Syracuse may have found an answer for its struggling offense in Juan Castillo, an OL assistant boasting over 40 years of coaching experience. But losing this valuable piece of the offense is a major blow for a team like Michigan, which already struggled with inconsistent pass protection. Now, the impact of that loss has become even more evident with former five-star offensive lineman Ty Haywood’s post.

“😥,” shared Haywood on his IG story.

That sadness makes perfect sense, as Michigan just lost a secret weapon. He returned to Michigan in 2025 after a short stop at UCLA and immediately made his presence felt. Before that, he’d already spent time in Ann Arbor as an analyst back in 2019, then rejoined the staff during last year’s bowl prep. But now the Orange will tap into his four decades of NFL and college experience as part of Syracuse’s new-look coaching staff.

Following a nightmare three-win season, the Orange moved on from former OL coach Dale Williams, and landing Castillo feels like a major achievement for them.

Castillo kicked off his coaching journey in 1982 at Texas A&M–Kingsville. Then his NFL break arrived in 1995 with the Philadelphia Eagles, starting as an offensive assistant. One year later, he took charge of the tight ends, and soon after, he became the backbone of the Eagles’ O-line. He bounced through the league with purpose from 2013 to 2023. The Bills, Ravens, Bears, and Commanders all tapped into his expertise.

Then he guided the Bruins in 2024, while Michigan went 9–3 this season with his support. But his impact on the Wolverines is still tough to replace.

After the offensive line hit a rough patch in 2024 under Grant Newsome, a stark contrast to its dominant run from 2021 to 2023, when Michigan snagged back-to-back Joe Moore Awards, Sherrone Moore knew his young coach needed a steady hand beside him. That’s where Castillo stepped in. With his guidance, Michigan’s O-line roared back into the national conversation and even landed on the Joe Moore Award radar again, finishing 16th in rushing.

Although the pass protection did get shaky at times. But starting three freshmen on the offensive line will do that to any team. Freshman QB Bryce Underwood was sacked 17 times this season. Although Castillo didn’t work with Underwood directly as an OL analyst, his decades of NFL experience definitely helped the freshman QB. While that kind of guidance would’ve been valuable next season, now the OL analyst is taking his expertise to power the Orange instead.

But Sherrone Moore simply wasn’t ready for that.

“I feel like Juan never leaves the building. He’s been the secret weapon for the O-line this spring,” said Moore earlier this year.

Still, reality is reality. After making his mark in Ann Arbor during their struggles, Castillo may have seen a chance to fix the Orange’s issues. That might be why he made the decision to leave. Even so, his Michigan stint was praised by the head coach and even a veteran offensive lineman.

Michigan head coach’s take on Juan Castillo

Even with players like Giovanni El-Hadi, Michigan’s offensive line had clear shortcomings this season. But Castillo’s presence helped ease those struggles. That’s enough for Sherrone Moore to praise his impact.

“He’s been a great help for [OL coach Grant Newsome], a guy that’s really going to be a superstar in the ranks,” said Moore. “… But to have Juan, a guy that’s done it in the NFL, that’s done it in college, has been a huge benefit for us.”

Despite starting a true freshman at quarterback, Michigan finished the season strong. Even Underwood managed to throw for 2,229 yards and nine touchdowns. Perhaps that’s why veteran OL Giovanni El-Hadi opened up about Castillo’s impact.

“Juan is the best. We have been with him every day since January. It’s like he lives here. He always wants to just help us get better. We love him so much and we wish we had him sooner,” said Hadi. “He’s always active and wants to make you better. You want someone to care for you and have love for you like that. We want (the coaches) to talk to us like they all do. He’s just a little bit louder, but we love it.”

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Now with Castillo gone, all eyes turn to Moore. Will he bring in another veteran to back up Newsome in 2026?