March 12th, 2015 at 10:00 AM ^
"This is common practice"
No it isn't. This isn't the NFL.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:18 AM ^
March 12th, 2015 at 11:17 AM ^
and he's obviously made the decision that he's not interested in going for that. It might be a reluctance to subject himself to the physical pounding, it might be an assessment on his part that his chances of landing an NFL position are slim, or it might be just that he's done mentally with the game and wants to move on to his career. Or all of the above.
Some people will try to paint him as a failure, but in my book he's a raging success. He's an actual goddamn student athlete.
Jack Miller did come here to play school.
He's played 4 years of college football at the highest level but is not an NFL type talent. He was an unheralded recruit who ended up as a starter.
Football takes a toll on you mentally and physically, with an inherent risk of catastrophic injury every time you step onto the field. If I had solid business opportunities elsewhere, and I were in his position, I'd seriously consider walking away with my health intact as well.
Forget catastrophic injury, repeated minor head trauma is probably more than enough reason for a kid who knows his future is in something else yet still has lived his dream of playing bigtime college football to walk away.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:00 AM ^
although for O-linemen I would assume that the whole concussion thing is less of an issue, statistically, than getting a knee or shoulder shredded. That position doesn't generally have the high speed contact that results in head injury, they see much more of the clipping, chop blocking, getting rolled up on from behind, type stuff.
It'd be interesting to see stats of head trauma by position. I would think running backs, linebackers and safeties would be way up there.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:20 AM ^
While I agree that the 'big' concusstions that were used to seeing with LB's, WR's, RB's, DB's probably do not occur with olineman, I'd guess there are a lot of minor trauma's that occur with the olinemen. On just about any running play these guys are firing off the ball into a dlineman or an LB. While the violent hit that usually occurs that really rings someones bell probably doesn't occur, there are probably tons of minor ones.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:33 AM ^
I remember reading about the VT study where they put accelerometers in helmets, and I'm pretty sure that O-linemen received the most trauma on average. They described playing a game as an O-lineman the same as a 40 mph car crash. I would have thought safety or linebacker, but I guess linemen get it on every play, and O-linemen more than D-linement for some reason.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:01 AM ^
I was at an athletic department function a few days after Hoke was let go where in years past Hoke would have given a brief speech. In his stead we had Jack MIller give a few minutes of his time and he was very articulate and represented the players well. He should do fine in future endeavors.
Miller always handled himself well as the voice of the offense at last fall's team pressers. I wish him luck and a bright future ahead.
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Thanks for everything Jack and go kick ass!
The fallout of a coaching change and/or playing time. Mid spring announcement seems a little odd.
and they can move guys around if there's an injury. Sort of a bad spot to lose a guy and hopefully there isn't a Mooseman situation any time this year.
Either way, glad to a see a player taking his education/career seriously.
Maybe not a Mooseman, but definitely a Mothman.
or Kugler time?
Besta luck Jack- and thanks for your contribution on and off the field!
Read a tweet somewhere that Blake Bars and Kugler have been working out at center.
he was NOT passed on the depth chart after just a few practices. Harbaugh has made clear that every position is up for grabs. The C job is wide open. This is a challenge to our depth no matter how you want to spin it.
I agree.
Wonder if they plan on skipping redshirts for any of the OL recruits this year. Depth is gonna be a bit thin.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:03 AM ^
Oh man... I hope that we don't see a true frosh starting at center this year. Even if its possible, can we please not talk about it? TIA
March 12th, 2015 at 10:07 AM ^
Oh I don't think it will be anything that drastic, Glasgow or Kugler can hopefully take the job. But attrition has to kinda be a worry at some point. IMO O-line is the most important position to redshirt so I hope we don't have to burn those at any point.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:19 AM ^
I am not seeing the thinness on the OL. Kugler, Mags, Braden, Cole, Kalis, Glasgow, Bars, LTT and Dawson. That's 9 OL for 5 spots, with at least 2 (Kugler and Glasgow) who can play C. I am not even including Samualson and Fox, both of whom are believed to be further away from being ready. Why would we need to put a true freshman in with this many large, mostly heralded out of high school, OL on the roster?
March 12th, 2015 at 10:35 AM ^
Touche. I'd prefer to still have a two deep (so ten) at every spot minus the redshirts and walk-ons, but you're right, we have more depth than I thought we did.
March 12th, 2015 at 11:21 AM ^
This is pretty shocking. Hope the young man's health is in good order.
Obviously nothing behind this, but I remember reading that Hegarty--Notre Dame's starting center--is transferring for his fifth year. No correlation whatsoever, but we have pursued transfers thus far.
Awe come on, too soon?
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March 12th, 2015 at 10:04 AM ^
Not too soon at all. They have two more QB prospects coming in next week - get these useless, returning, starting linemen out of here!!
March 12th, 2015 at 10:17 AM ^
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March 12th, 2015 at 10:19 AM ^
March 12th, 2015 at 10:56 AM ^
March 12th, 2015 at 10:39 AM ^
Too bad, I really liked him, and I think besides Cole, I think he improved the most on the line last year
Good luck and thanks for your play! Probably figured pro football wasn't in his future and decided to move on now. As long as he gets that degree, I can't be mad about that.
Does anyone know if he's graduating this semester?
(Bosch and Miller) on OL since JH has come on board. Good luck to them.
Attrition is to be expected with new coaches, especially with Harbaugh at the helm.
This was not the attrition i was expecting.
Definitely a blow to our depth at OL, probably remains to be seen how big of a blow it is for OL. We obviously have high hopes for Kugler, and Glasglow can fill in. We can probably replace Miller enough that we won't miss his production. Probably.
It's too bad though. Obviously, if this is what he wanted to do, then I can't fault him for it. But he seemed to develop into a above-average center last year, and it would have been really nice to have a fifth year center starting for us. I was sort of counting on him to improve a little bit more and be a steady presence on our OL. Now it's a little more up in the air.
Good luck, Jack! Thanks for your time at Michigan and best of luck in the future!
Next man up.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:03 AM ^
March 12th, 2015 at 10:10 AM ^
March 12th, 2015 at 10:14 AM ^
...why can't we just be happy for the kid?
And why can't we just accept that maybe he got replaced by a younger, better player and he didn't feel like working all year just to ride the bench?
Jon Horford was a headscratcher, this is not. Two different sports and it's not about minutes in football like it is basketball. If Miller already has life (job) opportunities, has graduated and isn't going to the NFL even if he was the starter...the only reason to come back to the team and be a backup is just because you want to play more football and you know you'll find another good job opportunity.
His circumstances are pretty black and white, I don't think anyone should take it personally. If the man doesn't want to play football anymore, no worries. We'll be fine and he will too.
Glasgow can move to C with Kugler backing him up, or Kugler can start and Glasgow slide over in a pinch.
Also think they should put Runyan Jr. at C.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:15 AM ^
Good luck to Jack! He definitely made the most out of his talents. I thought he was our best lineman last season and we were just disgussing that in another thread last week.
Depth is a concern on the O line. Stay healthy and we will be OK though.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:15 AM ^
He was adequate at best last year. Wish him well, but we have two higher potential guys in Glascow and Kugler with DREVNO coaching them up. Wouldn't surprise me if some of the other guys coming off redshirts or sophmores are finally healthy and ready to compete for other spots as well. My guess is Drevno saw him as expendable. He said he has a lot of great clay to mold, and maybe Jack is the odd guy out due to the progression of the higher touted guys. I expect a very solid or even great o-line this year.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:16 AM ^
Well this is why you go to Michigan, because the degree for almost all college players will mean more than football. Good luck to him