Michigan Wolverines transfer running back CJ Hester is leaving the program, his agent told On3’s Pete Nakos on Thursday afternoon. He enrolled in Ann Arbor this summer after committing shortly after the spring game. Hester will redshirt and enter the transfer portal with two seasons of eligibility remaining. Michigan began its fall camp on July […]
Michigan Wolverines transfer running back CJ Hester is leaving the program, his agent told On3’s Pete Nakos on Thursday afternoon. He enrolled in Ann Arbor this summer after committing shortly after the spring game.
Hester will redshirt and enter the transfer portal with two seasons of eligibility remaining. Michigan began its fall camp on July 30 and had its first padded practice on Saturday night.
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Michigan had connections to Hester, a Cincinnati, Ohio, native who entered the transfer portal on March 8. Defensive line coach Lou Esposito was the defensive coordinator at Western Michigan when Hester was a freshman for the Broncos in 2023. Graduate wide receiver Anthony Simpson — a UMass transfer who also joined the Wolverines this summer — played with Hester last season. U-M tight ends coach Steve Casula didn’t coach Hester at UMass but was at the school before the running back arrived, giving them common ground.
Last season, Hester rushed 119 times for 529 yards and four touchdowns after transferring in from Western Michigan. In 2023, he had 29 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns with the Broncos.
The Wolverines had a bit of a sneaky need at running back after Benjamin Hall transferred to North Carolina. Justice Haynes, who transferred in from Alabama this winter, and Jordan Marshall are expected to man the top two spots in the backfield, but Michigan had to address its depth a bit with some unproven pieces behind them. Some of those pieces have come into focus with former transfer Bryson Kuzdzal, sophomore Micah Ka’apana and Princeton transfer John Volker all competing for time in the Michigan backfield. U-M also added a pair of freshman running backs in Jasper Parker and Donavan Johnson, the latter of whom will miss the season due to injury.
Head coach Sherrone Moore spoke about both Hester and Volker at Big Ten Football Media Days in late July.
“Both guys that I think have played college football that add depth to the room that give us more bodies in the room,” Moore said. ” They definitely add special teams value so they’ll challenge and push those guys. The Justice Haynes, the Jordan Marshalls, the Bryson Kuzdzals, we’ll push those guys and make sure that they’re on their stuff as we go out through the year.”
Category: General Sports
