Michigan loses another...again

[Ironman8]

Per ESPN. Hehe:

One of these years, Michigan will stop losing CBs for one reason (transfer) or another (dismissal) or another (early entry). But this is not the year. Bob Lichtenfels of Scout.com reports that rising sophomore CB Cullen Christian, a four-star CB and the third-highest-rated recruit in Michigan's 2010 class, has asked for his release and intends to transfer.

Rising sophomore S Ray Vinopal followed former Wolverines DB coach Tony Gibson to Pittsburgh, and we imagine that Christian, a Steel City native, could very well do the same.

Christian is about the eighth DB that Michigan has lost since the beginning of 2009, and we say "about" only because we've lost count. Christian was expected to contribute early last season but struggled when thrown into action, and he continued to have his problems this spring. Michigan's top two signees in the 2011 class, CBs Blake Countess and Delonte Hollowell, will have to provide immediate help.

Lichtenfels earlier tweeted: "There will be at least one U-M player asking for his release today, could be a few more in the upcoming days." MGoBlog.com says that redshirt freshman WR D.J. Williamson "is also supposed to be on the way out." With a deep WR corps and his reputation as a track guy who happens to play football, Williamson -- a three-star recruit in 2010 -- probably figures he's better off seeking his fortune elsewhere.

But could there be more other than Christian and Williamson?

 

[Riddickulous]

Sucks for Michigan. Cullen Christian had great potential.

 

[johnnykillz]

I'm feeling bad for them. Like in highschool when the hottest chick in school breaks up with her boyfriend and gets wasted with your sister...

And spends the night at your house.

 

[Veer option]

Ouch

 

[Epitome]

Fine by me

 

[Rhode Irish]

I'm feeling bad for them. Like in highschool when the hottest chick in school breaks up with her boyfriend and gets wasted with your sister...

And spends the night at your house.

Yeah. I hated when that happened. Haha.

 

[ACamp1900]

Regardless, they'll somehow start hot, beat us, then look like a JuCo team come conference play.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I'm feeling bad for them. Like in highschool when the hottest chick in school breaks up with her boyfriend and gets wasted with your sister...

And spends the night at your house.

How'd that turn out for 'ya?

 

[mgriff]

Regardless, they'll somehow start hot, beat us, then look like a JuCo team come conference play.

Well, that's what happens, so, since it's a new season, it will happen again.

I almost feel bad. This is brutal. Hoke wasn't a big name signing, so maybe that is playing into some decisions. Regardless, it's going to be another major rebuilding job for the Wolverines. I think they should have given R.R. one more year since his offense was finally starting to pay dividends. What do I know though? Either way, they made the decision to wait around for at least three more years.

 

[johnnykillz]

How'd that turn out for 'ya?

No comment.

I digress.

AWESOME. :smilewink

Muck Fichigan.

 

[IrishLax]

Well, that's what happens, so, since it's a new season, it will happen again.

I almost feel bad. This is brutal. Hoke wasn't a big name signing, so maybe that is playing into some decisions. Regardless, it's going to be another major rebuilding job for the Wolverines. I think they should have given R.R. one more year since his offense was finally starting to pay dividends. What do I know though? Either way, they made the decision to wait around for at least three more years.

The thing is this happens whenever a new coach takes over. Certain players just don't like the change and look for a fresh start. Look at Seantrel in Miami, Shaq Evans at ND, etc. The list goes on and on.

What I will say though, that makes this situation more disturbing than others, is that usually transfers occur because a kid is buried on the depth or otherwise feels the new regime will hurt their chances to play. With the utter lack of depth at CB, the fact that a kid would want to transfer and miss a year where he would likely be a serious contributor just to get away is... wow.

Hoke should land a monster recruiting class this year regardless of record but he is going to need to be careful to not let the roster snowball into oblivion (a la Tyrone Willingham) as things move forward. All in all it is highly ironic that Tate Forcier (who could've been perfect for his offense) is gone... and DBs (which Michigan desperately needs) are again the ones jumping ship.

 

[rikkitikki08]

Tough break....you still want to see a team put the best team possible on the field but if anyone im glad its michigan haha

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

That is an unusually large amount of players to lose in so short a time. I wonder if the guys just didn't like their coach Tony Gibson, or whoever was coaching them. I see they hired a new secondary coach
(Curt Mallory - a Michigan grad.)

 

[condoms SUCk]

Good grief, Michigan goes through DB’s like a whore goes through pregnancy tests.

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

Regardless, they'll somehow start hot, beat us, then look like a JuCo team come conference play.

DON'T YOU PUT THAT EVIL ON ME RICKY BOBBY!!!!

 

[WabashFalcon]

This is awesome.

 

[IrishInColumbus]

This is awesome. Horrible defense handed them a win in 2009, fluke injury handed them a victory in 2010. Third time is the charm, the Irish will go in there and squash those bastards.

Honestly Notre Dame has lost in the most unthinkable ways to Michigan and Navy the last few years it's getting silly. 2011 is the season the Irish bring things back to normal.

 

[IrishFBfanatic]

Good grief, Michigan goes through DB’s like a whore goes through pregnancy tests.

Ann Arbor is a whore!

 

[IrishFBfanatic]

I love this. I don't think the players up there are buying into Hoke as much as Um had hoped. But also this reflects more on the institution considering players (mostly DBs) have been transferring for the last couple years.

 

[Riddickulous]

This is awesome. Horrible defense handed them a win in 2009, fluke injury handed them a victory in 2010. Third time is the charm, the Irish will go in there and squash those bastards.

Honestly Notre Dame has lost in the most unthinkable ways to Michigan and Navy the last few years it's getting silly. 2011 is the season the Irish bring things back to normal.

I don't understand the confidence with Michigan. I'd love to crush Michigan in their own house, but we've lost to them two years in a row.

I love this. I don't think the players up there are buying into Hoke as much as Um had hoped. But also this reflects more on the institution considering players (mostly DBs) have been transferring for the last couple years.

I don't understand this.

Attrition is expected with a coaching change, especially when you're revamping both your offensive and defensive schemes.

 

[IrishFBfanatic]

The fact that this and forcier are transfers because of change doesnt change the fact that players have been transferring over the last few years for many reasons. Players have been transferring for many reasons, and it seems a bit odd that they have had so many players leave over the past few years (which has nothing to do with coaching change).

Michigan Football Decommitments, Transfers, Resignations in the Coach Rod Regime
Check out this list

 

[BGIF]

The fact that this and forcier are transfers because of change doesnt change the fact that players have been transferring over the last few years for many reasons. Players have been transferring for many reasons, and it seems a bit odd that they have had so many players leave over the past few years (which has nothing to do with coaching change).

Michigan Football Decommitments, Transfers, Resignations in the Coach Rod Regime
Check out this list

Whoa! PILING ON!

Not you IFBf, but the Wolverine fan that put that table together trying to drive Rodriquez out. I'm not a fan of Rodriguez and aren't rationalizing his methods. That table is blatantly unfair.

If you count 5th years that didn't get a 5th year and transfers and the Trattous that verballed to ND and ended up elsewhere, ND would have a long list (as would most schools). The difference would be that ND 5th years got an undergraduate degree while those at Michigan or Alabama probably don't have one.

Coaching changes do cause turnover. There were a flock of transfers when Rodriguez took over. Carr had recruited talent to play in a Pro Offense. Rather than use what talent he had and tailor his offense to that talent Rodriquez made an overnight 100% commitment to His Spread Offense. The most notable defections were Mallet at QB and Boren their best OL (and also a legacy). Boren went to Michigan's arch rival OSU.

Rodriquez continued to weed out players after the first spring.

Rodrquez went after some highly talented players that weren't qualified academically. Those aren't transfers either. They didn't get in. He used the SEC model of recruiting except that the Big 10 wouldn't let him give out 35 offers. Michigan can hid players in cake programs but they still have to pass the NCAA Clearinghouse. That's another specious category in that table, a kid with a Clearinghouse problem. One of the Wisne's that played at ND in the 90's, Andy the younger one, had to be held out of practice at ND because of a Clearinghouse issue. Sometimes it's as simple as the Clearinghouse requesting a more detailed description of a particular course to deteremine it meets the minimum requiremenst (Math 101 - Introduction To The Hand Held Calculator For Jocks doesn't count for Alegbra II).

Hoke has now come in and some of those Spread players may not like his Offensive Scheme and some of UM's defensive players may not like the change in Coach/Scheme there either. There were several players that transferred from ND when Weis replaced Willingham, and at least Shaq Evans transferred after Kelly arrived. Coaching changes produce transfers. Radical changes in schemes produce still more.

I think UM has had more arrests during the Rodriquez years - at least that's my perception. I have no numbers to contrast for the Carrr or Mueller years. Again I think it was more a case of Rodriquez recruiting with a SEC model. I'll also conjecture that he didn't enforce discipline and UM doesn't have a Res Life.

Sam McGuffie was a transfer but he left for two reason, injury and homesickness. That happens at ND also. I would love to have him in Kelly's backfield. He could be a 1000 yd rusher and a 1000 yd receiver in that scheme but he wouldn't be a bell cow.

 

[IrishInColumbus]

^^Very honest and true.

 

[IrishInColumbus]

I don't understand the confidence with Michigan. I'd love to crush Michigan in their own house, but we've lost to them two years in a row.

It's simply looking at how Notre Dame lost to Michigan, and I don't think it will happen again.