New defensive coordinator Jay Hill comes to Michigan by way of BYU, and the Cougars’ defense was a big part of their success last year. They had the No. 5 red zone defense in the country, and were in the top-10 for interceptions and defensive touchdowns.

Hill’s defense appears to run through the secondary, which is good news for the Wolverines given the experience they’re bringing back. Veterans Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry return, while senior Smith Snowden transferred over from Utah. Young players Jo’Ziah Edmond and Shamari Earls both have a shot at taking leaps forward this fall.

Then there’s the safety group. Juniors Mason Curtis and Jacob Oden, and sophomore Jordan Young, really improved in 2025. Michigan also added Memphis veteran Chris Bracy through the portal. If the Wolverines can get Rod Moore fully healthy and back on the field, that’s an even more complete unit.

Looking at highlights from BYU’s defense last season, it looks like Hill likes to vary how he uses his secondary. And when you look at Pro Football Focus (PFF), Hill had some of his secondary players at the top for rush defense, and that didn’t take away from how they graded out in coverage.

Take a look at this play from BYU cornerback Mory Bamba against Utah. He’s able to pick up a huge tackle despite starting well off the line of scrimmage. He uses his speed to pick up a huge fourth-down stop in the red zone. That’s something Hill should be able to capitalize on with his players at Michigan.

It’s not just Michigan’s short-yardage and red zone defense that has the potential to improve under Hill, it’s the takeaways, too. Last season, Jyaire Hill had several “almost” interceptions. Under Jay Hill, Jyaire Hill could live up to his potential in 2026. He, Curtis, Berry, Moore, Oden each had one interception — the unit is clearly competent when it comes to forcing turnovers. Pair that with a coordinator who focuses on that kind of play, and you’ve got a recipe for success.

Cornerback Evan Johnson led the way for the Cougars last season with five interceptions and a touchdown. A pair of those came in BYU’s game against East Carolina. He’s clearly got his eyes on the quarterback and has a sense of what he needs to make a big play for his team. While jumping a route comes with some risk, the reward is high. The Wolverines will face some of the most explosive offensive units in the Big Ten in 2026, and giving quarterbacks a reason to hesitate before throwing those passes is going to be huge.

Michigan’s secondary has the pieces to help Hill run the defense how he wants. The experience and leadership from veteran players, as well as the familiarity in the system from Snowden, can elevate the unit come the fall. I can’t wait to get an early look at the defense during the spring game on April 18.

Michigan is sending some of its most vulnerable children hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles away for mental health treatment because it has failed to build the capacity to care for them at home.

Michigan once had roughly 1,200 residential treatment beds for children. Today, there are fewer than 400.

That’s because facilities have closed, staff have left and costs have risen.

The falling apart of the system is impactful, especially given the increased amount of attention on this issue for nearly half a decade — since COVID wreaked havoc on youth and adult mental health in this state on top of what was already a social-media-induced mental health crisis among adolescents.

A growing number of children in severe mental health crisis or with complex psychological disorders are being placed in out-of-state facilities because there is nowhere for them to go in the state.

As of 2025, at least 152 Michigan youth were living in out-of-state placements — more than double the 74 in 2023, and up from 122 in 2024, according to data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).

Four-star safety from Santa Margarita Catholic (Calif.) Pole Moala has named his top seven schools, with the Michigan Wolverines making the cut.

Moala, according to a report from Ethan McDowell of On3’s The Wolverine, visited campus earlier in the week for a few days with his family.

The California prospect is arguably the program’s top target at safety for the class of 2027 as the Wolverines reportedly sit in a strong position ahead of his June 19 official visit.

“It was great!!” Moala said to The Wolverine about the visit to Michigan. “Couldn’t be more grateful for the entire Michigan staff for the hospitality! I can definitely see myself coming back.”

Moala also told The Wolverine that Michigan is a top two school for him as he also visited Ole Miss later in the week.

He is the No. 167 overall prospect, the No. 18 safety and the No. 12 player in the state of California in the class of 2027, according to Rivals.

Moala’s scouting report

Director of Scouting at 247 Sports, Andrew Ivins, views Moala as a potential multi-year Power Four starter with NFL upside.

Ivins full evaluation of Moala on his 247 profile reads:

-Versatile defensive back with the ideal blend of athleticism and physicality.

-Moved from the class of 2028 to the class of 2027 where he’s age appropriate after a stellar 2025 campaign.-Projects best as a free safety that can clean up mistakes, but has the hip fluidity and cover talent to potentially hang at cornerback.

-Strikes in the alley and runs his feet through contact.

-Active eyes frequently has him beating the football to the catch point.

-Commits to angles, but can get caught over-pursing.

-Likely to eventually carry 200 pounds on a frame that’s believed to be hovering right around 5-foot-11.5, 185 pounds.

-Should be viewed as a potential multi-year starter in a Power Four secondary with NFL upside given the ball production and competitive temperament.

The Wolverines have clearly made the safety position a priority during this recruiting cycle, with Darell Mattison and Maxwell Miles already committing under the watch of head coach Kyle Whittingham.

If Michigan can seal the deal with Moala, that would be another step in the right direction in helping bolster the secondary in Whittingham’s first full class as head coach of the Wolverines.

Michigan currently has five players committed in its class of 2027 up to this point.