Exit Kingston Davis
I guess he really really didn't want to play fullback [Eric Upchurch]
Per Sam Webb, Kingston Davis is set to transfer.
Father of #Michigan RB Kingston Davis told me his son informed U-M today of plan to transfer. Reasons: crowded depth chart & talk move to FB pic.twitter.com/vXPcZ6ro7T
— Sam Webb (@SamWebb77) March 24, 2017
Davis got a few carries early last year before an apparent redshirt. Meanwhile the quick emergence of Chris Evans and Kareem Walker navigating some rocky early waters makes the depth chart look tough indeed for anyone in the same class, as Davis was.
With Davis's transfer, the expected departure of Shelton Johnson would bring Michigan down to 85 before spring practice. That means no fifth years are potential cuts even if everyone else sticks it out.
These guys only have five years, it's just plain dumb to sit on the bench for 95% of five years when you can go somewhere else and play. There's no shame in admitting the people ahead of you are better than you. If he was afraid of competition he wouldn't have come here. He competed, he lost, he's making the smart move to go somewhere else.
They know it will be difficult. It's not an issue of not wanting to fight, it's an issue of understanding one's own limitations.
Now, I don't know what goes on in the mind of Davis and family, but his dad did talk about the RB depth chart. An immature person could look at the lineup and say "I deserve better than this, the coaches aren't giving me a fair shake." Maybe they think that. But their actual words suggest that they recognize that Davis will have a hard time cracking the starting lineup and that the Michigan coaches are acting reasonably if they do that.
And if so, that's maturity, the ability to recognize one's own limitations. I imagine that it is a hard thing for a player who has been successful all their life in sports to ascend to a level where they are never going to be the best. Whether it's getting to college and realize that no matter how hard you work you'll never be as fast or as agile as someone else, or going to the pros after being a star in college and realizing that the only way you get on the floor/field/ice is to be a role-player instead of the centerpiece.
Some guys figure it out and adapt. Some don't. But it has to take some serious character to try your hardest and realize that someone is just better than you.
It is a crowded backfield, but it would have been nice to see what he can do -- wearing the right colors.
It's a tough call -- play more and, assuming you aspire to play in the NFL, hopefully get more attention or share the load with 3 or 4 other backs, save your body, and hopefully play well enough and win enough to get drafted.
Seems like one would have a better chance of being a Day 1 draft pick if you're the primary ball carrier.
TBD if he will be able to transfer to a school where he is likely to get lots of playing time AND win as much as he would have at Michigan -- seems unlikely, otherwise he would have been a much more highly sought after recruit in the first place.
To be honest, if you can have players that are not likely going to contribute, leave the program, you WILL get better. It's not a coaching thing, but it has huge value.
Look at the best programs in the country: They either recruit the bejesus out of everyone and likely have a relatively low APR.
The best Michigan coach IMO is one that wins and can retain a high APR.
http://web1.ncaa.org/maps/aprRelease.jsp
It was said repeatedly in his recruitment he wanted to be a RB not a FB. So if that was not working out for him this makes sense. I don't see this as any change on his end no matter how "uber cool' fullback is to some people on this board. If he has any chance to go to the NFL there are way more RB jobs vs FBs.
Who?
Best of luck to the kid but not many RB's play at 240lb+ these days. It seems like he's running away from competition which is exactly what Harbaugh liked to weed out. You want to prove you're a RB in this proogram? Beat out your competition.
I'll be curious to see where he lands.
If the kid wants to be an RB, there is probably a smaller school that will give him carries at RB. If he wasn't going to get that at Michigan, well he has a limited number of years of football left. Good on him for taking control of his future, and good on the Michigan coaches for being honest with him. Harbaugh and Co. roll a large # of RBs. If he wasn't going to be in that mix, well, then he wasn't going in the right direction.
There is no dishonor in competing for a spot at Michigan, assessing your place, and then admitting you aren't ever going to get where you want to go. If the coaches are talking about changing your position, you probably aren't getting where you need to be.
Obviously as a fan I would have preferred him to stay as a FB. But he has to do what he feels is best for him.
Good luck to Mr. Davis, whereever he ends up.
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