Bear McWhorter has withdrawn his letter of intent from Michigan. The three-star offensive lineman announced Friday morning he was moving on from the program. This comes two days after the Wolverines fired head coach Sherrone Moore.
McWhorter, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound interior lineman from Cartersville (Ga.) Cass High, was Michigan’s first commitment of the 2026 calendar year and one of the program’s top trench priorities. He is ranked No. 609 nationally and No. 58 among interior offensive linemen.
“In light of recent events, I’ve made the very difficult decision to withdraw my NLI,” McWhorter said in a statement posted on social media. “I’m very grateful to the staff at UM for everything they’ve done.”
— ʙᴇᴀʀ ᴍᴄᴡʜᴏʀᴛᴇʀ (@BearMcWhorter) December 12, 2025
McWhorter committed to Michigan on Feb. 28 after narrowing his choices to Michigan and Alabama earlier in the year. His decision to reopen his recruitment comes in the immediate aftermath of Moore’s dismissal.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said Moore was fired with cause following a university investigation.
“U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately,” Manuel said in a statement.
“Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. This conduct constitutes a clear violation of University policy.”
Despite McWhorter’s departure, Michigan’s 2026 recruiting class still includes 25 signees and is ranked No. 12 nationally, highlighted by five-star running back Savion Hiter and five-star edge rusher Carter Meadows.
More college football news:
- Deion Sanders buyout, contract details as Colorado Buffaloes coach
- Virginia Tech reportedly funding roster near top of ACC for James Franklin
- Leaked NSFW audio exposes Penn State AD Pat Kraft’s identity crisis in Happy Valley
- Diego Pavia asks Donald Trump to fix the College Football Playoff