3 Michigan stars who won’t be back in 2023 and 3 who will return

Michigan football star who will return for 2023: Junior Colson, LB

For years now, one of the stalwart positions in the Wolverines defense has been the inside linebacker spot. And that was the role that Junior Colson was asked to step into as a sophomore this past season after playing quite a bit in his freshman campaign. There were big expectations because of the importance of the position on that side of the ball and Colson was able to fill that role.

The sophomore finished the campaign with 102 total tackles and two sacks on the year, filling up the stat sheet. He wasn’t perfect as there were some tough moments in coverage but, overall, he proved ready to be the next star player in that role for Michigan.

What’s better for the Ann Arbor faithful, though, is that he’s coming back for the 2023 season. With a full year of experience as the starter and defensive leader for this team, Colson should be able to really carry this defense and become a true leader for the Wolverines.

Michigan football star who won’t be back in 2023: Ryan Hayes, OT

While it might not have looked like it in the loss to the Horned Frogs on New Year’s Eve, the offensive line was considered the best in college football this season as the unit took home the Joe Moore Award. It was a phenomenal group overall, but one of the elite performers consistently was veteran offensive tackle Ryan Hayes. With 28 career starts at left tackle and two All-Big Ten selections to his credit, he was a beast on the edge.

Given that Michigan went into the transfer portal to land offensive line help, there might not be an immediate replacement who can immediately come in and fill the shoes of Hayes. With the offense’s reliance on the rushing attack, that’s something to monitor. What we know for sure, though, is that Hayes won’t be back with the Wolverines after playing this past season as a graduate student.