Michigan hires Sam Popper as new assistant director of football recruiting

Michigan has hired former Memphis director of recruiting Sam Popper to be the program’s new assistant director of recruiting.

The Monday announcement from Popper himself on social media concludes a month long search for a replacement of Shemy Schembechler, who held the role for less than a week before submitting his resignation.

It was always a dream of mine to come back to Michigan

I’ll work hard and give everything I have back to a place that has given so much to me〽️🔵 #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/uB8xaVdXGU

— Sam Popper (@SamPopper_) June 26, 2023

Popper returns to Ann Arbor after a long stint with the program during the beginning of the Jim Harbaugh administration. He would later go on to serve one year as the recruiting coordinator and director of player personnel for Akron in 2022. He was officially brought in by Memphis this past February.

Popper left Michigan in 2019 for Oregon.

During his tenure with Akron, Popper would help the Zips sign 17 high school commits to its 2023 recruiting class. 13 of whom held a three-star ranking, according to On3. 12 more players were added through the transfer portal, including two former four-star prospects and seven former contributors at the Power 5 level.

Popper will work alongside Michigan director of recruiting operations Albert Karschnia.

Michigan has 23 commits in its 2024 recruiting class – Top 100 Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day quarterback Jadyn Davis, Top 100 Rochester (Mich.) Adams tight end Brady Prieskorn, Top 100 Cincinnati (Ohio) Archbishop Moeller running back Jordan Marshall, On300 Austin (Tex.) Vandegrift offensive tackle Blake Frazier, On300 Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst offensive tackle Andrew Sprague, offensive tackle On300 Harper Woods (Mich.) High defensive back Jacob Oden, On300 Nashville (Tenn.) Ensworth linebacker Mason Curtis, On300 Bellevue (Wash.) High tight end Hogan Hansen, industry four-star Cheshire (Conn.) Academy defensive lineman Jerod Smith, four-star Avon (Ohio) High interior offensive lineman Luke Hamilton, four-star Ijamsville (Md.) Oakdale EDGE Dominic Nichols, four-star Brandywine (Md.) Gwynn Park EDGE Devon Baxter, four-star Chicago (Ill.) Kenwood Academy wide receiver I’Marion Stewart, three-star Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day wide receiver Channing Goodwin, three-star Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward offensive tackle Ben Roebuck, three-star Cincinnati (Ohio) St. Xavier defensive lineman Ted Hammond, three-star Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman running back Micah Ka’apana, three-star Ponte Vedra (Fla.) Beach interior offensive lineman Jake Guarnera, three-star Wallingford (Conn.) Choate Rosemary Hall defensive lineman Manuel Beigel, three-star Princeton (N.J.) Hum School defensive lineman Owen Wafle, three-star Pittsburgh (Pa.) Central Catholic athlete Cole Sullivan, three-star Charlotte (N.C.) West linebacker Jaden Smith, and three-star South Park (Pa.) High linebacker Zach Ludwig.

The Wolverines are also currently ranked No. 5 overall in the 2024 On3 Industry National Team Recruiting Rankings and No. 2 in the Big Ten Conference behind only Ohio State.