1997 Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson was at Michigan football practice on Monday and spoke about the Wolverines moving into a new era.
WINTER GARDEN, FL − One of Michigan football's most famous alumni took in the Wolverines' third bowl practice on Monday, Dec. 29, as U-M gears up to play Texas in the Citrus Bowl.
Charles Woodson, the 1997 Heisman Trophy winner, drove from his home (just over a half hour away) to West Orange High School, said some hellos to quarterback Bryce Underwood and spent time with U-M in the final days of its 2025 campaign before Wednesday's kickoff (3 p.m., ABC) vs. the Longhorns.
The Wolverines are in the middle of an unexpected regime change – with Kyle Whittingham hired, the veteran coach is beginning the process of getting to know players, identifying staffers to keep and bringing in others as he molds the program into his own image.
Woodson said he likes the Whittingham hire.
"I didn't know how soon it was going to happen, but when the name popped across, all I saw was a bunch of positive tweets and mentions about the coach," Woodson told the Free Press. "That really made me excited about the hire. Looking forward to him getting here, implementing his style of play, rallying these guys and getting them to buy into what he's bringing to the table."
The journey to Whittingham, of course, was anything but pleasant after Sherrone Moore was fired on Dec. 10. Despite the Wolverines making headlines for the saga surrounding Moore's dismissal and eventual arrest, Woodson, a proud U-M alum remains optimistic, saying he knows it's been hard for many.
But he didn't put himself in that category.
"Honestly, it's not tough for me, I don't look at it that way," he said. "The way I look at it is, it happened and then quickly, you've got to move on. That's the way life is. It's always going to be some [expletive] that happens – you can either dwell on it or you can move on.
"I know it's harder for some because lives are going to be uprooted, once again and no fault of their own. But at the end of the day, you've got to move on. I don't take it any kind of way, I just want my university to be OK and I want the guys who are going to be around here to be OK."
With a victory over Texas, Michigan has a chance to win 10 games in a season for the fourth time in five years.
For Woodson, that's still something to work toward and strive for.
"This week, man, it's still another opportunity," he said. "Opportunity to put your best foot forward and go out there and show people that regardless of what's going on, they can go out there and focus, try to get a win and put a good product on the field.
Heisman winner, Heisman hopeful?
Woodson and Underwood exchanged pleasantries just before U-M took the field for warmups.
Despite occasional struggles in his freshman season, Underwood is who U-M wants to build around.
Accordingly, Woodson would like nothing more than to see Underwood, who didn't yet commit over the weekend to a 2026 in maize and blue, return next year.
"Come on, man, of course," he said. "I'm hoping the guys see this as an opportunity to get past something that happened that was out of their control and not feel like they got to run somewhere else because whatever happened, happened.
"This is an opportunity for all of them to stick around here, come back and make this thing right."
Woodson coaches at Lake Nona High School in Orlando, where his son (who has a Michigan offer) is a four-star safety in the class of 2027. Despite a busy schedule, Woodson makes a point to see the Wolverines every week – even amid his duties for Fox's "Big Noon Kickoff" pregame show – and while he doesn't want to interfere too much, he said players and those inside the program are always welcome to use him as a sounding board.
"I'm always around, I'm always here," he said. "If they do need it, I'm here."
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football legend Charles Woodson talks Sherrone Moore scandal
Category: General Sports
