Blake Countess To Transfer
Via his instagram:
That is a blow to Michigan's secondary. Countess was the leading candidate to start opposite Jourdan Lewis, give or take a Wayne Lyons, and even in the event he lost the job he figured to see considerable playing time spotting various guys in the secondary.
Countess struggled mightily last year as Michigan transitioned to a man press style, but was an All Big Ten performer as a sophomore in a zone system. It is possible that Michigan apparently rededicating themselves to the aggressive system they had to ditch midseason last year may have precipitated a transfer. Either that or the usual transition stuff compounded by the availability of immediate eligibility elsewhere.
Other than Lyons, the main beneficiaries of Countess's departure figure to be Brandon Watson and Channing Stribling. Watson was impressive in the spring game and has a ton of experience as a press corner; Stribling was promising as a freshman before a relatively anonymous sophomore year.
Countess was set to be a fifth year senior so this doesn't impact recruiting classes going forward; it does end any questions about if any contributing walk-ons would get stiffed. If anyone else leaves Michigan would have a spot to add another fifth year transfer.
Godspeed, Mr. Countess.
I am trying to have faith in our coaches and the idea that there needs to be a culture change and it's hard to do that unless some people that don't buy into the new culture go. I'm not saying that's the case here, but it helps me deal with a former all conference player leaving. It also hurt to see a highly rated young guy like Ferns leave too, but in Harbaugh we trust.
A great kid. I hope he finds a school that plays more zone to fit his skill set.
Good luck to Blake, but this whole grad transfer thing becoming so prevalent seems very odd to me. Blake is leaving a place where all his friends and teammates are at to move to(if rumors are true) to Ok St to play for a similar program(in terms of recent success) for 1 year?
It's one thing for a QB like Ruddock who expects to sit behind an underclassman; it's another for a DB where there are often 5 or even 6 on the field at once, and there was little doubt Blake would get his share of PT. Not sure why you leave your friends and team under those circumstances, but he must have had his reasons and it's a free country, so good luck to him.
Jourdan Lewis and Wayne Lyons will be our starters this season.
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I love that his picture is of him at graduation. Michigan man through and through, regardless of where he ends up.
I don't think this is a good sign. He was kind of near the top of my "least likely to transfer list." Self-reporting violations, academic underperformance, dismissals from team, rescinded dismissals and suspensions, a senior leader transfering. Not liking some of the things coming ouf of the Fort these last couple of days.
Every school self-reports violations every year, having only four is actually pretty impressive, this shouldn't be news at all but for some reason is all over the place.
...why be decent at all? Just the other day I wanted to hit someone in the head with a hatchet because he gave me a weird look, but I didn't do it b/c I chickened out and was all PC about it. But no more of that crap! Only my lowest instincts are my authentic self, and I will not live a lie!
weird look = hatchet treatment. I can't think of one good reason why you did not hatchet him.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when people suggest that you're only "being real" if you're being a raging jerk.
Check out Erik in Dayton being real...
/s
is one of the first posts I have ever seen that does not even dignify a neg. To neg it would be to treat it with too much respect.
You may be right. I don't know. I negged it anyway.
This is a really ignorant and stupid thing to say. You have no idea why he left and he doesn't owe you shit. But yeah, let's tell him "f off."
asshole is illogical.
Michigan has had many assholes take the walk in Michigan Stadium. That cannot be helped. Society naturally produces assholes. Every academic institution has them.
This man may not have went to Michigan, but you can't infer that from his obnoxious comments. I have met numerous UM grads who are of his ilk so I know that your post is off base from personal experience.
nope, I bet my life that I'm right on this one.
You completely ignored Quattro's point.
Head upstairs from mommy's basement and step outside for some fresh air.
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who's got it better than banhammer
Bless you, sir.
We need some sort of GIF that automatically plays up in the banner when somebody gets banhammered.
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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOBODY?
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You seem like a nice guy. Do you shoplift at the Salvation Army?
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F off Whos! Who is youz whos? You whos, you snooz & lose, toodeloos.
Thanks Blake!
Met him in the summer before his freshmen year, yeah, he came early to get a head start on 4 yrs of not cuttin' it.
Always a good guy the few times I met him.
Go blue and go well Blake!
Now leave.
God Bless, with the degree in hand. I hope he starts wherever he goes, I'll watch and cheer for his new team.
Wasn't he starting at the HSP (the equivalent of Peppers') spot in the spring game? I could be totally incorrect, but I thought he did. He's choosing between potentially being second-string, and going somewhere where he probably has near-guaranteed playing time.
He looked to have transformed himself from deadly corner to tough-as-balls run defender in the spring game. I can't wait to see where he lands, thanks for the great plays while here.
Makes sense for a fifth year guy with NFL aspirations to play in a system that is a better fit for his skill set. He has been a great player for Michigan, one of the best corners in recent memory IMO, and will certainly be missed. I wish him nothing but the best and hope to see him succeed this coming season and in the future.
He can help Michigan, but Michigan's conversion to press man doesn't help him. A fifth-year All-B1G corner coming off the bench? That's a luxury no program should afford.
He's been my favorite CB (I'm geeked for Peppers but -- no fault of his own -- need to see him in action) because I'm envious of zone merchants. I've always been a man (not press) coverage guy because I'm quick enough to stay on someone but I always felt zone is the better team game. Man can be effective, but it's not cerebral. You can frustrate your guy but I enjoy messing with the QB's head. Peppers' athleticism is so far out of my league I'm totally in spectator mode, but Countess isn't freakishly athletic so I look at him and think, "I want to be able to do that."
He has been one of my favorites for a long time. Wish him the best of luck in all future endeavors!
Thought he looked pretty decent in the Spring game and possibly playing with a chip on his shoulder. I thought there was a good chance he'd start over Lyons. This one kind of bums me out.
This was probably the "suprising" transfer that people were rumoring about last week. Probably more player losses to come if they are right.
He gets a lot of heat for last year, but I think things would have been different if he had an actual secondary coach while trying to learn a new way to play.
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Mallory went to exclusively coaching the safeties last season. He just had more help in coaching the DBs when Manning was moved there.
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