Sherrone Moore and the Michigan Wolverines are turning up the heat on the 2026 trail. With four-star edge McHale Blade, three-star edge Tariq Boney, and four-star DT Alister Vallejo already in the fold, the defensive front is stacking up fast. Now, all eyes are on defensive lineman Deuce Geralds—one of the top recruits in the country—as he’s headed to Ann Arbor for his official visit. With game-breaking potential, Geralds could be the perfect finishing touch for Lou Esposito’s defense. Yet, Michigan has already started making its move for its next big target—a difference-making 2026 linebacker.

On June 20, Michigan insider Ethan McDowell broke the news: Moore and the Wolverines have officially entered 2026’s linebacker race by giving an offer to Kaden Catchings, a 6’2″, 220-pound Mississippi native who committed to the Liberty Flames earlier this month.

It was Catchings himself who first confirmed the news on X on June 20, posting, “Blessed to receive an offer from @UMichFootball 〽️”. Notably, the three-star standout from Hartfield Academy in Flowood has also racked up offers from programs like Memphis, Ole Miss, Memphis, Arkansas State, Toledo USF, and Western Kentucky, among others. He even took an official visit to South Florida earlier this cycle.

As for his stats, the young player posted 37 tackles in 13 games last season on defense. But he’s not just a force on that side of the ball. As a running back, he also rushed for over 1,000 yards and 15 TDs at an impressive 8.4 YPC. With speed, power, and two-way production, Catchings is clearly a major pickup.

But now, things are heating up fast in Ann Arbor. Sherrone Moore’s latest offer to the 2026 Liberty commit could shake up Michigan’s linebacker board in a big way. As it stands, Michigan hasn’t secured a linebacker in its 2026 class yet. But with four-star Kenneth Goodwin nearing a July 1 decision and Catchings now showing interest, that could change in a hurry.

Having said that, another storyline is also grabbing national attention. Urban Meyer has weighed in on the growing storm around Michigan State’s alleged sign-stealing scandal. Now, as one recruitment battle heats up, a rivalry controversy is boiling over.

The allegations involving Michigan

The Wolverines currently await potential NCAA discipline tied to the now-infamous Connor Stalions sign-stealing saga. The verdict is expected ahead of the 2025 season, and the severity of the fallout will depend on how deep the violations go. On The Triple Option podcast, former HC and longtime Michigan critic Urban Meyer didn’t shy away from the topic. Asked to weigh the seriousness of different infractions, Meyer acknowledged the gravity of the situation in Ann Arbor.

“On the surface, is it a competitive advantage to know the signals of your opponents — illegally, you got them illegally — of course it is,” said Meyer. “People have to understand that when you say signals, there’s only a couple of signals you can get that fast in real time: Is it a run or a pass? Is that significant? Hell yeah, it is. It’s a tremendous advantage.”

But he didn’t stop there. “It changes the entire technique of your defensive front — linebackers and the (secondary) — everybody knows it’s a pass, that’s a completely different story. And then the whole right or left, if they know it’s a run to the right or run to the left. And that’s why I understand what the advantages are,” said Meyer.

Michigan has already taken internal action, suspending Sherrone Moore for Weeks 3 and 4 of the 2025 season against Central Michigan and Nebraska. Although Moore went 8-5 in his first year at the helm, the sign-stealing saga continues to stir. And Urban Meyer didn’t hold back, adding, “For an offense, it’s all about the blitz… that’s a hell of an advantage… if that was really happening — and we all hear that it was — then that is a 1.” So, the heat around Michigan isn’t cooling anytime soon.