UM Prepares for Roster Shake-Up: Portal Needs vs Wants

We're aiming to build a championship-caliber roster to support our Heisman Trophy candidate, Cam Ward. As the spring portal opens at midnight tonight, the question arises: what do we ‘need vs want’?

We must trim our roster to 85 scholarship players by August, as we're currently over that number. The exact excess is uncertain, but I believe it's around 5 players.

Here are the ones I've identified:

1. Balom

2. Redding

3. Tow Truck

4. 1 QB

5. Zion

Beyond these names, our decisions will depend on available options and whether they represent upgrades.

Other players on the bubble include:

1. Gore

2. Campbell

3. I. Thomas

4. Carver

5. Freeney

Regarding needs, we IMO require: 1. a safety, 2. a lockdown corner, 3. a run-stuffing DT, and 4. a bell-cow RB.

Additionally, we IMO desire: 1. a WR, 2. another safety, 3. another cornerback, 4. another RB, 5. a LB, and 6. LG.

Following my logic, a minimum of 9 players would need to leave, possibly reaching 12-13. It's worth noting that we have 10 incoming freshmen joining in May. While I really like our current roster, I'm excited to see what unfolds in the days ahead!