Michigan Hit with Surprising Departure as QB Makes Exit Decision
This transfer season, Michigan got lucky with landing two quarterbacks in the transfer portal. And one of them was a LSU transfer. But two months later, he made the decision to exit Michigan.
“Breaking: LSU transfer Colin Hurley is no longer with the Michigan program, @MaizeBlueRvw has learned," Josh Henschke of Maize and Blue Review for On3 tweeted on March 31. "It’s being described as a mutual parting of ways, according to multiple sources."
The former four-star recruit decided to start early and reclassified from the 2025 class to the 2024 class. Enrolling in Baton Rouge at the age of 16, he spent two years at LSU without seeing any action. This season, he wanted to test the water somewhere else and landed with Whittingham's Michigan.
But when it comes to quarterbacks, the room is crowded in Michigan. With Hurley signing up, the group included Bryce Underwood, sophomore Chase Herbstreit, and early-enrollee freshmen Tommy Carr and Brady Smigiel. The 19-year-old QB was in line to fight for the number two spot at Michigan behind Underwood.
According to the sources, freshman early-enrollee Carr was also fighting for the backup spot during the spring camp. Both were spotted at the start of the spring practice. After that, Whittingham openly praised Carr.
“Tommy Carr is doing a nice job, I can tell you that,” the Michigan head coach said on March 17.
Tension is already brewing in Michigan. There are reports that their other transfer quarterback, Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, has delayed his enrollment until the spring term.
But for Hurley, Michigan was said to be the right spot.
What did Colin Hurley’s QB coach say about the Michigan Wolverines?
Hurley's transfer move from LSU to Michigan was approved by his quarterback coach, Will Hewlett, with whom he’s worked since seventh grade.
“I’m super excited about the room there (Michigan),” Hewlett told The Detroit News. “It’s going to be a really intelligent room. Colin has a lot of great traits, from just pure arm talent, and he’s got the athleticism, but he’s a really intelligent kid and can be challenged at a pretty high level.”
The coach was excited to finally see Hurley in game action and how he flourishes in Michigan. After all, last year has been challenging for the quarterback. He missed the 2025 season spring practice in Baton Rouge after sustaining a car accident on campus, near South Quad Drive and Highland Road.
But within a month, he made a full recovery and joined LSU in April. The two-time state champion in high school found Michigan to start things afresh. However, we have yet to find the reason behind Hurley's departure from Ann Arbor.
Where do you see Colin Hurley play football this fall? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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