Dan Villari to the portal
January 6th, 2022 at 10:07 AM ^
Villari's only P5 offer was Michigan; his other offers were from Kent St, Albany, UMass, Buffalo, Fordham, and Central Connecticut St.
I don't know if he thought he'd have a good chance of starting at Michigan, but no doubt he figures his two seasons at Michigan will yield a starting position somewhere else. I can't imagine this is NIL related.
It also reinforces my comment in the NIL thread about players not really caring about education. It's extremely likely that Villari will transfer to a school whose educational profile is vastly lower than Michigan's, but getting a Michigan degree doesn't figure into things.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:13 AM ^
Think you hit it... he did his time at Michigan and now that he sees the landscape of the QB room, he's hoping his brand as the notional QB3 at Michigan with tape of him in uniform on the field taking snaps (yes, in garbage time mostly, but he's on the field) can land him at a G5 or FCS school with a solid shot at starting.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:35 AM ^
You may be right but since he has no chance of ever becoming an NFL player the best business decision would probably be staying at Michigan and getting a Michigan degree. Transferring just indicates that he loves football and playing is more important to him than the degree. I am not knocking him for that, just commenting.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:40 AM ^
It's even more than that. Somebody like Villari, with an M degree and the spot on his resume about playing on the 2021 Big Ten champions, could be getting an awful lot of love from fellow alum in management positions in various industries.
January 6th, 2022 at 1:35 PM ^
No way he had an M degree right? He's been at M for less than 2 years. All power to him if he does but I doubt it
January 6th, 2022 at 11:18 AM ^
Fordham is a pretty good school. It will be interesting to see if someplace like that takes him
January 6th, 2022 at 12:02 PM ^
That's a good point—there are quality educational institutions that don't participate in Division 1 big-time football; Fordham football is FCS (what used to be Division 1-AA).
January 6th, 2022 at 11:20 AM ^
EMU. GO HURONS!!
January 6th, 2022 at 11:57 AM ^
UMass? Hello from Don Brown?
January 6th, 2022 at 5:59 PM ^
These kids have a finite time to play the game they love…can’t begrudge him for going to seek an opportunity to continue his dream of playing football. There is no timeline on him being a student, it’s possible he enrolls back at Michigan after his athletic career is over.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:08 AM ^
Prolly got offered a mill from Chuckie Batch to move across town.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:09 AM ^
anyone know if Cade has his degree? Yeah...they aren't here to play school...I get it it. But if he needs another year for a degree I'd imagine he is putting a high priority on leaving with one and that could be what keeps him another year...he'd still have two years of eligibility?
JJ and Cade should both be getting big time cash next year via NIL I'd assume which could help hold that together for one more year.
Edit: If I was a betting man I'd say Cade leaves if he has his UM degree in hand.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:46 AM ^
I don't know either (no one does except Cade), but this is the angle I have been interested in seeing. Cade has been on campus for 2 years. Some players actually do school and complete their degree in 3 (summer classes). Cade could very well be close enough to a degree that he stays next year regardless of whether he is the starter or not because he would be getting his degree.
In that scenario, 3 years at Michigan, degree in hand, grad transfer thus immediately playing eligibility, NIL $$$ forthcoming. He will be able to be the perfect College Football Free Agent.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:58 AM ^
Yeah that's what I've been thinking as well. I'd imagine he probably needs at least the first half of next year and just don't see him leaving without a UM degree. I do actually think he will play as well I don't think it will be JJ 100% but I do think it will be JJ 65%+...give or take.
Then you have to hit on your "next JJ", Cade transfers the year after next, JJ is 100% the guy and you a freshman stud and the process repeats itself.
I think Cade was a RS and then with the covid year he still has, what, three years of eligibility so he could leave after next year and start somewhere two years. Dude could leave CFB with an undergrad from UM and two masters from another program + major NIL money.
January 6th, 2022 at 11:36 AM ^
He has immediate eligibility with or without the degree thanks to the one time transfer rule.
I was thinking Cade would leave if JJ starts getting first team reps over him this spring, or it’s possible that JJ leaves if Cade remains the starter, but since both guys have three years of eligibility remaining, maybe we keep both for one more year. Both guys will still have two more years after next season. There’s no reason they both can’t stay and see how the 2022 season plays out. If you’re not the starter at seasons end, then transfer out. You’ll still have two years to start at another school.
January 6th, 2022 at 12:37 PM ^
Cade has been on campus for three years, but the point remains. Would be nice if finishing his degree was the reason he for sure stayed around.
January 6th, 2022 at 7:19 PM ^
Three years. Cade redshirted in 2019, CoVid year was last year, this was his third year.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:10 AM ^
Good luck, Dan.
Fuck you, Rainer Sabin.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:11 AM ^
I figured this was coming when we made that late push for Alex Orji (i.e. the coaches knew, and wanted another QB on the roster).
January 6th, 2022 at 10:15 AM ^
Dan was never going to get on the field at QB. Good luck to him. I hope he finds a nice landing spot where he can get some playing time.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:50 AM ^
I mean, he did see the field 4 times this year as a QB. Yeah it was garbage time but he was ahead of Bowman and (I presume) would be the likely backup to whomever wins the QB competition next year if the loser of that fight transferred. He's not a guy you're dying to see on the field but I'm sure the staff didn't want him to leave.
January 6th, 2022 at 11:18 AM ^
He was only ahead of Bowman because Bowman got here so late. Bowman has shown he can run an offense. Villari has not.
January 6th, 2022 at 11:33 AM ^
Bowman showed he could run an offense at Texas Tech before he got injured, and I'd like to think that when we're down to 3rd/4th-string QBs a guy who had played for years at the P5 level would have passed a guy who had been on campus for a year and that year being a COVID-19 truncated one.
Maybe Bowman really does take a leap next year as the likely backup but I can't imagine there was such a chasm of experience and knowledge of the offense between Bowman and Villari that the prior couldn't surpass the latter if he really was better.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:18 AM ^
Oh, no, the paesan.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:28 AM ^
Excuse me, I'm President of the Italian- American Anti-Defamation League. AND THIS REALLY BURNS MY CANNOLI!!!
January 6th, 2022 at 1:13 PM ^
Obligatory response.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:31 AM ^
Boy it's hard to keep scholarship backup QBs around. I don't blame them, but nonetheless.
January 6th, 2022 at 10:32 AM ^
To the portal and beyond...
January 6th, 2022 at 10:44 AM ^
I’d have stayed long enough to get that UM undergrad in my back pocket
January 6th, 2022 at 11:03 AM ^
Good luck to the young man.
Also - we're doomed
January 6th, 2022 at 11:09 AM ^
This one is expected.
Does Bowman still have a year of eligibility? I'm hoping we can at least grab 1 more from the portal, or you know, Edwards can play QB after that bomb he threw.
January 6th, 2022 at 11:12 AM ^
Good luck to the young man, wherever he lands. He leaves Michigan with a B1G Champion ring. That's an accomplishment.
I wonder if he's bringing a case of Dr. Pepper with him.
January 6th, 2022 at 11:35 AM ^
Not surprising. This was a weird offer by Harbaugh. Dan clearly didn’t have the arm talent to compete at a high D1 level, so I’m not sure what Harbaugh saw in him. This kid will be better served playing at a little lower level where he can use his legs as well as his limited arm to make a difference.
January 6th, 2022 at 12:00 PM ^
He might have seen a future Tight End. Perhaps Villari got the "we can move you to tight end or never see the field again" talk.
Or, the coaches have seen enough from him to know he can't play anywhere else either and suggested he move on.
January 6th, 2022 at 11:35 AM ^
I support Villari's decision - in his limited snaps, he seemed to show enough (maybe even more than was expected from him) that he has a chance to be a starter at an FBS program, but still not enough to start at Michigan absent catastrophic injury. If I were him I'd transfer too.
January 6th, 2022 at 12:15 PM ^
Good for him to chase his dream of starting. If he were my kid, I'd suggest cramming in classes for another year to leave with a Michigan degree...but that's the old man (not young student) point of view... I understand why he's eager to start next chapter (and as people have pointed out, may end up at a good academic institution with a good alumni job network).
January 6th, 2022 at 12:18 PM ^
I was really hoping for the great underdog wins starting job store from Dan V. Good luck to him.
January 6th, 2022 at 1:56 PM ^
There goes my dream one day for an epic Big House chant of Villari to the tune of "Volare"
January 6th, 2022 at 2:18 PM ^
He got a ring and some PT.
He reminded me of Nick Sheridan from the RR era, or even Chris Zurbrugg from the Bo era. Decent runner, limited passer, role player who could play on a practice squad.
JJ is the future but shouldn't be awarded the job w/o competing for it. If Cade does lose out and transfers, we will need a quality experienced backup from the portal. I didn't see Dan being a guy who could step in for some games and lead us to victory vs. a very good team.
January 6th, 2022 at 5:09 PM ^
Insert DarthVaderNooooo.gif
January 6th, 2022 at 7:24 PM ^
DV should head over to my Ferris State Bulldogs. He is the quintessential FSU QB now. Run first and probably throws good enough.
January 6th, 2022 at 7:59 PM ^