Chris Barnett Also Gone
Chris Barnett has tweeted that he is out:
No longer at the university of Michigan
A couple of commenters wondered if that might be a joke. It is not. I've heard from multiple sources that Barnett was not in practice and was considering leaving or actually had left the team. Now it's (all but) official. That's the third member of the incoming class to flame out before the first game. At least in this instance I'd forgotten to write a recruiting profile for him. I did fret about his association with Baron Flenory.
Barnett probably wasn't going to play this year after suffering an injury late in his high school season and showing up pushing 280 pounds. Like Posada, his departure is more of a big deal next year when Koger and Watson graduate. At that point the only non-freshman tight end on the roster will be Brandon Moore, who hasn't played a lick thus far in his Michigan career.
Michigan might have to delay this manball thing even longer than they wanted simply because they don't have the personnel to put a tight end on the field much.
UPDATE: There's also Ricardo Miller at TE, though he needs to spend the next year eating nothing but bacon grease if he's going to get up to a reasonable weight.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:47 AM ^
Personally I say no, just because it still won't help us out much next year. We will still have a true freshman contribute, whether that is one, two, or three, it doesn't matter. I say you use that scholarship on a stud RB or WR.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:48 AM ^
Hopefully this opens up a spot for O'Brien, if there wasn't one already.
August 25th, 2011 at 12:28 PM ^
Funches and Williams are a great combo.
Ron Thompson isn't so good he'll play as a true freshmen.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:42 AM ^
I thought we'd moved past them.
/sighs
/Curses the ANGRY MICHIGAN TE HATING GOD
August 25th, 2011 at 10:44 AM ^
someone get ricardo miller to a truck stop diner, and fast.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:46 AM ^
Or, just have him do whatever Chris Barnett was doing...
August 25th, 2011 at 10:47 AM ^
...to Barnett. Hope he's able to figure out what he wants to do and where he wants to be.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:52 AM ^
kind of thought this kids committment didn't seem all there from the beginning. Don't know why just had a strange feeling. Now he's gone already
August 25th, 2011 at 10:53 AM ^
If his membership to the team was that tenuous, then it's probably good that he opted out. We want members that are "all in." I'm sorry it didn't work out for him. I do wish the young man the very best.
Go Blue!!!
August 25th, 2011 at 10:54 AM ^
I have two comments. I expect to get faux-negged for the first and faux-posed (pozzed?) for the second. These negs and poses (pozzes?) will come from the same segment of the fan base. Ready?
- I just wish Brady Hoke would stop running off good players. You know, like RichRod did.
- Brian, stop with the manball thing (though I noticed you didn't capitalize it--what does that mean?). We will not be the Pittsburgh Steelers. We will be multiple, flexible, and responsive to personnel and situation. Borges != DeBord. Or at least, that's what I think.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:00 AM ^
that Hoke is running players off. If he were, wouldn't he choose players he didnt recruit, maybe guys who don't play at a position which is was desperately thin BEFORE he left? I don't think he's running people off, but he is asking alot of the players. More than they were asked before. That's how you win championships.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:10 AM ^
Where is your evidence for this other than "we just got a new coach". If this was true I think you'd see a bit more detections from the guys already on the team not guys coming in as freshmen.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:04 AM ^
RR ran off players already on the team that were established starters like Mallett and Boren etc. Hoke is just trimming the fat (/S)
<br>
<br>(seriously I think it's a bit ridiculous that the kids he's recruited are flaming out faster than kids on the team. I think that does say something.. What I'm not sure.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:16 AM ^
Because Hoke points a lot....
August 25th, 2011 at 11:25 AM ^
Don't know why I'm even responding, with you having shit for brains and all, but, for the benefit of those who aren't dumber than a box of rocks, Barnett was frustrated, homesick and decided to leave. Hoke has attempted to convince every single kid who's left to stay. David Brandon made it very clear to every member of this coaching staff that all players are to be treated with dignity and respect, including those who decide that Michigan isn't for them. Nodody wanted to see Chris leave, especially Al Borges.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:34 AM ^
That means sarcasm
I think that kids today are too soft. I can understand kids transferring after the first year or 2 but not even sticking it out a semester... Seriously?
August 25th, 2011 at 7:04 PM ^
Since you apparently have inside information, why was Barnett frustrated? Too much work on the field? School too hard? Something else?
Also, if Hoke is trying to convince every kid who's left to stay, who else has expressed a desire to leave?
August 25th, 2011 at 11:46 AM ^
Also, this kid went to a few different high schools and committed to two schools before UM. So I think he just doesn't know what he wants or they asked him to go inside and play the o-line and he tooks his ball and went home.
August 25th, 2011 at 12:16 PM ^
between that, the flenory connection and the suddenness of his commitment, it seemed a bit flakey from the outset. oh well, i hope he gets it together.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:06 AM ^
August 25th, 2011 at 11:19 AM ^
I suspect he's just trimming the fat. Too soon?
August 25th, 2011 at 11:34 AM ^
I really don't think Hoke's running guys off, he would have done that before they even got to signing day if that were the case. I'm sure when he got the job, he called up all the recruits, told them what he was planning to do offensively/defensively and told them where they fit into the plan. If they wanted to go somewhere else due to the coaching change, no big deal. But these guys all stayed.
I think the reason these recruits from last year are leaving is just because they simply haven't been up to the task of playing for Michigan. It's not a matter of being run off, and we don't know if they were good or not.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:59 AM ^
Maybe Brian could play TE. He knows a crap load about football and definitely hasn't used his eligibility......plus he might help the team GPA. Start chowing those piles of meat big guy.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:00 AM ^
but what happened to the speculation about Isaiah Bell? I had heard a lot of people talking about him transferring but nothing concrete. Anyone have any further info on that?
August 25th, 2011 at 1:28 PM ^
He's still saying on Twitter that he's in Toledo. I guess it's possible that he's commuting in for practice every day, but it wouldn't make a whole lot of sense.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:00 AM ^
I'm not sure it's going to be that bad, though. The stakes definitely go up. Miller has to put on some weight, and one of Williams and Funchess has to be serviceable. If Miller can get up to at least 250 we should be OK. There is a freshman on the team that was a 3 star tight end last year, so maybe that's a possibility. Who knows. If nothing else we have enough WR's to go to a 3 wide, 1 TE, 1 back base ( or 2-1-2 with a FB/H-back as an extra blocker instead of another TE) next year..which is what we pretty much ran prior to RR.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:04 AM ^
I'm not even giving up on Moore.
He was a highly thought of TE recruit put in an offense that didn't use TE's often. He sat behind a guy 2 years older (Webb) and a classmate who was MORE highly touted (Koger). He's a RS Junior this year - this is when he'd start contributing normally.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:13 AM ^
I read your post and then went to mgoblue and looked at his bio. So....yeah. I don't think that this is really going to be that much of an issue at all IF your reason is correct. In other words, I'm hoping his not playing is really just a matter of biding time rather than the coaches not thinking he is good enough to see the field. If Moore can block and Miller shows up at H-back this year (blocks well) it should bode well for next year. Miller has to put one some weight if we are going to be running a lot of 2 TE power schemes, though. Anyways, thanks for pointing that out.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:00 AM ^
This doesn't concern me THAT much.
We have 4 scholarship TE's this year (Koger, Moore, Watson, Miller).
We have 4 scholarship TE's next year, as it stands (Moore, Miller, Fuchess, Williams).
It seems to me like, as far as sheer numbers go, we're ok.
The next question is whether they can play - but that's a question with every recruit we get. I realize Moore hasn't cracked much PT in his career, but he sat behind 2 4-star TE's (he was a 4-star DE shifted to TE, if I recall) in an offense that largely eschewed playing TE's. I'd say the verdict on him is firmly out. Maybe Miller will never be much of a blocker, but it seems like guys like that (we did just recruit Funchess after all) have a place in this offense.
This isn't meant as a "good riddance" or anything. I just don't see this as terribly impactful.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:56 AM ^
I think it means the same as WR, OL, DL, LB, and DB: a very young, very talented team.
We'll still have Denard/Devin, Lewan/Omameh, Demens, Roh/Black, so we have huge pieces for next yeat and beyond. But there'll be a lot more true and RS freshman out on the field with them. Will be fun and exciting to watch.
August 25th, 2011 at 12:51 PM ^
Continue to lead the good fight chitownblue2. It's at least amusing to read your arguments go up against people who are reacting with, "Ahhhh! we just lost one freshman untried TE, quick let's use scholarships to recruit two more even younger TE's who are equally untried and will contribute even later"
The thing I love about Hoke is that he shows up to his press conference looking are gassed as Towlie, and then when someone asks about the players who are leaving and if this raises his open scholarships his response is, "I haven't even thought about that, I'm running camp and I'm completely focused on that". Now I'm not saying it demonstrates evidence of better coaching, anymore than Rich Rodriguez's automatic answer of "I only talk about players for Michigan" was evidence of good coaching. I'm just saying I enjoy the Hoke response more.
We'll all know so much more once these kids start to play. I think a lot of players are going to earn their battle scars against Western Michigan, and throughout the season we'll have our answers on just how thin the two-deep really is on talent.
August 25th, 2011 at 2:55 PM ^
August 25th, 2011 at 11:10 AM ^
this is opportunity for Williams (I thought he might move inside) who will have to work on catching the ball. Funchess is likely to see more balls as well.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:21 AM ^
With 5 O-linemen in that class (was probably going to be 6 regardless, now almost certainly will be with Posada leaving) Williams was not going to move inside. There is enough talent there that Williams talents would be better suited as a blocking tight end who can get off the line and catch a few passes in the flats or in short zone gaps.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:39 AM ^
I can't wait for the pair of those guys to go out there in a power set and just tear up the middle of the field. Williams is 6'6" and 260 right now, and Funchess is 6'5" 205. By the time they're seniors Funchess will probably be about 240 or 250. I feel bad for the linebackers that are going to be covering these guys, and even worse for the safeties they pulverize on their way to TD's.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:02 AM ^
Whats your problem with bacon grease?
August 25th, 2011 at 11:03 AM ^
I know this is flamebait..and no i dont think Chris Barnett was going to make all the difference...but when i think about our lack of depth and possible Freshmn on the Oline next year and lack of TE depth without playing a Freshman... and they graduation of Hemingway and Odoms with JeRon gone and less than ideal numbers at WR .... it makes me feel real queezy about that opener vs Bama
August 25th, 2011 at 11:12 AM ^
Just My e-pinion though
August 25th, 2011 at 10:44 PM ^
What David Cone's lovechild playing a banjo?
August 25th, 2011 at 11:17 AM ^
I read it exactly how I imagine you talking... which is by taking lots of deep breaths... inbetween every thought you have... either you are trying to calm down... or you should share some of your bacon grease...
August 25th, 2011 at 11:14 AM ^
August 25th, 2011 at 11:17 AM ^
How does our current class of '11 attrition compare to other conference teams at this moment? That would give us an additional data point to consider before hitting the panic button.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:20 AM ^
Im starting to get Concerned about the number of freshman bailing out?
Is this a trend? expected? normal? Im getting nervous
August 25th, 2011 at 11:25 AM ^
Desmond Morgan.... big kid, and wasn't he a high school quarterback? Apparently making waves at LB, but if he can succeed there, maybe he can make a big impact as a TE?
August 25th, 2011 at 11:40 AM ^
Not tall enough, I'd call him 6ft 2 max. Plus he's going to be too good of a linebacker to consider moving him.
Having watched him play a ton in HS the past 2yrs at both QB & LB I can say that LB is where he needs to be. He hits like a freight train and his read/react is better than any HS linebacker I've ever seen in person, and I've seen at least a dozen that went D1.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:26 AM ^
I wouldn't start freaking out that Hoke is driving these kids away. Unless they openly state why they left, we don't really know the reasons and they may have all left for different reasons.
Right now I am just worried how this effects out depth down the road, but I guess the silver lining is this should help us be able to sign 26 kids next year.
Hopefully everything works out for Chris.
August 25th, 2011 at 12:45 PM ^
Well said. Each kid is a unique case. Sounds like Posada might not be cut out for the rigors of major college football. Stokes was buried on the depth chart, so transferring now allows him to have two years at another school. Barnett is the surprising case, but with his nomadic backstory, maybe I shouldn't be that surprised he's leaving.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:32 AM ^
Ron Thompson?
August 25th, 2011 at 11:39 AM ^
From what I hear, he's been leaning on the sage Alex Legion for advice in hopes of becoming Legion's football counterpart.
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