College football recruiting is tricky. One visit, one conversation, or even one comment from a mom can flip the script. Well, that’s exactly what’s brewing between Michigan and Penn State. And Sherrone Moore might have just pulled off a quiet recruiting flex that could throw a wrench in James Franklin’s plans. 

So there’s this monster of a high school offensive lineman. We’re talking 6’6″, 290-pounds. It’s a name that’s been echoing across recruiting boards with 31 offers from some of the biggest programs in the country. But everyone had him penciled in for Happy Valley. Rivals had it at 100% Penn State. It was practically a done deal. But you know how the saying goes—one man’s pleasure is another man’s pain. And this time, it’s James Franklin who might take the fall.

On April 10, Michigan insider EJ Holland dropped a huge recruiting update on X concerning Virginia’s 4-star On300 OT Carter Scruggs. It’s his mother, Amber Bui’s, comments that’s stealing all the spotlight. “It’s in his top few programs for a reason,” she said. “We all see that he would be a great fit. We love the school. We love the coaches. We love Ann Arbor. I know he does, too. Michigan is hard to beat. It will be interesting to see where he ends up.” And when moms are impressed, that’s when things get real. 

It wasn’t just love and vibes either. Amber also gave a glimpse of what went down with the Michigan staff behind the scenes. O-line coach Grant Newsome broke down the tape with Carter Scruggs. “There are a lot of technicalities that go with being an offensive lineman,” she said. “Coach Newsome would point out some of the things Carter needed to do better and he would say, ‘oh yeah, I’m working on that this offseason.’”

While she mentioned they only had a brief meeting with Sherrone Moore, she’s high on him—“I really like Coach Moore. He’s really laid back and a nice guy.” It wasn’t just a generic recruiting visit. It was personalized development talk, and that kind of thing hits different. 

Amber also gave a shout-out to what the Wolverines could offer on the development side. “We spent a lot of time in the weight room and saw the strength and conditioning and programs,” she said. “The people they have in place are fantastic—the best of the best. That bodes well for Carter to be given the opportunity to play to his full potential.” Amber also appreciates UM’s academics for their flexibility with training schedules and priority class selection, creating a student-athlete-friendly environment. And get this: it was Carter Scruggs himself who made the first move to reach out to Michigan first.

“I think I actually hit up first,” he revealed. “And then after I went to camp, they offered, and I was really excited.” But Penn State has a similar story brewing.

Can Sherrone Moore win Carter Scruggs from Penn State?

As we already know, 100% Penn State. Carter Scruggs still got that official Penn State visit locked in for June 13-15. He hasn’t been to Happy Valley since the White Out game last November. But he was just back in State College on April 8 to watch the Nittany Lions take it out during spring practice. And the vibe’s still as strong as ever. “Penn State definitely stands as a top school for me,” he said. 

But wait. Even Clemson’s hanging around for the No. 196 overall recruit and No. 23 OT in the country. They have a big official visit weekend planned at the end of May. But Sherrone Moore’s also got him coming back to Ann Arbor the weekend of June 6 for an OV. That’s big. That’s right before Penn State’s OV. And with momentum swinging like this, Michigan may be the leader. Who knows?

Let’s see where this goes. But if you’re a Michigan fan, go ahead and circle that weekend in June. It could end up being a turning point in one of Sherrone Moore’s biggest O-line battles of the 2026 class.