For his remaining three years of eligibility, the Michigan football special teams player who put the Wolverines’ whole fan base on edge late in the Rose Bowl match against Alabama is searching for a new institution.
Step-on On social media on Wednesday, Jake Thaw, who is also classified as a receiver, announced that he had logged into the NCAA transfer portal.
The 6-foot-1, 191-pound player will most likely be remembered for his botched punt in the closing seconds of Michigan’s 27-20 victory over Alabama in overtime. He was unable to field the punt inside his own 10-yard line with accuracy, but he recovered the ball at the 1-yard line with great speed, saving the Crimson Tide from a safety or possible touchdown.
Thanks to Thaw’s recovery, Michigan was able to force overtime and win on a touchdown by Blake Corum and a fourth-down stop to move on to the national championship. Thaw and rookie wide receiver Semaj Morgan, who also mishandled a punt against Alabama, resulting in a turnover, split duty at the back end of Monday’s 34-13 victory over Washington in the national championship.
“Thank you to everyone who has shown unwavering support,” Thaw wrote on X, the previous Twitter platform. “And I understand for those who haven’t. On the largest stage of my life, I committed the biggest two blunders that I will never be able to forgive. I will always be in love and gratitude to this fan base and @UMichFootball. Embrace the blue.
“On a separate note, I have entered the transfer portal with three years of eligibility remaining. Thank you for everything Michigan and Team 144. Linked below are my highlights and my recruitment is wide open. Go Blue!”
Morgan took over as the starting punt returner late in the season, but Thaw had been Michigan’s main man early in the season, finishing with 16 receptions for 101 yards in 2023. With the game on the line, the Wolverines sent Thaw back deep for the first time following Morgan’s difficulties fielding punts against Alabama.
Darrius Clemons, a sophomore receiver from Michigan, also logged onto the portal on Wednesday, MLive verified. Despite being a top-150 recruit out of Oregon, the player has spent his first two seasons down in the depth chart, catching just four passes for 40 yards.
Following the national championship game, Clemons and Thaw are the first Michigan players to access the portal. Before the Wolverines’ Rose Bowl semifinal matchup with the Crimson Tide, linebacker/baseball player Joey Velazquez, cornerback Cam Calhoun, and running backs C.J. Stokes and Leon Franklin all registered their names.
A new NCAA rule this year allows participants in New Year’s Six Bowl games an additional five days following their game to access the portal; as a result, the portal is only open to Michigan and Washington athletes until January 13. On Jan. 2, the gateway closed.
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