt against Santa Barbara on Friday after jumping over the goal line to give his team a 21-7 lead. He tore his ACL. As Los Angeles Times’ Eric Sondheimer said, “The fantastic high school football career is over for Newbury Park QB Brady Smigiel. He suffered a torn ACL injury to his knee on Friday night. He will be back. Michigan commit. Work ethic will get him back.”

Despite a 31-21 win, Newbury’s fate turned headfirst after they lost their star QB. Before the injury, Smigiel threw for 116 yards with a rushing TD for his team. Well, let’s just hope he recovers fast, as losing a player like him will be a big blow for not just his HS team but also for Michigan as this delays his development. Smigiel is a 6’5″, 205-pound athlete and a dynamic QB with good arm strength. Smigiel is the No. 172 overall prospect and No. 11 QB in the 2026 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He’s also the No. 21 senior in California.

His production is top-notch, as he recorded 3,521 yards with 49 touchdowns and three interceptions in his junior year. Smigiel even added 11 rushing TDs and over 400 yards on the ground for his team. Across his high school career, he threw 147 TD passes and racked up over 11,000 passing yards in three seasons. Smigiel even led his team to a CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship and even earned the Division 2 Offensive Player of the Year honor. So, now you know why his availability is important for Michigan. But along with Brady Smigiel, even Sherrone Moore’s transfer RB is making headlines this season.

Michigan gets an instant update with transfer RB

Sherrone Moore knows whom he’s betting on while recruiting players. It’s either Underwood, Smigiel, or now Justice Haynes, everyone has the potential to be a star. And Haynes is proving it in real time. He made an instant impact after coming in from Alabama. Last year he barely saw the field, recording just 8 carries in the final 10 games. But here at Michigan, he’s recording 14 carries per game, showing what he’s capable of.

Now, Haynes’s best game came against Wisconsin when he broke his single-season career rushing yards record. That’s right, this guy finished with 19 carries for 117 yards with two 1-yard rushing TDs. Impressive, right? His longest run of the day was a 43-yard dash in the first quarter. With that, Haynes became the first player since Denard Robinson to get 100-plus yards in 5 games in the program’s history.

Looking at that level of success, even Sherrone Moore couldn’t hold back his praise for him, pointing a subtle jab at Alabama. “Ha, I’m elated. I feel sorry for the team (Alabama) that let him go, but I’m glad he is here,” Moore said after winning against the Badgers. Now, with key playmakers on the team, it will be interesting to see how this season turns out for Michigan.