Welcome to Portal Season, where the expected often happens and the unexpected … well … it sometimes happens. Michigan learned that much Monday when tight end Erick All announced that he was leaving the Wolverines.

Considering the level of praise he received from coaches and teammates, not to mention roster specifics, this one definitely comes as surprise to all who follow Michigan football on a regular basis. Transfers happen. Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh sees several guys depart every year. Nothing new.

But the All thing feels different. Either way, he’s out the door and Michigan has to adjust.

Weeks ago, he had back surgery in a non-University of Michigan medical facility and spent rehabbing time with people with zero Wolverines football connections. Knowing that, in hindsight, might help this situation make a little more sense — but not really.

That could have all just been nothing. Everyone has a right to make their own medical choices and to rehab wherever they choose, right? Anyway, moving on from that …

Prior to the season, Harbaugh called Erick All “one of the best tight ends” in college football. Without All, the Wolverines wouldn’t have beaten Penn State in 2021 (a critical program victory), which would have likely caused the Wolverines to miss the Big Ten Championship Game/College Football Playoff.

That 47-yard TD reception from QB Cade McNamara was one of the most important plays of the Wolverines’ 2021 season, if not the most important. Now, both captains are gone: McNamara to Iowa, and All to a destination unknown (Illinois coach Bret Bielema did retweet All’s transfer tweets, though).

All’s departure is one of the most head-scratching ones of the Jim Harbaugh era at Michigan. Going from your coach calling you the best TE in the nation, to taking veiled shots, raises several questions. Following back surgery, All posted photos on Instagram, with current UM players making comments suggesting that they’d see All in 2023, to which All agreed.

Lots of “M” emojis, lots of “LFG” and the like — it appeared that All was gearing up for a return to Michigan next year.

What happened? We don’t have all the details.

But we do know that Michigan, like All, will have to “move on” from this ordeal.

Michigan has some options. Tight end has become a specialty in Ann Arbor. Depth, talent and some guy who’ll pop out of nowhere and make plays — that’s the norm for the TE room at Michigan.

Last of Schoonmaker (the bridge)

During Michigan’s 44-23 Big Ten Championship Game win over Purdue, TE Luke Schoonmaker once again proved why he’s considered one of the best tight ends in college football, coming up with 3 catches (on 3 targets) for 56 yards and a touchdown. Overall, he was one of QB JJ McCarthy’s top targets, though not always a huge piece of the game plan every Saturday.

“Schoon” finished the season as the Wolverines’ third-leading pass catcher, having 34 grabs for 386 yards and 3 touchdowns. Probably not the production that most expected from UM’s top TE, but it was enough to keep the wheels moving toward a victory over Ohio State and a Big Ten title.

At 6-6 and 250 pounds, the senior was a load to handle for defenders during his final year of college eligibility. Schoonmaker bridged the gap between the All injury and the emergence of Michigan’s next potential star TE, Colston Loveland.

Loveland

He didn’t have big stats, but when he made plays, they were game-changers: Colston Loveland’s 25-yard go-up-and-get-it vs. Purdue and 45-yard TD vs. Ohio State were enough to warrant attention heading into next year. A true freshman, the 6-5, 237-pounder from Idaho is next in line to become Michigan’s premier player at the position.

“The way the freshman, Colston Loveland, is playing, I think just everybody sees it,” Harbaugh said after Michigan smashed Penn State, 41-17, earlier this year, per The Michigan Insider. “This player is gonna be really good. Probably the longer it takes him to figure out how good he’s gonna be, the better off he’ll be. But yeah, he’s just got that mindset. You can tell him, ‘Good job.’ And he’s like, ‘Thanks.’ It’s nothing that’s going to his head. Just does it the way he’s supposed to be doing it.

“I noticed that about him when I went to recruit him in Gooding, Idaho. Great town, genuine, down-to-earth, good people everywhere. They really hadn’t — nobody had really seen a Colston Loveland-type athlete and football player. They don’t come around, they don’t come along every year.”

Loveland will certainly be one of the Wolverines’ top players to watch this postseason and next fall. Big plays seem to be his thing. He’s come out of nowhere, kind of like All did in 2021 and others, such as Zach Gentry, did in Harbaugh’s earlier years in Ann Arbor. Michigan always seems to have these guys sitting on shelves, ready to go when they’re called.

Up next

Recruiting TE has been a strength for Michigan, which made Monday — the day of All’s announcement — even weirder. Not only did All announce his transfer, but so did Louis Hansen, a former 4-star recruit of the 2021 class.

Marlin Klein, a 3-star recruit, joined the 2022 class but didn’t make a peep this season (likely due to depth). The 6-6, 215-pounder could become a factor with some extra bulk attached to his frame.

Deakon Tonielli, a 4-star prospect, has committed to the 2023 class. Also 6-6 and 215 pounds, Tonielli has the build to get diesel and cause some damage.