Roster retention was never going to be 100 percent for new Michigan football head coach Kyle Whittingham, who has seen one of his top returning players, Cole Sullivan, enter the transfer portal.
Last week, Sullivan was one of the five Michigan football players that we said Whittingham must retain. He forced a fumble against Texas in the Citrus Bowl. He was credited with 44 tackles, five tackles for loss, three interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a pass breakup.
Michigan linebacker Cole Sullivan to enter NCAA Transfer portal, keep option to return to the Wolverines open
— Zach Shaw (@_ZachShaw) January 2, 2026
More: https://t.co/bqN6OaY6s1
Sullivan might be the best linebacker on the team. Heck, he might be the best defender on the team slated to return, that is until he entered the transfer portal, although the did leave open the door for a return to Michigan football via Zach Shaw of 247 Sports.
So, it could be worse. Whittingham hasn't announced a linebackers coach yet either. It's expected that he will move on from Brian Jean-Mary. Iowa's Seth Wallace has gotten some buzz.
That remains to be seen. However, it's imperative that the Wolverines try and keep Sullivan, who was expected to be a core starter for the Michigan football team in 2026.
Another promising Michigan football player enters the portal
Sullivan isn't the only defensive player to enter the portal. Elijah Dotson, a four-star defensive back from the 2025 class, entered the portal, too. This one is a little hard to understand. Dotson seemed in line to play a lot next season and saw extended snaps as a freshman, even intercepting a pass. He finished with 11 tackles in 12 games played.
There also hasn't been any word on a secondary coach. Lamar Morgan's status is up in the air, which could be a contributing factor.