Michigan Football is poised to address a need in transfer portal

Jake Moody was one of the best kickers in Michigan football history. He’s off the NFL draft but his replacement could come via the transfer portal. 

Kickers are often overlooked, at least until it’s time to lineup or a game-winning field-goal attempt.

Over the past two seasons, Michigan football has been perfectly comfortable in those situations because it had Jake “Money” Moody — an All-American kicker I believe will get selected at some point in the 2023 NFL draft.

Some people view kickers as a luxury. Yet, a good kicker is a weapon and that’s what Moody was the past two seasons for Michigan football.

Moody made game-winning kicks against Nebraska and Illinois over the past two seasons and if the Wolverines want to win a national championship, kicker is a position that has to be solidified.

That’s where the transfer portal comes in.

Michigan football expected to add transfer portal kicker

Adam Samaha and Tommy Doman are kickers that were recruited in 2022 and 2023. Samaha is more of a placekicker, while Doman has the ability to punt and kick.

Those guys could be solid options and I’m sure a competition would bring out the best in both. But does Michigan football really want to handicap a possible national title contender with a kicker that’s not proven?

It’s a risk and it’s one that Michigan football might not have to take after James Turner, a Louisville kicker entered the transfer portal. Turner is from Saline, Michigan, which is a hint about where this could be headed and according to Chris Balas of The Wolverine, this addition is expected.

Balas even reported that Turner has a “no contact” designation in the transfer portal, which tells other college football teams that he knows where he’s headed.

By all accounts, it will be Michigan football, which is huge for the Wolverines. Turner connected on 20-of-22 field goals for the Cardinals last season and will be a graduate transfer. Over the course of his entire career, Turner is 47-of-59 and exactly the proven kicker Michigan needs.

I know adding a kicker from the transfer portal isn’t sexy, but it’s a move that will help this team win in 2023 and another shoe that should drop in the coming weeks.