Michigan Football: Be patient when it comes to transfer portal

Michigan football fans have been wanting some additions from the transfer portal but right now, it looks like they will have to wait.

After the early signing period, Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh made it pretty clear that the Wolverines were going to be more active in the transfer portal.

So far, that hasn’t quite happened but there are a few reasons for that. To start, Harbaugh and Michigan had a lengthy negotiation and luring players from the portal without a head coach or defensive coordinator or defensive staff for that matter, was going to be nearly impossible.

So that’s why even though some talented recruits were in the portal, Michigan didn’t do much else besides express interest.

But it’s not like the Wolverines haven’t been active. They have made more contact, at least it seems that way, with players in the portal than in the past and it still seems like Michigan football is the favorite to eventually get Lance Dixon, who is leaving Penn State.

Not only is Dixon from the state of Michigan, having played at West Bloomfield, he played under new Wolverines assistant Ronald Bellamy and that will be a strong connection to pass over.

Michigan even has a transfer portal crystal ball that predicts Dixon to land at Michigan. However, according to Sam Webb on the Michigan Insider Podcast, Michigan fans shouldn’t expect news anytime soon.

"“I hear Lance Dixon is in no hurry to make a decision. He’s sort of waiting to see how different things play out at different places, including Michigan. So, patience is a virtue. Your numbers will sort out and you can see how many spots you have to deal with.”"

As long as everything checks out with Dixon getting into Michigan, which isn’t always a guarantee, the Wolverines should be the favorite, but Dixon doesn’t seem to be in a rush as Webb indicated.

And Michigan doesn’t need to be either. If there’s an elite talent and it’s a fit, I’m sure they would jump on it. But otherwise, you still are giving that player a scholarship and it’s not a freebie.

Plus, there could be more players available down the line, say at defensive tackle, so do you want to try and nab a lower-rated kid in the portal just to say you landed someone? Or is it better to wait and take a legit prospect?

Just because a player is in the portal, doesn’t mean he will succeed at Michigan and giving a spot to a transfer means passing on another player. That’s just the reality, so the evaluation is key.

I do expect Michigan to land some transfers. A defensive tackle makes sense but the search doesn’t even have to be based on position. If the Wolverines get the chance to add an elite player in the portal, they should take it.

As Webb and others point out in their podcast, it’s also a good idea to be patient, because the portal could look much different in a couple of months.