On Monday afternoon, Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham made a point to talk about what the Wolverines' plans were when it came to the Class of 2022 and the five-for-five rule. Well, actually, he made it clear there are no plans, saying the team isn't looking to add any players to the roster who could come back due to the new ruling.
The five-for-five rule was approved back in June, granting athletes a fifth year of college eligibility based on age. At the end of July, however, a federal court in Colorado granted an injunction for Class of 2022 athletes to be eligible for the 2026-2027 athletic year, even if they already exhausted their four years of eligibility, but only if they have not signed a professional contract elsewhere.
#Michigan HC Kyle Whittingham says they aren’t looking to add anyone to the roster with the five-for-five rule right now
— Brice Marich (@BriceMarich) August 10, 2026
That leaves a player like Ernest Hausmann, whose time in Ann Arbor ended when he left the team for the final two games of the 2025 regular season. The reasoning behind it all came down to mental health, but Hausmann did return to Michigan for its pro day in hopes of helping his draft stock.
There were some rumblings that Hausmann could be a guy who could return to Michigan for one more season and help him reach the NFL, which he did not do back in April in the NFL Draft. Whittingham has seemingly closed the door on that possibility, but maybe he should consider opening it up.
Ernest Hausmann could bring experience to a very inexperienced linebacker room at Michigan
It is understandable that Whittingham wouldn't want to bring any new players in with the five-for-five rule; he already has his team set that has been working together since the spring. However, it would be the worst idea to keep the possibility of an addition open, especially when it comes to Hausmann.
Hausmann was a part of a Michigan linebacker room that was pretty good last season, even though he did not finish out the year. He concluded the 2025 season with 68 total tackles, 44 solo tackles, one sack, and one pass defended. This came after his career-best 2024 season with 89 total tackles, 54 solo tackles, and two sacks.
Looking at the linebacker room for the 2026 season, there are a lot of young guys who simply have not seen the field a lot. Right now, the second level is projected to be anchored by Troy Bowles, with the young talent of Chase Taylor, Nathaniel Staehling, and Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng filling in the other positions.
If Whittingham, and more importantly, defensive coordinator and linebacker coaches Jay Hill and Alex Whittingham, wanted more of a veteran presence with this group, Hausmann is the perfect solution.
Yes, it seemed like Hausmann burnt some bridges by up and leaving the team for the last two games of the season, but clearly he was dealing with something greater than football. He came out and issued an apology for the sudden absence and said he was getting the help he needed.
If Hausmann is in shape and feels he can make enough of a difference to help these Michigan linebackers, then why not keep the door open?
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