Two Michigan football starters confirm return for 2025

Two Michigan football starters from the 2024 season have confirmed that they will be back for the Wolverines in 2025.

Michigan Wolverines linebacker Ernest Hausmann (15) celebrates after tackling Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) during the first half of Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game at Ohio Stadium.
Michigan Wolverines linebacker Ernest Hausmann (15) celebrates after tackling Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) during the first half of Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game at Ohio Stadium. | Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2024 Michigan football team has one more game to play but work on the 2025 roster is well underway. The Wolverines have been active in the transfer portal and they will be even more active once the bowl season is over.

One thing about bowl games is that every team has five days after his team's final game to enter the transfer portal. So there will be more players entering, probably even from playoff teams.

In terms of players coming back for next season, we have assumed most of the players playing in the ReliaQuest Bowl are coming back for next season. Assumptions can be dangerous, but two Michigan football players, who started last season, have announced or confirmed their return for next season.

Former transfer portal pickup Ernest Hausmann confirmed to Angelique Chengelis on Saturday that he will be back for another season with the Michigan football program. He played a ton of snaps as a third linebacker during the 2023 national championship season before earning a starting role last season.

In his first full season as a starter, Hausmann had 82 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception and a pass breakup. He's a true three-down linebacker and it will be exciting to see what kind of production he can have as a senior.

Michigan football starting offensive lineman announces return

Greg Crippen also announced on social media that he will be back for next season. Crippen ended the 2024 Michigan football season as the starting center. The former four-star recruit started seven games total at center and saw snaps in 10 games total.

Crippen improved as the season went on and the 6-foot-4, 309-pounder seems entrenched as the starting center going into next season, which isn't the worst thing, especially if he takes another step forward in his final season of college football (2025).

Schedule

Schedule