The top defensive back on Kyle Whittingham’s Utah team in 2025 is heading to Michigan.

Cornerback Smith Snowden, a two-year starter who earned second-team all-Big 12 honors last season, has committed to the Wolverines in 2026, he announced on Tuesday.

Listed at 5 foot 10 and 185 pounds, Snowden made 23 starts and 35 appearances over the last three years in Salt Lake City. He started all 12 regular-season games for Utah in 2025, leading the cornerbacks with 37 tackles (two for a loss) and the team with 11 passes defended.

Snowden finished last year with nine pass breakups and two interceptions, one each against Cincinnati and Kansas.

He also saw some playing time on offense, rushing eight times for 40 yards and a touchdown and catching 13 passes for 57 yards.

The Lehi, Utah, native made 11 starts at nickel in 2024, totaling 48 tackles (four for a loss), eight pass breakups and two interceptions. Snowden led the team with nine third-down stops that year.

Snowden saw immediate playing time as a true freshman in 2023, appearing in 11 games on defense and special teams. He added kick-return duties to his plate in 2024 and 2025.

A former four-star recruit, Snowden was a three-time first-team all-state selection at Skyridge High School, where he finished with 16 career interceptions and helped lead the school to a state title in 2022.

Snowden joins a Michigan secondary that could use the help. The Wolverines are set to return starting cornerbacks Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry, but lost starting nickel TJ Metcalf and starting safety Brandyn Hillman to the transfer portal.

On Monday, Michigan added veteran Memphis safety Chris Bracy.

Snowden is the fourth Utah player planning a transfer to Michigan since Kyle Whittingham was named the schol’s head coach on Dec. 26, joining defensive end John Henry Daley, defensive tackle Jonah Lea’ea and receiver JJ Buchanan.

EAST LANSING — Tom Izzo still doesn’t know what to make of the Big Ten this season.

After a wild couple of days, it appears as open as ever. as does the opportunity for Michigan State basketball to repeat as regular-season champion.

“I said in the middle of December, we’d know something. We kind of did. In the middle of January, do we know much more?” the Spartans coach said after practice Sunday, Jan 11. “You see so many teams getting beat and not getting beat. I think parity is at an all-time [high].”

Only two unbeatens remain in Big Ten play, with the 12th-ranked Spartans (14-2, 4-1) among three teams with one loss. To maintain pace in the competitive conference race requires continuing to win at home as MSU hosts Indiana (12-4, 3-2) on Tuesday (7 p.m., Peacock).

Here’s what to watch for in the first of two meetings between the Spartans and new-look Hoosiers.

A reputation for Jeremy Fears Jr.

There was a definitive pivot point in MSU’s 76-66 victory over Northwestern on Thursday, as the slow start was followed by a focused finish from Jeremy Fears Jr.

The third-year sophomore point guard got into early foul trouble with two blocking calls going against him and sat for nearly nine minutes of his scoreless first half.

“The thing is, you gotta be smart about how you do it,” he said. “You still kind of gotta play with that aggressive mindset, but also just be a little more smart at the same time, which is hard. That’s why you know usually if you get one, anything can happen.”

Nearing the midway point of the second half, Fears was knocked to the ground with no call in front of the his bench. Izzo was whistled for a technical foul with 13:49 to play and the Spartans trailing by seven after a four-point possession for the Wildcats.

“It’s hard with Jeremy because he falls a lot,” Northwestern coach Chris Collins said. “Some of them are fouls, and some aren’t. He’s good at it – I mean that in a good way – so at times, he can be tough to officiate because he’s really good at selling stuff.”

After a brief stint on the bench with Izzo, Fears took control. He scored 13 of his 15 points in the final 10:27, including nine during a nine-minute, 24-7 takeover in the aftermath of Izzo’s technical.

Fears also hit three free throws after getting fouled on a 3-point attempt after the Wildcats had cut it back to a three-point deficit during that stretch. That was the moment Chris Collins said he’d rather have back, preferring to let Fears – who is 4-for-25 beyond the arc over his past nine games – take the shot.

“He’s a vet point guard,” Collins said. “I’ve been watching him play ever since he was a young guy, growing up in Chicago. He just stayed on the bench when he got those two early fouls and he had to go sit. That’s what a veteran stud point guard does – he comes back in the game, he steadies the ship. And then he made a lot of huge plays down the stretch.

“The kid’s a winner, I got nothing but respect for him.”

Jaxon Kohler grows

If he had enough makes, Jaxon Kohler would rank among the nation’s best 3-point shooters.

Not that the senior’s 53.3% shooting from deep isn’t already impressive. After entering the season a career 33.9% shooter in 56 attempts behind the arc, the 6-foot-9 Kohler is showing off his improved shot by making 32 of 60 through the first 16 games. That included an 11-for-15 run in his past three games.

Equally as impressive are Kohler’s 14.2 points and 10.1 rebounds, both team highs. The Spartans haven’t had a player average a double-double over a full season since Xavier Tillman did it in 2019-20 with 13.7 points and 10.3 rebounds a game. The only other player to achieve that under Izzo was Draymond Green in 2011-12 (16.2 points/10.6 rebounds).

Indiana update

It’s a new-look Hoosiers squad under first-year coach Darian DeVries, who arrived from West Virginia and brought along 13 new faces.

Indiana lost every scholarship player from a year ago to the portal or graduation, with only two walk-ons back from former coach Mike Woodson’s final roster. Among the players DeVries added included his son Tucker, a 6-7 forward averaging 14.9 points and 5.1 rebounds. Joining him is 6-6 swingman Lamar Wilkerson, a Sam Houston State transfer who’s averaging 20.3 points a game overall and a league-leading 27.4 in Big Ten play.  Two others Hoosiers are scoring in double figures: 6-3 guard Tayton Conerway (12.3 points and 4.3 assists) and 6-10 reserve forward Reed Bailey (10.4 points and 4.5 rebounds).

All five IU starters average at least 3.3 rebounds a game and four average 2.8 assists or better.

“They’ve got a lot of guys that can score the ball,” Izzo said. “They shoot a lot of 3s. They seem to be very balanced offensively and defensively. Very well-coached. It’s a good team.”

The Hoosiers are 55th in scoring offense (84.5 points per game) and tied for 55th in scoring defense (68) while also ranking 55th in field goal percentage (48.3%). Indiana averages 36.8 rebounds a game but just 9.7 on the offensive glass, which is tied for 298th in Division I.

Izzo has never coached against DeVries, a 50-year-old who is 181-72 in eight seasons as a head coach, including six years at Drake and a one-year stopover at West Virginia last season.  

“It’s a little more prep for us, because we know nothing about them,” Izzo said, adding that the same holds for DeVries and his staff in preparing for MSU.

Michigan State basketball vs Indiana prediction

After a settling-in and feeling-out start, the Spartans begin to increase the tempo to assert its pace on a Hoosiers team that does not get out well in transition. That leads to big games for Fears and Coen Carr as MSU closes out a perfect three-game homestand before hitting the road for three of its next four. The pick: MSU 81, Indiana 74.

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.

 Subscribe to the “Spartan Speak” podcast for new episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

by Lauren Gibbons and Paula Gardner, Bridge Michigan
January 12, 2026

• Republican President Donald Trump will return to Michigan on Tuesday for an economic speech in Detroit
• After making bold promises to Michigan, Trump’s made some policy progress but economy remains sluggish  
• The president’s visit comes as the Detroit Auto Show prepares to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors

President Donald Trump is due back in Michigan on Tuesday to deliver an economic speech in Detroit, returning to a state for which he promised an economic miracle by the end of his four-year term. 

Roughly one year in, much work remains for the Republican president to fulfill that promise. 

Michigan has added jobs but continues to have one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation. Inflation has slowed, but many costs remain high. Tariffs have sparked uncertainty, but not decimated the auto industry, as his detractors feared. 

That’s the backdrop as Trump prepares to address members of the Detroit Economic Club, a group of regional business leaders he last spoke to in 2024 during his winning presidential campaign. 

He’s also expected to tour the Ford Rouge Center factory in Dearborn, but is not currently scheduled to tour the Detroit Auto Show, which is hosting other officials this week ahead of Saturday’s public opening.

Trump has frequently used Michigan as a backdrop for bold promises to address economic and cultural issues. During a Novi campaign rally in 2024, he promised that by the end of his term, “the entire world will be talking about the Michigan miracle and the stunning rebirth of Detroit.”

He’s also knocked the city: In his last address to the Detroit Economic Club in 2024, Trump warned the “whole country will end up being like Detroit” if Democrats won that year’s elections. He called Detroit a “once-great city” while promising a litany of tax cuts, deductions and credits that he argued would “save” the domestic auto industry.

Trump has made progress on some of those policy goals, but critics point to sluggish job growth, continued increases in the cost of living and economic uncertainty as signs that Trump’s actions are hurting average citizens.

He’s returning to Michigan during a tense time, nationally, following his military ouster of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and a fatal shooting by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minnesota. Protests are expected in Detroit. 

As Trump prepares to discuss the economy, here are the facts. 

How tariffs have fared 

Since taking office, Trump has levied tariffs on imported cars and vehicle parts, along with steel and aluminum. He’s also levied new import taxes on products from countries around the world. 

Michigan’s close trading ties to Canada and the prominence of auto manufacturing in the state prompted fears that steep tariffs could negatively impact the state’s economy, though results have been mixed. 

A December 2025 tariff analysis from economists at Harvard and Chicago University determined prices have increased and US businesses have borne the brunt of added costs. But tariff exemptions, shipping lags and enforcement gaps have moderated the overall impact on the economy. 

University of Michigan economists initially predicted Michigan could lose out on 13,000 jobs to the higher tariffs. In late 2025, an updated report found the tariffs’ impact would ultimately result in a “small positive” for domestic auto production, but raise consumer vehicle prices overall.  

Through September, Michigan had added about 20,000 jobs in 2025, according to federal data. The state also lost billions of dollars in climate-related investments last year under Trump, which advocates contend could have created even more jobs. 

The intent of Trump’s America First trade policy was to increase manufacturing in the U.S., a move that prompted automakers and their suppliers to rethink where products are made. Yet a wave of tariff announcements — including against Michigan’s trade partner, Canada — unsettled the industry. 

Today, various tariff rollbacks and pauses have calmed many industry fears, even as supply chain costs increased, said Glenn Stevens, executive director of statewide advocacy group MichAuto. 

Renewed commitment to autos?

Trump’s visit just days ahead of the Detroit Auto Show signals his commitment to Michigan’s signature industry, Stevens said.

Stevens said he hopes to hear more from Trump on Tuesday about his hopes for the negotiated North American trade policy under the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement.

“It’s taken a long time to develop this interconnected three country trade bloc, and we want it to be stronger together,” Stevens said. 

Other auto industry policy changes over the past year led to less restrictive fuel economy and emissions standards, along with reducing subsidies for electric vehicles. 

“We know what we’re dealing with now,” Stevens said about many federal directives. 

However, the rapid pace of change cost the industry: Ford Motor Co., for example, is looking at $19.5 billion in write-downs after drastically downsizing its EV production plans. 

If Trump speaks at length about autos, Stevens said he hopes the president offers signs that he’ll slow the velocity of change.

“The most important thing that the industry needs is as much stability and long-range planning capability as it can have,” Stevens said, allowing lasting investment and product decisions.

Inflation slows, but costs still high 

On the campaign trail, Trump promised to roll back inflation “on Day 1” and raise tariffs to drive job growth in Michigan.

Inflation has largely negated the impact of household income gains since the COVID-19 pandemic. Inflation increased 2.7% in November, a lower rate than anticipated but one economists warn could be skewed by lack of data collection during last year’s federal government shutdown.

Cost of living in Michigan and nationally have skyrocketed in recent years, driven by inflation and economic volatility, and the job market is tight. Consumer spirits lifted slightly in December, a University of Michigan survey found, but confidence in personal finances and the economy remains nearly 30% below the same time in 2024. 

In recent weeks, Trump has ordered the government to purchase $200 million in mortgage bonds in an attempt to lower interest rates, and on Friday night announced his support of a one-year, 10% cap on credit card interest rates.

“Please be informed that we will no longer let the American Public be ‘ripped off, by Credit Card Companies,” Trump wrote on his social media website. “AFFORDABILITY!”

But critics say continued affordability concerns are proof the president’s policies aren’t working.

“Michiganders are feeling the effects of Trump’s economy every day,” Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel said in a statement, arguing that the president’s actions have made costs of necessities like health care unaffordable for many residents.

The average Michigan family of four is paying more than $1,000 a month for groceries, up 40% since 2017 and higher than the national average, per an analysis from the Urban Institute, a nonprofit research firm. 

Renters have experienced a higher jump in monthly costs than the average national household — data from the real estate company Zillow shows average rents increasing nearly 45% in the Grand Rapids area since 2015 and 35% in metro Detroit.

Michigan’s unemployment rate as of November 2025 was 5%, a 0.2% decrease from November 2024, according to data released by the state Department of Technology, Management and Budget. Per the latest federal data available, Michigan had one of the highest jobless rates in the nation, behind only California, Nevada, New Jersey and Oregon. 

Median household income in Michigan was $72,389 in 2024, well below the national median of $81,604 — a gap that’s more than doubled since 2014 as the state lags behind the nation in income growth. 

Recent promises to Michigan 

In early 2025, Trump vowed to work with Michigan’s Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to expand operations at Macomb County’s Selfridge Air National Guard Base and fight Asian carp in the Great Lakes. 

Weeks later, Trump showed up to Michigan to announce new fighter jets at the base. Last May, Trump issued a memo directing his administration to “achieve maximum speed and efficiency” to prevent further Asian carp migration into the Great Lakes basin. 

Trump remains focused on increasing military spending, announcing last week that he wants to increase the defense budget by $500 billion, bringing it to a record $1.5 trillion in 2027. 

Whitmer has focused economic development initiatives on the defense sector, beyond Trump’s 2024 announcement about Selfridge expansion. The sector is worth about $30 billion, officials said in 2024 as Whitmer announced an Office of Defense and Aerospace Innovation. 

However, Trump also put the brakes on Biden-era infrastructure spending. The move was blamed last year for Michigan losing a controversial $63 billion semiconductor factory near Flint.

This <a target=”_blank” href=”https://bridgemi.com/michigan-government/as-donald-trump-returns-the-michigan-miracle-he-promised-remains-far-off/”>article</a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https://bridgemi.com”>Bridge Michigan</a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.<img src=”https://i0.wp.com/bridgemi.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cropped-android-chrome-192×192-1.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1″ style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”><img id=”republication-tracker-tool-source” src=”https://bridgemi.com/?republication-pixel=true&post=71487&amp;ga4=G-1E2G9MSHX5″ style=”width:1px;height:1px;”><script> PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: “https://bridgemi.com/michigan-government/as-donald-trump-returns-the-michigan-miracle-he-promised-remains-far-off/”, urlref: window.location.href }); } } </script> <script id=”parsely-cfg” src=”//cdn.parsely.com/keys/bridgemi.com/p.js”></script>