Sometimes, if you’re a college football fan, it’s not wise to get upset or angry when a player enters the transfer portal. Because the door isn’t closed until it is.
One of the surprise transfer portal entries this cycle has been Michigan football right guard Jake Guarnera, who had indicated during the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl prep that he was excited about Kyle Whittingham and the new era for the maize and blue. However, as the Wolverines took a few days to get new offensive line coach Jim Harding in place, Guarnera decided to test the waters outside of Ann Arbor.
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However, on Tuesday, Guarnera announced that he will indeed be returning for his third season with Michigan football.
Guarnera was garnering attention from some SEC schools but ultimately chose to stay with the program that originally recruited him.
Not originally a starter in 2025, the redshirt freshman first got meaningful time in the Week 2 game at Oklahoma, when Brady Norton went out with injury. He quickly acclimated and became one of, if not Michigan’s best, offensive linemen. He started every game the rest of the way, even when Norton returned to full health.
Along with Evan Link, Blake Frazier, and Andrew Babalola, Guarnera is the fourth offensive lineman to announce he will be returning to Michigan football this upcoming season. He’s also the second player to withdraw from the transfer portal thus far, with cornerback Zeke Berry announcing he has withdrawn from the transfer portal as well.
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This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Jake Guarnera withdraws from portal, returns to Michigan football