The Michigan offense adds a veteran presence to Texas Tech transfer quarterback Alan Bowman, who announced his decision to join Wolverines on Sunday.
Bowman entered the transfer portal on January 25 and is a graduate transfer, so he will be eligible for Michigan immediately. He threw for 1,602 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season for Texas Tech and brings three years of experience to the table.
Wolverines saw quarterback Joe Milton enter the transfer portal on February 18, after Dylan McCaffrey entered the portal on January 21. This left Michigan with only Cade McNamara, who threw 425 yards and five touchdowns last season, and freshman JJ McCarthy, recruiting 25th overall and the second-tier defender in second class.
Let’s get to work!! #Come blue 〽️ pic.twitter.com/8k4c58obxK
– Alan Bowman (@alanbowman_) February 28, 2021
Bowman offers Michigan another option and some experience to help with an offense that ranked 78th in offensive courts per game and 44th in passing yards per game.
Wolverines also added to the defense on Sunday when ESPN Junior 300 defender Will Johnson, recruiting 29th, joined the program.
Johnson is the principal recruit in the state of Grosse Pointe South in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. He picked Wolverines over Arizona State, Ohio State, Oklahoma and USC and is now the highest Michigan-class commitment of 2022.
Johnson is now following in the footsteps of his father, Deon Johnson, who also played for the Wolverines in the early 1990s.
Commitment is important to Michigan because it added an elite high school player, a group that struggled in the 2020 season, but also because it looked at one point as if Johnson could be hired at another school. He is good friends with ESPN Jr. 300 defensive end Domani Jackson, who joined USC.
The two said they wanted a package, but Johnson went on his own and is now heading to Michigan. Ohio State seemed to be gaining momentum at some point in its recruitment, especially with some uncertainty about Michigan’s defense when Jim Harbaugh fired Don Brown.
Harbaugh hired Mike Macdonald as the Baltimore Ravens co-defensive coordinator and also added Maurice Linguist of the Dallas Cowboys as the other co-defensive coordinator and head coach.
The linguist has had relationships with the Dallas Cowboys, Texas A&M, Minnesota, Mississippi, Iowa State and Buffalo and is known as an excellent recruiter.
Since hiring Linguist, Michigan has added Johnson, safety Taylor Groves and athlete Kody Jones to the class. Wolverines now has six total engagements with Johnson and Jones as the only two ranked in the ESPN Jr. 300.