Portal Out: Eyabi Okie
Well this is an interesting one:
Michigan defensive end Eyabi Anoma is in the transfer portal.
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) January 12, 2023
Anoma, who changed his name to Eyabi Okie, had transferred in to Michigan for one season. Originally a five-star that signed with Alabama, he's now a grad transfer.
Okie was a transfer in from UT-Martin last offseason, previously at Alabama and Houston before arriving at Michigan. The tumultuous career of Okie prior to his arrival at Michigan was well documented at the time and he was considered a major wildcard, especially due to his late arrival to the program in mid-August 2022. Despite that, Okie saw the field as a rotational pass rusher with some regularity and having success- he recorded 18 tackles, 6 TFLs, and 4 sacks this past season for Michigan. With one year of eligibility remaining, many viewed Okie as a breakout candidate for next season, with a full offseason of coaching from the Michigan staff. Instead, his unexpected decision to put his name in the portal means he will be trying to break out elsewhere.
It's hard to know the reasoning behind this, whether it's the departure of his mentor Biff Poggi, who guided Okie to Michigan, or perhaps the acquisition of EDGE Josiah Stewart from the portal out of Coastal Carolina. Whatever it is, Michigan's EDGE depth for 2023 has taken a bit of a hit. There is no content after the jump.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:25 PM ^
The biggest oof so far
January 12th, 2023 at 3:28 PM ^
The biggest oof of the portal news, or the biggest oof of all departure news? Agree if it's the former, disagree if it's the latter (Green or Turner seem more important to me).
January 12th, 2023 at 4:24 PM ^
Agreed. DE wasn't great but I feel like we have a lot of options now, especially with the transfer coming in. Really nice to have 3 solid CBs and right now we have 1.
January 12th, 2023 at 4:28 PM ^
Take it you aren't including Mike S. ? Hopefully we can get a transfer for CB
January 13th, 2023 at 2:22 AM ^
Nah. Green is #1. We have zilch at corner aside WJ and prayers.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:31 PM ^
Assuming Turner was always going to leave...Green was definitely the biggest hit.
I wonder if Okie goes to Charlotte with Poggi.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:41 PM ^
Colorado
January 12th, 2023 at 3:47 PM ^
Did Deon call him?
January 12th, 2023 at 3:32 PM ^
Definitely biggest WTF so far.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:27 PM ^
Lmao Frankie Collins 2.0
January 12th, 2023 at 8:41 PM ^
Frankie Collins graduated?
January 12th, 2023 at 3:27 PM ^
Damn, college football is hard to keep track of at the moment. It will be real interesting to see what the roster actually looks like come next August.
This one hurts.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:30 PM ^
Anyone else think he'll end up at Charlotte? Joining back up with Biff
January 12th, 2023 at 3:31 PM ^
If he doesn't, this becomes a REALLY weird move.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:34 PM ^
Maybe he want$ to go back to the $EC - it ju$t mean$ more.
January 12th, 2023 at 4:10 PM ^
I’d argue that if he does go to Charlotte, that makes it a weird move. He was pegged to be a breakout player next year at a place that gets more exposure and nationally televised games than the majority of teams. I wish him the best but this doesn’t seem like a wise decision.
January 12th, 2023 at 4:52 PM ^
Where ever he ends up it’s a strange move. Kid needs to settle down and get consistent coaching to really take the next step. He was in a great position here. Not sure what he’s thinking with this move. Wish him best of luck
January 12th, 2023 at 3:33 PM ^
Before everyone starts ripping the kid, Feldman just tweeted he's expected to follow Biff, who's been his mentor and pulled him out of a bad place.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:38 PM ^
Yeah, that's my guess as well. I absolutely get a kid wanting to stick with the guy who helped resurrect his career.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:55 PM ^
It's really the only explanation that makes sense.
January 12th, 2023 at 4:14 PM ^
I think we all understand that, but it’s very hard to argue that transferring to Charlotte is helping rather than hurting his future draft prospects. He had literally everything to gain by staying here. Prominent role on a national stage at a major program in a system he had already learned…..and now to Charlotte? It just doesn’t seem like he’s getting sound advice.
January 12th, 2023 at 4:29 PM ^
Maybe his personal life is more important to him than anyone's opinion about his potential draft position.
January 12th, 2023 at 5:02 PM ^
Maybe he needs to continue to repair parts of his life that Poggi is helping him with in order to be a more attractive draft prospect?
January 12th, 2023 at 6:34 PM ^
If he follows Poggi I get it. If he goes somewhere else WTF? [5] schools? Those guys don’t fare well usually.…I thought for sure he’d have a breakout year at Michigan next year.
January 13th, 2023 at 2:24 AM ^
After reading the Athletic article, UM should be paying Biff 2M a year. He is the guy who got Harbaugh settled. Forget his aspiration of a HC job give him the $$ and he should be here being the Harbaugh whisperer. He seems like the only one who can do it. This is the biggest loss in the program IMO.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:33 PM ^
Thanks Warde!!!
am i doing this right? ;)
January 12th, 2023 at 3:34 PM ^
Uhhhhhh what
January 12th, 2023 at 3:34 PM ^
So Okie to UNC Charlotte wouldn't surprise.
But yeah, Josiah had best be the real deal or we're screwed on the edge next season.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:36 PM ^
Moore is going to be a monster.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:46 PM ^
I might be more (or should i say Moore) excited about and the Sophomore Leap than anyone else on the team. To show what he showed last season as a true freshman...
January 12th, 2023 at 3:45 PM ^
Moore, Stewart, MacGregor, Etta…..I think we are decent there
January 12th, 2023 at 7:07 PM ^
Etta is only a true freshman. Not sure we can expect him to contribute much next season.
January 13th, 2023 at 4:23 AM ^
I agree. A starting tandem of any 2 of the first 3 you mention should be very solid. Etta has a great profile and should play the role that Moore did last year, developing, learning and giving the starters some breaks.
January 12th, 2023 at 6:33 PM ^
I dont Okie's 7 tackles were going to make or break us. After 4 schools what we saw last year has got to be close to his ceiling.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:35 PM ^
This is legitimately unexpected but I guess if Poggi was the reason he came to UM it makes sense he might not be tied to the school once Biff departed. And not for nothing he's bounced around now 4 schools in his career and so there could be something to just never quite feeling happy where he's at.
Anyway, wish him luck. My guess is he turns into a good player next year wherever he winds up. Sucks to lose that production but ah well.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:37 PM ^
Maybe he’s on a quest to spend a year each with every team in the country?
January 12th, 2023 at 3:38 PM ^
Portal giveth and taketh away. He could’ve had a monster year at Michigan next year. I imagine he will wherever he is headed
January 12th, 2023 at 3:43 PM ^
This one is a surprise. I was expecting him to pop off next season.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:44 PM ^
Does anyone know the status of our current portal additions, when they get on campus? I thought I read someplace that Hausmann is already on campus. Basically who would be with the team for spring ball.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:45 PM ^
The portal giveth, and the portal taketh away. Wish him well, but wish many championships to those that stay.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:45 PM ^
He's gonna follow Biff down to Charlotte, sad for Michigan but happy for the kid to keep chasing his dream however he deems best.
Q re the portal: does putting your name in mean you are 100% out, or is it like putting your name out there for other schools to offer you? IOW, could he put his name in the portal, but ultimately decide to return to Michigan? If a player puts their name in the portal, does anything else happen automatically--like does his scholarship get revoked?
January 12th, 2023 at 3:50 PM ^
I believe they can take their name out of the portal if the program allows it.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:52 PM ^
The answer to your question is yes. Sometimes entering the portal means you are 100% gone. Many players enter the portal and already know where they will end up. Other players put their name in the portal as a way to hunt for a new opportunity. But entering the portal does not preclude a return. I can recall several instances in which players have entered the portal but ultimately decided to stay at their current school.
January 12th, 2023 at 5:57 PM ^
Different sport, but wasn’t this the case with Kofi Cockburn?
January 12th, 2023 at 3:48 PM ^
Remember back in December when we were landing portal player after portal player, were 13-0 and Harbaugh wasn’t interviewing with NFL teams? Cool times!
January 12th, 2023 at 3:52 PM ^
put some steel in your spine, buttercup.
January 12th, 2023 at 4:10 PM ^
You remember that was when we were in the playoff and most (except Bowman) will not enter the portal while games are still happening.
We took in a bunch and it was widely expected there would be some attrition coming. I didn't expect it to be him but we expected departures.
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