G.M. Sean Magee, others moving on from Michigan football

Michigan G.M. Sean Magee was one of the keys to keeping the recruiting class and roster together after Sherrone Moore‘s firing. But multiple sources have confirmed that new coach Kyle Whittingham will be going in a different direction, having informed Magee today he’s looking for a replacement.

Having returned to Michigan in March 2024 as the general manager, Magee returned after working as the chief of staff for the Chicago Bears during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The senior associate athletic director and general manager was in charge of all aspects of the recruiting and player personnel departments, as well as coordinating the program’s NIL initiatives. He helped the Wolverines land No. 1 quarterback recruit Bryce Underwood in the 2025 cycle and was responsible for bringing in several portal additions and working to keep top players at U-M.

Magee served under Jim Harbaugh from 2017 to 2021 as management of player personnel, football operations, and the administration of the budget for all football-related activity. There have been rumblings that director of recruiting Sam Popper would also be replaced, though he was still in the building as of 11:20 a.m. Tuesday, along with director of player personnel Albert Karschnia and Kayli Johnson in the personnel department.

As noted in Friday’s INSIDE THE FORT, more fallout was expected from the Moore era. Several contracts had not been extended/confirmed, and Magee and others were “on hold.”

“As for the staff — many of the holdovers and some in the athletic department are still waiting for final say on the investigation, which has gone much longer than anticipated. There will be more casualties from this, including some you might not expect,” one predicted, as we wrote. “One long time on-and-off employee interviewed gave it to the investigators straight, and that appears to have opened a new can of worms in some areas. So … nothing to report on that yet, but we should know much more when it’s over. It shouldn’t be much longer. “

Others have said there is “more to come” related to the investigation by Chicago based law firm Jenner and Block. They were commissioned in December to conduct a larger review of the athletic department’s culture, conduct, and procedures.

“We will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that conduct like this does not happen again,” interim president Domenico Grasso, who took over as interim president in May and will step dow in July when Kent Syverud takes over permanently. “Make no mistake. We will leave no stone unturned, and any further action we take will be based on credible evidence and findings, developed through a rigorous investigation.

“If the university learns of information through this investigation or otherwise that warrants a termination of any employee, we will act swiftly, just as we did in the case of Coach Moore.”

With Magee, it appears as this was simply the new coach’s decision to go in another direction.

Watch TheWolverine.com for more updates in the hours to come …