Jack Miller Foregos Fifth Year
[Bryan Fuller/MGoBlog]
Sam Webb reported this morning that senior Michigan offensive lineman Jack Miller will forego his fifth and final year of eligibility. The returning starter at center will stay at the university and focus on his academic pursuits:
Source indicated #Michigan center Jack Miller has opted to forego his fifth year. Just confirmed by athletic department official
— Sam Webb (@SamWebb77) March 12, 2015
Jack Miller is not a transfer case. He is leaving to "focus on studies and pursue business opportunities" per #Michigan SID Dave Ablauf
— Sam Webb (@SamWebb77) March 12, 2015
Miller started 16 games at center over the last two seasons, including all 12 in 2014. Redshirt sophomore Patrick Kugler and redshirt junior Blake Bars will compete to take Miller's spot in the middle of the line. Kugler is the likely favorite given his pedigree and recruiting profile; Graham Glasgow could also be an option if the line shuffles around a bit. As long as one of the centers has a good handle on the offense, Michigan should be no worse for wear. Best of luck to Miller in his future endeavors—it's great to see that he'll be continuing his studies.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:15 AM ^
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MLive has an article explaining his thoughts: http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2015/03/jack_miller_explains_…
"Miller will forego his fifth year at Michigan, but not to seek another football opportunity elsewhere. Football, for Miller, is done.
And he says it's time to focus his energy and efforts on the next phase of his life.
Miller is currently finishing his undergraduate work as a political science major, and will graduate this semester from Michigan. At this point, he's considering a number of real world options after college, including potential involvement in politics.
He'll also earn a certification in sales and marketing from Michigan's Ross School of Business. From there, he may pursue an MBA or potentially try his hand at law school. Or, he may venture into the business world and seek full-time employment."
March 12th, 2015 at 10:15 AM ^
Could this be the first casualty of the new less relaxed Harbaugh regime? Obviously we will never know that for sure but when football has been your whole life it is very rare to just drop it when you are still able to play at a high level
March 12th, 2015 at 10:20 AM ^
March 12th, 2015 at 10:59 AM ^
I kinda doubt he quit because he felt like he didn't have a chance at winning the starting job. He was voted the top offensive lineman at the team's banquet and was seen as a candidate to be a captain this fall. I really doubt that he saw some competition from Kugler and said fuck it and bailed.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:22 AM ^
Rare, but not unheard of. Some people do actually go to play school.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:51 AM ^
Cardale Jones does not approve of Jack's actions or that comment!
/s
March 12th, 2015 at 10:39 AM ^
Good for him. When we talk about the NCAA and how the term student-athlete is a sham, it's good to remember that he's not a rare exception.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:53 AM ^
I doubt Harbaugh's anywhere near a factor as much as Michigan itself. If anything, Harbaugh would've made this decision tougher, given how many Stanford (Stanford!!) players he put in the NFL.
At Michigan it's really not THAT rare. In terms of numbers they're definitely a minority, but on every UM team going way back there were probably at least a few who definitely work hard on the field but in the event they don't generate buzz among pro scouts, their first goal all along was to get a quality education. Which is why they went to Michigan. In this case we're hearing about it because he probably just couldn't keep up anymore and had to make a choice. Classes start to get very time-sucking at the upperclassmen levels; that's reality regardless of who's coach. If anything, and fully disclosing I'm speculating here, I'd wager the logic went like this:
1) My studies are taking an increasingly large chunk of time.
2) Football is uncompromising in its time demands.
3) I've been a starter (yay!), but
4) I'm not hearing pro scouts talk about me (boo), so I probably won't be an NFL millionaire.
5) I've only got one year left; if I drop from the team the loans won't be outrageous.*
6) Sorry Jim.
Anyway, we're not MIT or anything, but it does happen here. The sham the NCAA perpetuates is actually the implication that all schools are like Michigan. We're more the exception that proves the rule; when critics talk of the "worthless degree" they're usually not talking about us.
*I assume if he leaves the team he forfeits his scholarship
March 12th, 2015 at 10:57 AM ^
It certainly seems like it to me. I could be wrong but the fact that he was practicing for the first week of spring ball (and was reportedly still the leader or at least in the mix for a starting role) before making this decision leads to believe that this is the case.
March 12th, 2015 at 11:37 AM ^
March 12th, 2015 at 12:08 PM ^
March 12th, 2015 at 10:17 AM ^
I was just thinking yesterday that between Kugler and Miller we'd be guaranteed to have a decent, if not good, center. I think Miller went a long way towards helping to stablize the line last year (admittedly, just based on the idea that the center is the 'QB' of the O line).
Ah well, it sounds like he wants to knock his last year at UM out of the park academically. Good luck Jack. Get that degree, get a good job, and live well.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:19 AM ^
Alternative to Kugler is Cole-Magnuson-Glasgow-Kalis-Braden with LTT and Dawson first up for tackle and interior positions, respectively.
I really want Kugler to work out, but it's a little disconcerting we haven't heard anything about him up until this Spring.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:19 AM ^
Why is it disconcerting? He is about to start his 3 yr in the program, and for OL that's when they usually take off. Plus wasn't he recovery from an injury his 1st yr?
It's disconcerting because spring football is a time for excessive over-hype.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:21 AM ^
He's playing maybe the toughest position on the line and he's going into his RS Sophomore year.
Right around now is when we should be hearing things...and we are.
He's progress is actually pretty normal.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:26 AM ^
He looked great to me in the Spring Game last year, slightly less so in the Fall Scrimmage (no one on OL looked good). Miller beat him out, but I bet it was only by a little. Now he's gotten one more year under his belt and seems ready to contribute according to practice reports. That's right on track for a RS SO.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:30 AM ^
He is a redshirt sophomore. In a healthy program, this is usually the time that OL start to emerge. Not everyone is like Cole and comes in and makes noise early in their career on the OL. I for one am happy that we will finally get to the point where we can play upperclassmen on the OL and not scramble to fill holes with young players who aren't ready.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:17 AM ^
March 12th, 2015 at 10:20 AM ^
Well I guess that explains Sam switching his expected starter from Miller to Kugler overnight.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:21 AM ^
March 12th, 2015 at 11:45 AM ^
Nobody really had any clue who Hoke was referring to. This could have been Miller's plan all along, at least since it became clear that his being drafted into the NFL was not happening. Smart to stay at Michigan and get a real graduate degree. The timing of this could be related to the graduate school admissions process?
Seems like it would have leaked if he was not participating at all. He's currently still on a football scholarship with eligibility remaining, so still part of the team? If so, seems possible he will stay that way through the Spring game, just to help out -- they could certainly use him if they are really going to try to play a game.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:21 AM ^
Fine career, outstanding young man and representative of the team. Very happy to see him do well in life.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:30 AM ^
Had a class with Jack. He's a class act and truly quite intelligent. He's a great representative of the University and really does embody the term "student-athlete." Best of luck to him.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:33 AM ^
I hope Miller ends up being as successful as Nacho Man some day, with a prestigious grad degree, major property holdings in Ann Arbor, and a low body fat percentage.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:57 AM ^
Are you sure anyone with the name Nachos can have a low % of body fat???
March 12th, 2015 at 10:35 AM ^
i'm sure he'll be a great representative of the university and the program.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:38 AM ^
Does this mean he has to pay his own way for school? Is he still on scholarship for next season?
March 12th, 2015 at 10:43 AM ^
March 12th, 2015 at 10:49 AM ^
...if Rudock wants to come to Michigan, we shouldn't have any issues.
We're still looking at a few guys, I'll name one because Brian did yesterday (Chris Fox) that are in that transfer/career over mix.
You're also going to have your normal upperclassmen leave because they get passed over (i.e. Rawls...maybe Miller in this here case)
You're also going to have your normal attrition due to the coaching change/scheme change.
We could also lose a QB once that depth chart shakes itself out.
There will be more attrition that isn't necessarily alarming.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:50 AM ^
Maybe Jack Miller will receive an academic scholarshiip for grad school.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:40 AM ^
Good luck Jack!
Who else besides Kugler and Glasgow have experience at center?
March 12th, 2015 at 10:43 AM ^
Good luck in your future endeavors, Jack!
No thats what i call something interesting.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:49 AM ^
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March 12th, 2015 at 10:49 AM ^
Hard to blame a guy who is presumably "going pro in something other than sports" for wanting to focus on what he's going pro in. Football takes a lot of time away from that, not to mention the physical pain and potential for major injury. The team will miss him, but who can begrudge someone for focusing on their future?
My ex girl friend is now a pro. Very disheartening.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:49 AM ^
Makes sense if he feels that his time woudl be better served in academics. Wish him luck.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:53 AM ^
Bummer. He wasn't our best starter ever but he got a lot better and with a new signal caller, we really could have used an experienced guy there. We've got options but there goes some of our OL depth and experience.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:59 AM ^
He would have been quality depth if he didn't start.
March 12th, 2015 at 11:06 AM ^
Being replaced by an underclassman, Kugler should have been playing by mid season last year. Hoke should have been building for the future instead of excusing away mediocrity. Not a snub on Miller, who played and worked hard without a doubt. But he is hardly a bigtime talent, Kugler is.
March 12th, 2015 at 11:08 AM ^
probably realizes NFL is not in the cards like 90% of college football players...now focusing on his studies to have a great career. God speed young man, best of luck!
March 12th, 2015 at 11:17 AM ^
I would wager a decent sum that he either a) got into a good grad program that would make football + academics impossible or b) he's just burnt out of football.
If one knows he's not going to be in the NFL, then (b) is certainly a possibility that we do not really recognize here. College is a fun vacation (unless youre in STEM or a douche that unnecessarily studies waaaaaaay too much). Nevertheless, with the demands of a sport, especially football, that whole thing can be incredibly demanding and take the fun out of the university. I know we view playing football for UM as the coolest thing ever, but after 4 years of it, the "cool" factor could wear off and one might just want to be a student for a year.
March 12th, 2015 at 11:43 AM ^
March 12th, 2015 at 11:47 AM ^
I'll be the grammar Nazi that points out that the title should be "Jack Miller Forgoes Fifth Year."
March 12th, 2015 at 11:50 AM ^
I hate to be that guy, but I just can't help it: the verb Sam is looking for is forgo, not forego.
They're both actual words (and thus make it past a spell check), but the former means to abstain or go without, the latter means to precede or go before.
Sorry to play grammar narc, but I'm a copy editor and it's hard to fight the urge.
As a great Faber College professor once said: "Hey, I'm not joking...this is my job!"
March 12th, 2015 at 12:02 PM ^
I'm dyslxeic and thought he might mean forging o's:
We need more people like you. I hate when popular misuse of a word leads the "new school" to adopt the misuse as a new word and even put it in the dictionary as a legitimate word. This has happened with new words like "preventative," or "orientate." Starting sentences with conjunctions also riles me a bit but I understand grammar is not really taught in schools these days.
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