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The Michigan Wolverines have seemingly struck gold in the transfer portal this year with offensive lineman Olu Oluwatimi. The grad transfer from Virginia continues to only receive positive feedback from his new team.
Not only are the Wolverines happy to have him aboard, but Oluwatimi also felt like Michigan was the best fit for him.
“Michigan as a university, I mean it stands alone,” Oluwatimi told the media after the spring game. “It stood above the other options that I had when I entered the transfer portal. And obviously the brand of football. The o-line is coming off the Joe Moore award, the team is coming off making the college football playoff. I just loved the momentum of the program and I felt like I could add to it. It was a no brainer.”
Oluwatimi was a big topic of conversation at media availabilities this past week and again in the post game press conference at the spring game. Everyone is excited about the new addition to Michigan.
“He just brings a lot of experience,” Ryan Hayes said on Saturday. “He learned his stuff in the season even before spring ball, so he knows all the calls, he fits right in. He’s going to elevate this o-line, I think we can be even better than last year with him.”
Sometimes it takes awhile for guys to have a big impact on a team when they transfer, but with Oluwatimi, it seems like it happened pretty quickly.
“One of the first days we put on pads and when we went pass rush we saw him lock up some of our better d-linemen and we were like ‘oh, yep, this guy’s going to be pretty good for us’,” Hayes said. “I think we knew early and I think he’s going to bring a lot of experience, and a lot of maturity to our group.”
Oluwatimi was joined by Hayes, Blake Corum and Junior Colson at the podium after the spring game. Corum had a funny story to share about Colson and Oluwatimi at practice earlier in the spring.
“One of the linebackers told me that Olu got ahold of him one practice and the grip he had on him, he couldn’t get out of it,” Corum said as he smiled and looked over at Colson.
Colson responded laughing with a “yes ma’am” when he was asked by a reporter if the story was true.
From the sounds of it, it seems like Oluwatimi is fitting right in at his new home and will be a valuable piece to the 2022 Michigan football team.