Austin White officially gone
Sorry if discussed elsewhere
From Rothstein: Rodriguez: "Austin White is no longer in the program." #Michigan
And then Tim:
http://twitter.com/varsityblue
Asked UM football spokesman Dave Ablauf about Austin White not on roster: "That's permanent."
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:42 AM ^
I did include kids who were signed and didn't make it, but you are right they are different. I will also assume that Rich Rod will adjust to the admissions office, or at lease communicate better.
I also admit that I didn't look at attition rates between eras. (I wish I had time for that, the wife kids really limit my quality mgoblog time.)
It just seems that we are loosing good talent and I do have a concern over it. First of all, I want these kids to come in and do well both on and off the field. Second, we need players. Turner's failure to launch is a problem that will haunt us this year and next. RB is OK for now, but who knows what develops down the road.
I am not saying that we turn the place into Club Med. I just hope that Rich Rod takes a look at this situation and makes those changes that can be made. These are kids making a huge transition. There is a balance between kicking their behinds and welcoming them to the team.
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:48 AM ^
It's Division 1 Football, Brother!!!
Better that we know early that someone is not willing to pay the price that everyone else does.
Those who stay will be champions.
August 22nd, 2010 at 2:59 PM ^
Am I the only one that imagined Hulk Hogan's voice when reading this post?
August 22nd, 2010 at 4:32 PM ^
will do it every time...
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:31 AM ^
it's a little concerning that players seem to be leaving UM with little to no resistance. Perhaps Carr took more time to really talk to the kids before they made their decision to leave and convinced some of them that UM is where they should be. Maybe RRod's "you're either in or you're out" stance is more hardlined and/or he doesn't try as hard to convince guys to stay and stick it out. Seems like Turner was a guy that could have benefited from something like this.
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:38 AM ^
throw transfer papers at Crable? I don't think RR is any different than Lloyd in terms of "team" mentality, but I have no personal experience with either. Carr expected a lot from his players and RR expects a lot from his players. I don't see the need to compare the two coaches on everything.
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:00 PM ^
but Tom Brady was also considering transferring to Cal because of lack of playing time until he sat down with him and had a talk. Not that Austin White leaving will make a big impact, but the defections are a little bit disconcerting. Just saying.
August 22nd, 2010 at 4:55 PM ^
The "transfer papers toss" seemed to be Carr's next step if the "not on the same page" and "in the doghouse" ploys didn't get the message across. I remember stories about Chris Perry and Rondell Biggs being offered transfer papers. Who knows how many times it happened and we didn't hear about it.
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:12 PM ^
Neither you nor I know what went on behind the scenes with Turner. But we do know that the common wisdom is that he came to UM in bad shape a year ago and was in bad shape again this year. If a full year of advice and mentoring resulted in no improvement it would be understandable that coaches might agree with a young man who decided he didn't fit in.
Again, I don't know what happened behind the scenes, so I'm unwilling to second guess how the coaches handled this specific case or others.
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:41 AM ^
I am sure that RR and staff are aware that high attrition is not good for the program. I am sure it is not slipping their minds, going unnoticed. I am also sure that, being highly paid and experienced managers, executives, they are interested in how to keep the kids here that work hard once they get here. I think RR's attitude toward walk ons is telling - he rewards hard work. Come in, work hard, you will likely have a spot on the team. RR & Co know what they are doing - it all depends on who is leaving, why someone leaves.
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:59 AM ^
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:35 PM ^
We've all heard the old saying about breakfast: "The chicken is an interested party. The pig is committed."
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:20 AM ^
they come and they go hobbs, they come and they go.
good luck to austin wherever he lands.
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:45 AM ^
I am confused...If it was not his decision to leave - why is he gone? Was he kicked off the team? I thought he "earned" his wings already.
Who has the inside scoop? These kinds of soap operas are killing me - let's play some football!
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:53 AM ^
sigh....
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:59 AM ^
I guess I dont get why some want to keep reasons secret...Why let us wait for it tomorrow or hear it from "Spartans"...This whole hush, hush stuff is why rumors get out there...Just saying
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:59 AM ^
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:10 PM ^
If you're able, could you forestall the inevitable, senseless rumor mongering and let us know why White was shown the door?
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:14 PM ^
Geaux mentioned it above, but it was a "team rules" type thing. I don't think we need to go any further. Austin White is not on the team.
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:19 PM ^
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:31 PM ^
This is the right approach, stick to it. Some things are for us to know, some things aren't.
August 22nd, 2010 at 1:48 PM ^
Do you have a source for the fact that he was given the boot instead of transferring? I agree that the specifics don't matter. I had thought it was his decision to leave. If he got shown the door , I might feel differently about this than I stated in my earlier posts. Where are you guys getting the information that RR kicked him off the team? Note - I am not saying you are making it up or anything, I just want to catch up with the rest of the class. Thanks.
August 22nd, 2010 at 4:22 PM ^
Read his username.
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:17 PM ^
Good luck Austin White. Sorry it didn't work out. I agree that the reason should be stated as to why it didn't work out. Anything is better than hearing it from Sparty.
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:21 PM ^
So I guess it really was his decision,,,,It was just probably not made consciously. Sounds like RR had to validate the bad decision(s) that were already made.
Good luck to Austin wherever he lands. This could be a great life lesson.
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:48 PM ^
but if he wasn't all in, he wasn't all in. Good luck to him elsewhere.
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:54 PM ^
While I don't necessarily have a problem with Rich Rod letting go of the guys who won't work, I do have a problem with him recruiting these guys in the first place.
With every committment post, there are a handful of guys saying "Don't worry Rich knows what he's doing." But as Dorsey, Witty, Booboo, Feagin, Turner and now White have shown...maybe he doesn't know what he's doing.
August 22nd, 2010 at 1:17 PM ^
OMFG RR CAN'T READ THE MINDS AND INFLUENCE EVERY 18 YEAR OLD KID THAT TRIES TO GET INTO THE PROGRAM HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S DOING111
Shut the hell up.
August 22nd, 2010 at 1:23 PM ^
That seems like a reasonable response, and really sums up the essence of what I was saying. :)
August 22nd, 2010 at 1:25 PM ^
I thought so too.
August 22nd, 2010 at 1:34 PM ^
Illinois, Iowa, LSU, MSU, Purdue and Wisconsin. good info.
August 22nd, 2010 at 2:02 PM ^
Im not sure what youre going for, but its unreadable.
EDIT: It's better
August 22nd, 2010 at 2:07 PM ^
You do realize BooBoo was an LC commit, and that UM had been recruiting Turner since he was like a freshman in high school, right? And White had offers from all over the place. Sometimes, it turns out the program and the player are not a good match, and there is a mutual parting of ways. Sometimes, the player realizes his heart just isn't in football anymore. Sometimes, the player turns out to be a total idiot who doesn't deserve to be at the school. You can't blame the coach's recruiting tactics every time there is a transfer, or somebody gets booted from the team.
August 22nd, 2010 at 3:24 PM ^
Kids (non-athletes) drop out of college all the time, transfer, and fail out, but in most cases, we don't blame admissions, because these cases are often complex mixes of personal and academic factors. It's even more complex with scholarship athletes because staying on the team is such a huge commitment, even setting aside the personal and the academic.
The fact of the matter is, it is difficult to predict success of a given individual on or off the field, even when you have a lot of metrics. And the sample size in this case is really, really small. So I don't think that we as outside observers can accurately judge the coaching staff on the basis of the results. A coaching staff has to do their due diligence and make the most educated decision they can. Clearly they don't benefit from kids leaving the team, so it is generally in their interests to make good decisions, especially at a place like Michigan where this kind of stuff is really scrutinized. There's no evidence that RR and his staff haven't done the best that they could. That's not true at other universities, and we should be proud and supportive of Michigan's commitment to excellence on and off the field for its student-athletes.
August 22nd, 2010 at 6:25 PM ^
One cannot predict how an 18 year old who recruit who has been probably had things come easy to him due to his skills, will react when slapped with tons of responsibility and accountability all at once, especially when the University he attends is known for academics. Either their character will sink or it will swim. It is disheartening when players leave, yes, however once Rodriguez starts winning, the quality of recruit, as far as character is concerned, will go UP, b/c he'll be able to be more selective. Right now we cannot have our cake and eat it too.
And think of the flip side of it... say he looks the other way like Jimmy Johnson did with his Miami hoodlums... then the claim would be that Rodriguez has sold his soul, etc, and isn't a disciplinarian.
I for one am beginning to think what a few have said that Rodriguez is in fact alot like Bo was, and that he'd toss the player out of program if it was good for the individual player yet to the detriment of the program. Go Rodriguez, and Go Blue.
August 22nd, 2010 at 2:08 PM ^
I'm just so impressed at the power Brian has. He laid down the law and the tune of the Austin White thread has turned on a dime.
Friday-"A. White is a #$%@#$ and a @#$%@#$% #$%#$%@#$5, get the @#$%!@#% out.
Sunday-Good luck Austin
Brian=Firm Pimp Hand
August 22nd, 2010 at 4:25 PM ^
There's also the fact that people now know that he didn't leave voluntarily.
August 22nd, 2010 at 4:48 PM ^
Let's not forget that most of the "Austin White is a [blank]" posts came from a stream of new posters with msu.edu e-mail addresses. This board has consistently been one of the most responsible and respectful places I have visited on the Internet. By comparison, I was on ESPN reading about the LLWS and someone called a kid on Tom's River an overrated player. We are talking about 8- and 9-year olds.