SAMMY FAUSTIN

Michigan football didn’t lose any significant players to the transfer portal this offseason, but 12 reserves did decide to take their chances with different teams.

A former Michigan defensive back who left the team prior to the 2021 season is looking for a new place to play. Sammy Faustin, who played for the Wolverines from 2018 to 2020, entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal on Thursday, MLive has learned. The Naples, Fla., native appeared in nine games for the Wolverines in 2019 and 2020, totaling two tackles. Most of his appearances came on special teams, and there was a push prior to the 2020 season to move him from cornerback to safety. He is the eighth Michigan player to enter the NCAA transfer portal since the Wolverines’ 2021 season concluded, and seventh former scholarship player.

Michigan’s football team had one less defensive player when it began preseason camp on Friday. Sammy Faustin, a reserve defensive back who was set to enter his redshirt sophomore season, has left the team due to medical reasons, spokesman Dave Ablauf told MLive. Faustin, of Naples, Fla., was the only returning scholarship player not listed on the team’s 2021 roster released Friday morning. “He will remain on athletic aid.”Faustin appeared in 10 games for Michigan during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, primarily on special teams. Michigan moved him from safety to corner last year to help with depth, but he appeared in only one game.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan football’s starting kicker and punter both returned for another season, but Jim Harbaugh said they’re still battling for starting spots heading into the opener. “(Nordin)'s in a real competitive battle with (Jake) Moody, who’s also doing a really good job, so it’s still playing out,” Harbaugh said. "Both are really good. Harbaugh said both the kicker and punter positions are still up in the air. “We also have two really good punters: Brad Robbins and William Hart.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan football’s secondary is one of the biggest question marks heading into this season, and just five days before the opener, four players are still fighting for a starting cornerback position. When Harbaugh spoke Monday ahead of the team’s opener against Minnesota, he named four players as possibilities to fill that role. Turner are in competition for that spot, as well.”LATEST: Michigan vs. Michigan State will kick off at noon on HalloweenGreen and Faustin were both three-stars in the 2018 recruiting class. Green was a top 400 player at cornerback, but Faustin was just inside the top 600. Since enrolling at Michigan, Faustin has been moved from cornerback to safety, and now back to cornerback.

24 Minnesota, we received some clarity on a few position battles this week, albeit not at quarterback. Here are five things we learned about Michigan football this week. Harbaugh said redshirt sophomore Sammy Faustin moved from safety to corner within “the last week” and is battling for a starting role. At this point, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see several players rotate at that second corner spot early on. With Jennings on board, the linebacker position is clearly Michigan’s strength of the class.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Which pair of Michigan football players who share a jersey number will unite to be the most valuable this season? This year’s roster, with the new rule in place, has 45 duos who will wear the same jersey number. Some of the Michigan jersey number duos contain players who will contribute on different sides of the ball. 1: Both players must wear a jersey number for the entire season for their stats to qualify in favor of said jersey number. Other eligible duosHere are all the other jersey number duos listed on the 2020 Michigan football roster, as of Oct. 16.

Michigan has often been ranked among the top five or 10 teams in the country, and that’s thanks to strong defensive performances. Kwity Paye #19 of the Michigan Wolverines tries to sack Peyton Ramsey #12 of the Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. According to Harbaugh, they’ve only gotten better this offseason, and if Michigan can get some help from the defensive tackles, it’ll make their jobs even easier. READ: Defensive line is X-factor for Michigan against quarterback-loaded scheduleWith a less experienced secondary -- particularly at cornerback -- Hutchinson and Paye will be more important than ever. Defensive tacklesStarters: Carlo Kemp and Chris HintonConfidence: 100% and 95%Kemp will be one of the starters at defensive tackle -- that’s a slam dunk.

Michigan’s football team has moved another player in its ongoing effort to find the next starting cornerback. “He’s doing a really nice job there the last week that he’s been there,” Harbaugh said. Turner and Jalen PerryLast week, Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown identified Green, a redshirt sophomore, as the “leader in the clubhouse” but never referenced Faustin. On Monday, Harbaugh mentioned Green and Turner as potential candidates (and others, including George Johnson and Andre Seldon) but not Perry. After redshirting his freshman season in 2019, he appeared in nine games in 2019, but just three at safety.

Every single recruiting class is important, and the Wolverines have reached the point where the 2018 class -- by far Harbaugh’s most criticized group -- has to make major contributions. Remembering the 2018 recruiting cycleThe 2018 class was recruited amid Michigan’s worst season of the Harbaugh era. The result was Michigan’s only full recruiting class to be ranked outside the top 20 since Harbaugh took over. Michigan’s recruiting has since rebounded, but that 2018 unit will play a major role in the coming seasons. 18 in MissouriRole: Guaranteed starterNobody better exemplifies the 2018 class than Bell, and everyone who follows Michigan football knows his story.