Dan Villari to the portal
January 6th, 2022 at 9:52 AM ^
More important now than ever that we get both McNamara and McCarthy back next year (or at least Bowman).
January 6th, 2022 at 10:06 AM ^
Still unclear what Bowman's eligibility status is, but if he still has eligibility and sticks around, I think he can be a more than serviceable back up if McNamara transfers
January 6th, 2022 at 10:32 AM ^
me too... I thought he looked good when he played.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:39 AM ^
He had at least one BAD INT in limited time. I didn't see anything overly positive but the sample size was limited.
I also don't think Villari was ahead of him on the depth chart but got more playing time due to length of tenure on the team and being primarily a runner. Running is the diplomatic option in blow outs where back ups play.
January 6th, 2022 at 11:33 AM ^
You thought Bowman looked good? The guy who is 2/4 in his career for 9 yards with one INT?
January 6th, 2022 at 11:42 AM ^
You do remember he played for Texas Tech for 3 years right? He is a more than serviceable back up
January 6th, 2022 at 3:04 PM ^
I bet you thought OKorn was viable too.
January 6th, 2022 at 7:18 PM ^
Texas Tech is a power 5 school. So yes, I’d say a former starter at a power 5 school is serviceable as a backup.
O’Korn lost his starting job at a group of 5 school to a converted WR. But even still, O’Korn would have been serviceable as a backup. The problem with O’Korn was he was in a “starter” scenario in far too many key moments, and he is by no means a starter.
January 6th, 2022 at 12:04 PM ^
Try 480-717 for 5,269 yards, 33 TDs and 18 INTs. Believe it or not, college football is played outside of Ann Arbor.
January 6th, 2022 at 12:20 PM ^
Bowman played as a freshman at TT in 2018, received a medical redshirt in '19, got the free year like everyone else in 2020, and then played in 2021. So it seems like he should have been a redshirt sophomore this past season, with two more years of eligibility.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:30 AM ^
...do you REALLY think one of them can do as well as him ...
...
...on the podcast?
January 6th, 2022 at 9:54 AM ^
Thank you for beating OSU in 2020 and best of luck.
January 6th, 2022 at 9:54 AM ^
As a fellow Long Islander, I am sad to see him go and disappointed at what could've been. He could've been the next Vinny Testaverde.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:11 AM ^
Like the sarcasm. I live on Long Island and saw this kid play often, my son was a back up DB on his team. Remember Jason Kapsner? Didn’t think so. Villarri was not as good. I was shocked when Michigan offered as was Villari himself according to my son.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:20 AM ^
This comment was an unnecessary shot at a kid. As a dad of an athlete you should be and do better.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:44 AM ^
Long Island typical. And I grew up there, too, for better or worse.
January 6th, 2022 at 11:39 AM ^
I played lacrosse at Michigan with a guy from Long Island. He referred to himself as a FLID… Fucking Long Island Dick.
January 6th, 2022 at 12:34 PM ^
So, in other words, a Long Islander?
January 6th, 2022 at 12:39 PM ^
I just refer to myself as FLD
January 6th, 2022 at 10:23 AM ^
I remember Jason Kapsner! He went to my high school in Minnesota.
Of all the career backup QBs you could have mentioned, why him?
January 6th, 2022 at 10:31 AM ^
Kapsner was the second-ranked pro-style QB in his recruiting class. He just never saw the field because of who he was behind on the depth chart.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:32 AM ^
If he were really that shocked, why would he transfer? The kid must have some belief in himself to think he is good enough to start somewhere else.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:48 AM ^
Maybe he wants to play. He’s probably good enough to play at a non P5 school so go chase your dream and play college football
January 6th, 2022 at 10:35 AM ^
The Vinny bit was of course a joke, but I was legitimately rooting for Villari to do well and have a good career at M. I thought Harbaugh might even turn him into a TE or FB.
January 6th, 2022 at 12:42 PM ^
Wasn't Kapsner a 4* QB in the class between Brady and Henson?
January 6th, 2022 at 2:52 PM ^
That's the reference. Villari was recruited the class between McNamara and McCarthy. He was a late add after JD Johnson had to (at the time) medically retire and the pursuit of C.J. Stroud (remember that?) was too little too late
January 6th, 2022 at 9:55 AM ^
Man, he could have been a snap away from playing next season. Maybe this bodes well for the two headed monster coming back.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:05 AM ^
I doubt this tells us anything about JJ or Cade.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:16 AM ^
If this tells us about anyone, it is probably Bowman. Presumably Villari is smart enough to realize that we could lose 1 of Cade and JJ and thus that the #2 qb slot is possibly open. If he believes Bowman is ahead of him and he doesn’t have a real shot, this makes sense.
January 6th, 2022 at 11:31 AM ^
Except Villari was ahead of Bowman on the depth chart.
January 6th, 2022 at 12:36 PM ^
He also could have gotten 20 snaps total if the starter is healthy
January 6th, 2022 at 10:00 AM ^
Welp - we're boned.
January 6th, 2022 at 1:42 PM ^
Welp - we're bponed.
Fixed it for you
January 6th, 2022 at 2:49 PM ^
Negged you because you are NOT McElwain's shark.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:04 AM ^
This is no shot at Villari - I wish him the best and hope he gets to start somewhere.
I do wonder that if you miss out on the top 1-2 QB's on your board if it is even worth expanding the board and signing one. The whole thing with a guy like Villari was that he'd be in the program forever and be available in case of emergency - or maybe change positions if he was clearly never needed at QB. Seems like at this point you're better off just looking through available players in the portal instead of trying to sign a guy that will never really be a plan A starter.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:10 AM ^
I think what you hit on is going to be the "new business model" going forward. Get your top 1-2 guys per season, and then hit the transfer portal for either experienced starter/back-up transition player if your room is full of young guys (the 1 yr rental model, i.e. Jake Ruddock or ), or hi-star guy in the transfer portal who has 2+ yrs available if you strike out on your top target and hope you can find the way to unlock the guy's potential (O'Korn, Patterson). I think the end state is that for a lot of mid-level P5 teams, you're going to see QB3's who are the 3-4 yr walk-ons instead of the out of cycle 3-star recruit that's been on campus for multiple years. QB1 and QB2 will still be scholarship players that the coaches want unless it's a transition year situation like described above.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:36 AM ^
Maybe the new model can extend to just recruiting, but actually playing time.
I get that the tradition has been to stick with one QB as your starter and then have a backup(s). But in this new era of running QB, especially if the running is an integral part of the attack, why is there a fear of having two or more QBs?
The play calling is no longer done by the QB but from the sideline.
Nearly all running QBs get dinged up if not missing games if they are part of the running game.
There are so many good servicable run-pass QBs. Alternate series, or sub in and out, but play two or three. It doesn't seem to hurt the development of RBs or receivers.
Just wondering if maybe it is time to create a new model of how to use QBs.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:36 AM ^
apologies, double post
January 6th, 2022 at 10:14 AM ^
It’s why you should be gunning for 2 qbs in every class unless you have generational talent in there. I don’t even coaches having to balance roster management these days. No knock on the kids - glad they can move around now and do what’s best for them. Gotta be a nightmare figuring all this out now though
January 6th, 2022 at 10:04 AM ^
Cade is a fighter. He’ll stick at Michigan regardless of his spot on the team. Brady didn’t hire him to rep his brand thinking he’d quit on his team, imo.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:12 AM ^
That's fine, love that about Cade and love how he led the team this year.
But it's best for M if he's the (supportive, engaged) backup next year.
January 6th, 2022 at 12:03 PM ^
We won't know what's best for the team until fall ball.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:13 AM ^
No. Wishful thinking.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:16 AM ^
I'll counter- 0% Cade finishes his career at Michigan if JJ wins the job next fall
January 6th, 2022 at 10:04 AM ^
Wish him luck. I do wonder sometimes with guys transferring if they have a place in mind, since leaving a major P5 program (even as a backup) to try your luck elsewhere could lead to guys being left out in the cold due to roster crunches elsewhere.
But such is life - I can see him wanting to give it a go elsewhere especially if he feels he can compete.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:22 AM ^
I really want to see the stats of how many guys entered the portal, gave up their college scholarship, and did/didn't get a new landing spot.
Each team can only have 85 (?) scholarships, so there has to be overflow of players.
How many don't get a new start?
January 6th, 2022 at 10:48 AM ^
I can't find the article but it's also weird with COVID years giving guys extra eligibility while incoming classes remained the same. So over time that should even out a bit and the number of guys transferring should roughly equal the number of spots available but as we see with roster management coaches will oftentimes over-recruit expecting guys to transfer and so there will be fewer spots available than guys who gave up spots at their current teams.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:04 AM ^
If Cade transfers, our QB situation is pretty dire. Gotta grab someone special in 2023. Dante Moore plz
January 6th, 2022 at 10:06 AM ^
Everyone is thin at QB now. That’s 2022 college football.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:24 AM ^
hence osu and msu lucking into bowl wins. pitt playing with their 9th string, and ohio knocking utah's 97% of their offense guy.