247Sports confirmed Thursday afternoon that Michigan rim defender Eyabi Okie has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Okie’s entry into the portal comes after an encouraging first season in Ann Arbor. A native of Baltimore, he moved to Michigan after stints in Alabama, Houston and UT Martin.
Okie’s departure continues a sort of “changing of the guard” for the Wolverines leading up to it, with contributors Taylor Upshaw (transfer), Mike Morris (NFL), Mazi Smith (NFL), Julius Welschof (transfer) and George Rooks (transfer) all attending will be departing next year. Inside starter Kris Jenkins is also reportedly undecided about a possible return next season. The workforce signed a handful of edge/linemen in early 2023 and also added four-star transfer Josaiah Stewart (Coastal Carolina). The responsibility lies with returnees such as Braiden McGregor, Derrick Moore and Jaylen Harrell, among others, to carry the unit into 2023.
Okie finished the 2022 season with nine tackles (3.5 for losses) and 2.5 sacks in nine games. A native of Baltimore (MD) St. Frances, he was coached by former Michigan staffer Biff Poggi, who recently left the program to take the job as Charlotte’s head coach.
We’ll learn more about this story as it develops.
After a stunning win in Columbus that gave Michigan their second straight win over Ohio State and a Big Ten title win against Purdue, the Wolverines finished with a 13-0 record in the for the first time in the program’s long, long history regular season. However, they would lose to TCU in the semifinals of the College Football Playoffs, ending their season in the playoffs for the second straight season.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh has now overseen one of the greatest stretches in Michigan football history, but believes he and the team have approached things much the same way as in the past.
“I do not believe that. I don’t think I’ve changed a bit. I mean I’m the same as before, am now. I think when you get to that age, you’re not going to change,” he said. “But I really think it’s the players. I think the players also really appreciated that there was no change. We made it about the guys on the team, about getting good at football. I mean, I can guarantee you that Ben Herbert hasn’t changed in the five years he’s been here.
I point to these two guys. I mean, when they came in, they said, Coach, we’re going to win the Big Ten championship. We beat Ohio State and we made it.
“I think that combination of not changing, I think the guys appreciated that deep down. You know, having these guys who like soccer, you know? You like soccer. You like to exercise. They enjoy each other’s company. I mean, not a day goes by that either of these two guys has had a bad day.
I mean, they like it – I’ll speak for them, but I think they like the direction of the program. They like the program. They like the opportunity in the program and I like it a lot. I’m proud of her, so proud of her.”
Click HERE for a link to Michigan Football’s 2022 roster
For a link to Michigan Football’s 2022 schedule, click HERE
A full list of Michigan’s current oral commitments in the 2023 recruitment cycle can be found HERE