Exit: Devin Asiasi
Sorry to bump down Hutchinson but this is bigger news.
[Eric Upchurch]
This one hurts. After rumors he hadn’t returned all semester, and that Michigan was apparently doing everything short of moving California to get him back, sophomore tight end Devin Asiasi is transferring to a school closer to home for personal reasons. Apparently now it’s official, via Harbaugh, via Baumgardner.
Harbaugh says Devin Asiasi is transferring.
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) February 22, 2017
As just a true freshman Asiasi was one of the best blocking tight ends at Michigan in recent memory, and showed plenty of receiving ability to make him a major dual threat. There are plenty of other tight ends on the roster, and RS sophomore TJ Wheatley can fulfill much the same role. Still, this is still a major, major bummer. This is a player on the verge of stardom who was a perfect fit for the Michigan offense, and given the youth all over that side of the ball we were really looking forward to having at least this weapon at Harbaugh’s disposal.
As an additional knife, likely destinations for Asiasi include UCLA, where he would rejoin Jedd Fisch and best friend Boss Tagaloa (Jim Mora Jr.’s program has been a weird thorn in Michigan’s side lately despite going 8-5 and 4-8 the last two seasons). Asiasi also could wind up at USC, Cal, Stanford, or anywhere else that’s not here.
/shakes fist
February 21st, 2017 at 9:43 PM ^
I like how on the board the Hutchinson hello post bumps down the Asiasi goodbye post.
February 22nd, 2017 at 7:23 AM ^
I like how on the board the Asiasi goodbye post doesn't throw shade at a new commit for no reason.
February 22nd, 2017 at 9:51 AM ^
how we elected NOT to take a TE in this class...even though this has been in the works for quite a while.
February 22nd, 2017 at 12:28 PM ^
Hypothesis: it is difficult to recruit at a position one when of your most prominent returning players at the position is unhappy enough to be considering a transfer. Who knows what vibe Asiasi gave off to recruits, even assuming he wouldn't have explicitly said anything negative.
February 22nd, 2017 at 12:34 PM ^
take...
February 21st, 2017 at 9:45 PM ^
Damn, Damn, Damn!!!
February 21st, 2017 at 9:49 PM ^
Shit.
February 21st, 2017 at 9:49 PM ^
Family issues, weather issues, homesickness, etc.?
February 21st, 2017 at 10:01 PM ^
and that sucks because the second year away is a lot easier.
February 22nd, 2017 at 1:04 PM ^
That was the problem.
February 22nd, 2017 at 3:26 PM ^
Unnecessary
February 21st, 2017 at 9:54 PM ^
Blows. Maybe it'll have less of an impact if the team really is moving to more of a spread offense. Still blows though.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:07 PM ^
I think more passing-spread, kind of like what the Patriots run, which still heavily features TE's. Sucks, Asiasi was poised for stardom at UM. Hope it all works out for him wherever he ends up.
February 21st, 2017 at 9:54 PM ^
But, he came here because Harbaugh makes TEs a priority. Therefore, he shined because he was given an opportunity. I guess I feel this is a position where the "next man up" is the mentality. Go Blue!
February 21st, 2017 at 10:59 PM ^
next up must be the mentality at every single spot.
always tough to replace future pros and he is no doubt a legit pro prospect. heres hoping the rest of the TE room can step up and replace his role, impact and skill set via committee (bc obviously theyll miss him and no one on roster matches his ability / projected impact)
February 21st, 2017 at 9:58 PM ^
I'll never be able to get over the fact that I didn't chant "Asiasiasi, oy oy oy" at least once :/
February 22nd, 2017 at 12:01 PM ^
Was thinking the exact same thing, he will definitely be missed and it is really unfortunate for us.
February 21st, 2017 at 9:59 PM ^
Well that's a bummer. Hope his personal issues are worked out.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:01 PM ^
What personal issues are you talking about. What's been reported? Maybe I missed something
February 21st, 2017 at 10:47 PM ^
Sick family member
February 21st, 2017 at 10:00 PM ^
But not a surprise
February 21st, 2017 at 10:00 PM ^
People always leave :/
February 22nd, 2017 at 9:00 AM ^
back in 1994 we had Jon Ritchie and Trevor Price. They transferred out and we still won the National Championship in 1997.
We'll be just fine.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:05 PM ^
Damn. Fully expected this from all the rumors but was hoping he'd change his mind.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:06 PM ^
He's going to be a great player wherever he ends up. This one hurts a bit.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:14 PM ^
Asiasi is the complete package for a Harbaugh TE : a big, tough, ridiculously agile and fast kid for his size and weight. Big, big loss. By comparison, Bunting is far less physical and Wheatley is much slower.
February 21st, 2017 at 11:54 PM ^
Speed isn't the issue for Wheatley (he's pretty fast for a dude his size). Asiasi was a much better blocker, which is something Wheatley needs to work on.
February 22nd, 2017 at 9:33 AM ^
Asiasi, Wheatley, and Hill packages. That's a lot of big blocking guys that can create a path while also breaking open for a pass. So many options to mess with a defense in that package. You add a fast deep threat that can pull a safety and stretch a defense and good things were going to happen.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:25 PM ^
but best of luck to the young man. In a kinda but not so relates note, we need to get back into Ohio. We should always recruit nationally but distance is a factor for many, be it homesickness or being 1000 miles away from family issues. Asiasi was and will be a monster. Huge loss.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:26 PM ^
Sometimes those warm weather kids just can't adjust to the cold and gloom of the Midwest. Plus, Fisch. Btw thats not really a knife in my opinion. We don't play them, they suck, yadda, yadda.
Plus the kid wants to go home, fuck it, have at it youngin. As a coach, and a Dad, you're always happy to see the kid have a familiar face on the coaching staff. Best of luck to him. Optimistic Tuesdays. Lol
February 21st, 2017 at 10:35 PM ^
Knew it was coming but this stings. He was a great flip, showed tremendous promise, and really looked set to be a great player as soon as next season. Perfect for what Michigan does.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:40 PM ^
Worse, I suspect the rate of transfers will increase for all cold-weather programs continuing into the future.
Players of this current generation want the easiest training and every day circumstances possible. Catching a cold and battling through that several times per year can drain a person, and as long as there are options some will flee.
You just have to hope the kid won't be washed away by the Oroville Dam or something. Next player.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:47 PM ^
"Players of this current generation want the easiest training and every day circumstances possible."
glad you've got your finger on the pulse man.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:50 PM ^
Nah. Global warming. Michigan is going to be the place to be.
February 22nd, 2017 at 10:58 AM ^
No doubt, I livein Illinois, but it's been tame for years during winter. The weather in the midwest is nothing compared to 10years ago. Hell, it's been 70 degrees for a week and half now.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:54 PM ^
The common cold is why young, healthy people will transfer?
February 21st, 2017 at 10:59 PM ^
There was talk of him not wanting to go far away from home because he was really close with his family. Maybe the kid just got homesick. And wasn't one of his siblings sick or something (or was that Boss)? Maybe he had to go home because of that. I don't think it was because it gets cold in Ann Arbor.
February 21st, 2017 at 11:07 PM ^
All the time. And they don't make radical change because of that. Consider the military - those kids "drop out" often? No they don't, and they lack the privileges so many college athletes enjoy.
February 22nd, 2017 at 1:48 AM ^
Umm, in the military, that's called desertion, and it gets you court martialed, I'm pretty sure.
February 22nd, 2017 at 1:52 AM ^
Good job inventing an excuse to rant about "the young people" and get everything wrong in the process. Wither away, old man.
February 22nd, 2017 at 7:43 AM ^
Plenty of kids in basic are homesick as all get out, the issue is that you don't get to leave. If you could, I am sure you would see that. Being close with family is something that can't be replicated and if that's what he needs then that's what he needs. Hoping for the best for him.
February 22nd, 2017 at 6:59 AM ^
Shit like the Oroville Dam comment is why we need a multiple neg feature on this blog! I want to be able to be able to downvote a comment commensurate with its stupidity, not just a regular "I disagree" downvote.
February 22nd, 2017 at 8:46 AM ^
yeah, you "have to hope he won't be washed away by the oroville dam." pretty douchey.
February 22nd, 2017 at 10:57 AM ^
Ugh, great 'get off my lawn' post.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:47 PM ^
Couldn't believe we actually got him out of California in the first place. Too bad, he was going to be a star in this offense.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:56 PM ^
Could Chuck Norris do it?
February 22nd, 2017 at 6:24 AM ^
The plan was to put it in Lake Michigan but Wisconsin complained.
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